10/5/09

Pain and Suffering in the Diocese of Antigonish

The past several weeks has been heart wrenching and traumatic for many in the Diocese of Antigonish,Nova Scotia - including the faithful. The recent settlement of a class action suit against the Diocese - which holds a possibility of healing for the Church, the victims, and the faithful - brought the past sins of betrayal and neglect to the forefront. This week's arrest of Bishop Raymond Lahey on charges concerning child pornography has devastated everybody. Catholics and non-Catholics alike are in shock.

Archbishop Anthony Mancini of Halifax issued an initial press release on September 30, followed by a pastoral letter. He is now the Administrator of the Diocese of Antigonish.

The last few days I have personally received several e-mails asking me "what do you think about this?"

I think its horrible. I shudder to remember that only last summer two of my kids went to a Catholic camp in the Diocese of Antigonish, with Bishop Lahey serving Mass and hearing confessions.

I regret the victims abused in the making of the pornography, and the souls lost in the consuming of it.

I fear the consequences for those with a struggling faith.

My heart aches for the extra suffering of the good and faithful priests serving Our Lord with humility and love.

I think that now more than ever, we must remember who to turn to for the comfort, love, forgiveness and redemption we need.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

In their unitive love rests the healing of all our pain,shame,confusion and despair.



Catholics United To Peter has published a Novena for the Diocese of Antigonish:


THIRTY DAYS’ PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH

Ever blessed and glorious Joseph, kind and loving father, and helpful friend of all in sorrow! You are the good father and protector of orphans, the defender of the defenseless, the patron of those in need and sorrow. Look kindly on my request. My sins have drawn down on me the just displeasure of my God, and so I am surrounded with unhappiness. To you, loving guardian of the Family of Nazareth, do I go for help and protection.

Listen then, I beg you, with fatherly concern, to my earnest prayers, and obtain for me the favors I ask.

I ask it by the infinite mercy of the eternal Son of God, which moved Him to take our nature and to be born into this world of sorrow.

I ask it by the weariness and suffering you endured when you found no shelter at the inn of Bethlehem for the holy Virgin, nor a place where the Son of God could be born. Then, being everywhere refused, you had to allow the Queen of Heaven to give birth to the world’s Redeemer in a cave.

I ask it by the loveliness and power of that sacred Name, Jesus, which you conferred on the adorable Infant.

I ask it by that painful torture you felt at the prophecy of holy Simeon, which declared the Child Jesus and His holy Mother future victims of our sins and of their great love for us.

I ask it through your sorrow and pain of soul when the angel declared to you that the life of the Child Jesus was sought by His enemies. From their evil plan you had to flee with Him and His Blessed Mother into Egypt. I ask it by all the suffering, weariness, and labors of that long and dangerous journey.

I ask it by all your care to protect the Sacred Child and His Immaculate Mother during your second journey, when you were ordered to return to your own country. I ask it by your peaceful life in Nazareth where you met with so many joys and sorrows.

I ask it by your great distress when the adorable Child was lost to you and His Mother for three days. I ask it by your joy at finding Him in the Temple, and by the comfort you found at Nazareth, while living in the company of the Child Jesus. I ask it by the wonderful submission He showed in His obedience to you.

I ask it by the perfect love and conformity you showed in accepting the Divine order to depart from this life, and from the company of Jesus and Mary. I ask it by the joy which filled your soul when the Redeemer of the world, triumphant over death and hell, entered into the possession of His kingdom and led you into it with special honors.

I ask it through Mary’s glorious assumption and through that endless happiness you share with her in the presence of God.

O good father! I beg you, by all your sufferings, sorrows and joys, to hear me and obtain for me what I ask. (For the recovery of Bishop Lahey; and also that the Pope will send a very saintly, obedient Bishop to shepherd the Antigonish Diocese, who will obey Redemptionis Sacramentum (March 19, 2004), Motu Proprio (of 7 July 2007) and all church teachings)

Obtain for all those who have asked my prayers everything that is useful to them in the plan of God. Finally, my dear patron and father, be with me and all who are dear to me in our last moments, that we may eternally sing the praises of

JESUS, MARY and JOSEPH

“A blameless life, St. Joseph, may we lead, by your kind patronage from danger freed.”

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