CORRECTION: Bp. William Wack, provided a video presentation to the AUSCP Assembly, but did not attend in person. In a statement he issued today, Bp. Wack indicated that in his presentation:
“There was no mention of same-sex marriage or anything contrary to Church teachings, that’s for sure. I hardly think that it is a scandal when a bishop talks to priests about holiness and the need to reform our lives.”
Bp. Wack also indicated that the rainbow blanket he donned for that picture was posted on the internet by him 12 years ago after it was given to him by hospice workers. He wrote:
“It was from another convention – the Catholic Daughters of the Americas convention in Houston (I believe). After my talk to the young people about Mary and the saints, they presented me with a prayer blanket that the girls were making for patients in the hospital and Hospice. They thought that a rainbow of colors would cheer up the sick and the dying.”
We are very happy to hear from His Excellency that he stands by Church teaching that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered” and that the blanket draped around his neck had nothing to do with the LGBT movement.
Since Bp. Wack is now aware of the push for Same-Sex “Marriage” by leadership members of the AUSCP and its conference vendors, we hope he will issue a formal condemnation of the AUSCP, forbidding his priests from having anything to do with the organization.
From June 21-24, the Association of United States Catholic Priests (AUSCP) held its annual assembly in Minneapolis, MN. Participating in the conference were at least three Catholic Bishops: Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe, NM; Bishop Richard Pates of Crookston, MN; and Bishop William Wack of Pensacola, FL.
The Lepanto Institute was on location for the duration of the Assembly, holding two Rosary Rallies of Reparation for the heresies and sacrileges being promoted by the AUSCP while further monitoring the AUSCP’s activities. While the AUSCP has vocally supported homosexuality in the priesthood and acceptance of active homosexuals into parish life, this is the first time that outright support for same-sex marriage has been openly promoted at the AUSCP assembly.
One of the vendors at the AUSCP’s Assembly was New Ways Ministry, an organization condemned by both the USCCB and the Vatican. Sitting on the table of News Ways Ministry were bumper stickers which said, “Catholics for Marriage Equality: GOD IS LOVE.”
It should be noted that New Ways Ministry not only promotes homosexual “marriage equality”, it also publishes articles (examples here and here) that suggest that homosexual sexual acts are not sinful.
But it shouldn’t come as any surprise that New Ways Ministry is permitted to promote same-sex “marriage” at the AUSCP Assembly since one of the members of the AUSCP leadership team, Fr. Peter Daly, is also on the Board of Directors of the New Ways Ministry.
On June 22, day 2 of the AUSCP Assembly, Fr. Daly tried to snatch a phone from LifeSiteNews reporter, Jim Hale. Hale, referring to the bumper stickers, accused Fr. Daly and the AUSCP of promoting same-sex “marriage.” Fr. Daly did not deny the accusation, but instead claimed that they are promoting “charity.” Here is a recording of that brief exchange:
In addition to the open promotion of same-sex “marriage” were fliers promoting transgenderism, forcing Catholic businesses to hire self-professed LGBTQ individuals, and promoting homosexuality and transgenderism among the youth.
The presence of the bishops at the AUSCP Assembly under these circumstances is critical. Abp. Wester is the Episcopal Moderator for the AUSCP, which means he gives the AUSCP spiritual guidance and acts as a liaison for the USCCB. Since he and Bp. Pates were participants in the assembly, there is absolutely no way they were not aware of the promotion of same-sex “marriage” taking place. And they could not have ignored this pamphlet calling on Catholic employers to pledge “not discriminate in employment practices on the basis of marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and personal support for marriage equality.” [emphasis added]
We also saw a pamphlet promoting transexual activism, establishing the notion that men dressed or surgically altered to resemble women or vice versa should be allowed full and active participation in all aspects of parish life, regardless of perverse moral activity.
Perhaps worst of all is this pamphlet on holding workshops to introduce the false teachings of New Ways Ministry and its homosexual activism into Catholic schools.
The New Ways Ministry website dedicated to this initiative explains the purpose and scope of the workshop, stating, “This workshop is designed to help participants develop LGBTQ initiatives that fit the unique character of your school community.” Among the stated outcomes, the workshop claims that participants will:
“Acquire understanding of church teaching on sexual ethics and social justice, theological debates, advances and trends in Catholic schools”
Considering the fact that New Ways Ministry professes that homosexual relationships are good and promotes same-sex “marriage,” it is very easy to conclude that this workshop will not be providing a proper understanding of “church teaching on sexual ethics.”
Here are a few more pictures of pamphlets and paraphernalia handed out at the AUSCP Assembly in Minneapolis:
All of this activity was openly flaunted in front of these bishops in attendance at the Assembly:
- Archbishop John Wester, Episcopal Moderator and Assembly Mass Presider
- Bishop Richard Pates, Minneapolis-St.Paul Archdiocesan Welcomer and Concelebrant
By participating in a conference that allows open promotion of active homosexual relationships and same-sex “marriage,” the only conclusion one can draw is that these bishops (at least silently) are supportive of what these materials advocate.
Other bishops who are either members or have previously participated in AUSCP events are:
- Cardinal Blase Cupich
- Cardinal Wilton Gregory
- Archbishop Gregory Hartmeyer
- Archbishop Robert Carlson
- Bishop John Stowe (member)
- Bishop Robert McElroy
This is scandalous beyond measure! These bishops must disavow and condemn the AUSCP, bar them from any diocesan activity and publicly repudiate the errors promoted at the assembly. Anything short of this is an active betrayal of their God-given ministry of safeguarding the flock Christ entrusted to them.
Be sure to contact your bishop and ask him to publicly condemn the AUSCP and forbid his priests from being members!
Click here for a sample letter you can send.
Click here to find the contact information for your bishop!
Small correction: Hartmayer is now Archbishop. He replaced now-Cardinal Gregory as ordinary of the Atlanta Archdiocese
Thanks. We made the correction.
Sort of says something about those who supported his promotion and who made the final decision on it.
Just getting very tired of Bishops and Priests normalizing Sodomy and mortal sin.
These are satans workers.
We absolutely must choke off the supply chain here. There are a multiplicity of ways to help the poor and Church in need without giving money to the Diocese to distribute as they see fit. We can’t prevent them from funding their personal gay lifestyles or those of others so stop giving them money!
A majority of bishops voted to approve “Catholics in Political Life” several times since 2004. That one-page USCCB document says that each bishop, individually, has the authority to give himself permission to give Communion to pro-abortion Catholics. Unnoticed by the bishops is the fact that doing so is grave matter, because it is a sacrilegious act, and because it necessarily causes grave scandal. That’s right: The majority of American bishops believe that each bishop has the right to authorize himself to commit mortal sin. This has been their official position since 2004.
This is what it means to describe the majority of bishops as “antinomian.” They do not believe they are bound to obey Canon 915, the moral law, or divine law. This kind of freedom from all law is precisely what most of them craved during their climb from mere priest to the exalted position of bishop.
Nothing they do after that should surprise anyone. They consider themselves radically free from all law and all teachings of the Magisterium.
Bishop Bill Wack was not in attendance at this conference, he sent a video presentation about the direction towards which the Church must go in this present time, and it was toward living the Gospel: towards Eucharistic adoration, evangelization and living the charity of Christ in the world. Which one of those topics are you attacking him for? The picture you are using of him and the connotations you are encouraging are damaging to the faith and good name of a good bishop. Bishop Wack was not in any way endorsing New Ways ministry, did not actually attend the conference in person to see “All of this activity [that] was openly flaunted in front of these bishops in attendance at the Assembly” so one would have to assume that your article is either ignorant of the facts (which should immediately be corrected) or willfully desiring to commit the grave sin of calumny. Since one who consciously and knowingly commits the sin of calumny commits a mortal sin, I trust that you will publicly correct the errors and seek forgiveness for fomenting deceit.
We have issued the following correction to the top of the article:
CORRECTION: Bp. William Wack, provided a video presentation to the AUSCP Assembly, but did not attend in person. In a statement he issued today, Bp. Wack indicated that in his presentation:
“There was no mention of same-sex marriage or anything contrary to Church teachings, that’s for sure. I hardly think that it is a scandal when a bishop talks to priests about holiness and the need to reform our lives.”
Bp. Wack also indicated that the rainbow blanket he donned for that picture was posted on the internet by him 12 years ago after it was given to him by hospice workers. He wrote:
“It was from another convention – the Catholic Daughters of the Americas convention in Houston (I believe). After my talk to the young people about Mary and the saints, they presented me with a prayer blanket that the girls were making for patients in the hospital and Hospice. They thought that a rainbow of colors would cheer up the sick and the dying.”
We are very happy to hear from His Excellency that he stands by Church teaching that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered” and that the blanked draped around his neck had nothing to do with the LGBT movement.
Since Bp. Wack is now aware of the push for Same-Sex “Marriage” by leadership members of the AUSCP and its conference vendors, we hope he will issue a formal condemnation of the AUSCP, forbidding his priests from having anything to do with the organization.
Thank you for standing up for my Brother-in-law. We pray that other organizations that have posted such ignorant lies will also post some sort of retraction. The filth coming out of so called faithful Catholic is sickening to say the least.
We hope and pray your brother-in-law will fully denounce and condemn this heretical organization, now that he is fully aware of what they are about.
I should think a different picture is warranted. Leaving it right above the headline is highly misleading and in this day and age is sending a message. How can we trust this publication if the articles are left as is in order to mislead?
The picture has been changed. Thanks.
Thank you!
It is hard to imagine 30 years from now any of this creating much of a fuss. The Holy Spirit is moving us forward. Resisting is pointless.
The Arians probably thought the same thing, as did the Albegensians, the Monophysites, the Monothelites, and a host of other heretical movements that have erupted throughout the Church’s history.
Unfortunately there are groups like this all over the world, and the problem is probably the worst in Germany.