The Bishop's Weekly Column from the Parish Bulletin

OUR LADY OF FATIMA

CATHOLIC CHURCH

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"

December 18, 2006

"Fear itself"

Many people think that the words above were spoken by President Franklin D. Roosevelt after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor (I myself labored under this delusion until doing a little internet research prior to composing this column.) In fact the words were spoken in his first inaugural address and reference instead the crisis of the great "Depression" which he had been elected to end.

Apparently my columns and articles are beginning to hit home and not just here in the United States. When one sede cleric recently opined "We're beginning to turn a corner" he said much more than he bargained for. Over in Poland, the Catholic Home of the late Pope John Paul II, I apparently have created a "ruckus" (an Americanism meaning "stirred up trouble"). The sede types, and the Williamson hard-liners don't like my exploding their pet "theories" (which have no basis in Catholic theology any way). So annoyed are my detractors that one fellow posted the following in a Polish language internet forum:

Your Excellency,

I have happened to (have) read such an opinion about your column on one of the Polish internet fora. I found it quite funny, especially in context of other opinions advocated by the same person (e.g. he endorsed Bishop Williamson's text in which the bishop in question admits that he told cardinal Medina that they profess different religions, (...)

(Ironically Bishop Williamson is quite correct, he does not share the same Faith as Cardinal Medina, but not for Williamson's reasons. The Message continues....)

"It must not be done! [i.e. one must not read your column] Father (Sic !) Fulham's writings are the apex of the modernist delirium - it is worse than pornography. However, I feel great compassion for this priest, because he must be suffering from being torn inside very much. Such a great religious aberration is indeed a rarity."

I am grateful to a Polish correspondent who kindly informed and translated the message for me. I speak English, French, Spanish, German, Latin and have a working knowledge of Italian, but Polish is well beyond my capabilities.

I have been accused of "Modernism" before. No doubt Fathers Laguérie, de Tanoüarn, Aulagnier, Héry of the Institute of the Good Shepherd fame are also "Modernists" since they accept (like myself) that Pope Benedict XVI is committed to restoring Tradition to the Church. Sorry - they're not interested in compromise, they merely recognize the sincerity of Rome.

Like President Roosevelt, we are facing tough times in Tradition. It seems the Williamson/sede types are truly fearful of true Catholic Theology that they feel the need to "censor" me. I, for my part, am quite gratified that the message (not mine) is beginning to hit home ! As to my detractor, you certainly are in the spirit of + W - he thinks the Sound of Music contains "all the elements of Pornography" (although he claims he has never seen the film - so how would he know ???) so my writings are "worse than pornography" - Are you serious???????????????????????????? Truly President Roosevelt was right: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"

+TF