EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD CATHOLIC CHURCH
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He only shuts up when he is writing!

Feast of St. Francis

10/2/2016

 
From the Pastor:    Feast of St. Francis

   Tuesday, October 4, 2016 is the feast day of St. Francis. Many parishes, especially those in rural areas, will have a special “blessing of the animals” on this day, since St. Francis is always pictured as surrounded by critters of all sorts. Police officers will bring in their patrol dogs and horses, children will bring in their pet rabbits and gerbils, pirates will bring in their parrots, and all manner of farm animals, dogs and cats will be presented for a blessing. Everyone loves their pets and service animals and, knowing that God ordained from the beginning of time that they would be our companions and helpers, they delight in this annual Franciscan ritual.
   Tuesday, October 4, 2016 is also the first of two days that Epiphany of Our Lord parish has made a commitment to publicly ask God’s blessing upon a different type of animal, one without nearly the protections that the above mentioned animals receive in these United States. This particular type of animal was created above all the other animals and differs from them in several important regards. This animal, which philosophers and theologians call a “rational animal” is the only animal which actually “does” philosophy and theology. It is the only animal created in the image and likeness of God. It is, of course, the human animal. Specifically, we Epiphany-ians are praying that day for the conversion of adult human animals which plan to kill--or facilitate the killing of--unborn human animals. Human animals within their mother’s wombs are perhaps the only animals our country refuses to protect. Our immoral political leaders, aided and abetted by our spineless and/or immoral religious leaders, have mandated that the only animal with an immortal soul, the only animal created directly out of love (for God loved us into existence to know Him, love Him and serve Him in this life and to be happy with Him forever in the next, while every other animal--and all of creation--was created for us) not only gets almost no protection before birth, but beyond a lack of protection--and this is so unbelievable it cannot possibly be true, yet it is--his/her parents are encouraged to cause their own offspring pain ending only in death: to burn them with chemical baths, to rip them apart limb from limb or even to suck their brains out and crush their skulls while seeing and holding the rest of their tiny bodies which have already been delivered, all in the name of “compassion”, “mercy”, and “love”!
   Sounds gruesome, doesn’t it? So gruesome, in fact, that no right minded person would ever publicly admit to encouraging it, making it legal, making taxpayers subsidize it, performing it, having it, or keeping silent about it while it occurs. Yet that is exactly what has been done, is being done, and, will continue to be done by those who are not right minded. To be quite frank, those who fit that bill are far from simply being “wrong minded” they are downright evil. Make no doubt about it, they will go to hell if they die unrepentant. This is one of those most terrible of sins so obviously demonic that nobody need be a Thomas Aquinas to understand its eternal ramifications. Yet even those who supposedly are good Catholics, even, God help us, good Catholic Bishops, support for President and every other office, those who are squarely, publicly and proudly pro-torture-to-death-human-infants-as-long-as-they-are-(for now)-at-least-mostly-in-the-womb. The Catholics who do so and die unrepentant will be in a deeper, more painful part of hell than those who lack the natural and supernatural benefits and graces given in and through the only Church founded by the Son of God.
   I am willing to bet that, nationwide, more people will attend “Blessing of the Animals” celebrations than will be praying outside of abortion mills this Tuesday. Perhaps more will attend the animal blessings than will pray outside the abortion mills during the entire 40 Days for Life campaign. Every excuse is made to avoid anything to do with abortion. Nobody wants to see an abortion (videos such as “The Silent Scream” will never be shown on TV or in public school “health” classes or even in Catholic homeschool curriculums; posters of aborted baby parts are decried and trashed even on college campuses, let alone other public places where “intellectual integrity” and “being open to new ideas” is less touted). Nobody wants to hear about abortion, even in Catholic parishes (including this one. Don’t think for a minute that those attending Traditional Latin Mass don’t complain if I preach or write about abortion or any of the sexual sins which lead up to abortion, or the need to vote pro-life. “Scandalizing the children” is an acceptable excuse, don’t you know.). Nobody wants to publicly stand up against this evil and pray for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of souls. How about you? (PS--Epiphany seems to be covering more time slots for these prayers at the abortion mills than most other parishes. Kudos!)

With prayers for your holiness,
Fr. Edwin Palka
Lilliana Barone
10/6/2016 08:21:59 pm

After reading many of these threads, I am reminded of a figure that looms in the dark corners of the annals of church history. A certain Dominican friar, called by some a “visionary” or “prophet,” others hailed him as a “new breed of pharisee.” He too was quite a formidably effective hellfire preacher who was just as inordinately obsessed with human wickedness.
And he too detested practically every form of pleasure and relaxation. He grimly disapproved of jokes and frivolity, of poetry, realistic art, secular music, dance, sex (especially the homosexual variety), gambling, fine clothes, jewelry and luxury of every sort. Culture, in his opinion, was the product of Satan. He called for laws against vice and laxity and detested profit and business. He put an end to carnivals and festivals, substituting religious festivals instead, and employing street urchins as a junior gestapo to sniff out luxurious and suspect items. At one point, after he and his followers had collected numerous gaming tables and packs of cards, carnival masks, mirrors, ornaments, nude statues and supposedly indecent books and pictures, he ordered these representations of human culture burned in the street.
The Dominican crossed the line, however, when he took upon himself the role of judge, an action reserved exclusively to Our Lord. In his ugly hubris and wonton arrogance, he too “condemned” people to hell as if it were his right to do so. When his arrogance was coupled with his lack of temperance and emotional maturity, his rants and raves would devolve into uncharitable and unchristian folly. And no one was exempt from his scrutiny. He too publicly rebuked and disparaged his pope (though, to be fair to the misguided friar, he had every reason to disparage that particular pope – one whose scandalous abuses arguably set the stage for the Protestant Reformation).
The name of this wayward friar was Girolamo Savonarola and it should be duly noted that he was never named a martyr nor was he ever canonized a saint. Tampa has its own Savonarola. What both of these men have in common is this: They lost their humility of heart and spirit and, in so doing, became so infatuated with their own distorted sense of self importance that they may have committed the greatest sin of all, the sin against the Holy Spirit.

Fr. Palka
10/6/2016 10:07:05 pm

Can I assume by this comment that you are in favor of saving the sea turtle eggs while condoning aborting baby humans? How sad...

Dr Williams
10/8/2016 08:14:12 pm

I can assume by the above comments, that if Christ Himself were to write such statements (as you Fr Edwin), Miss Lilliana would have the same disdain for truth and self restraint. The sin of pride realises no boundaries, and perpetually blinds oneself. God & His church decides what is Truth, not man ( or Miss Lilliana as it seems she would prefer ).

Michael K.
10/12/2016 04:35:24 pm

By man, would that include clergy?

Dr Williams
10/12/2016 08:11:32 pm

If one has a properly formed and oriented Catholic conscience, such a question wouldn't be logical, and irrational to even ask or ponder.

Michael, Why did God create us? We were created to know Him, to love Him, & to serve Him, in this life and in the next so that we may be happy! We can rationalise, justify, and intellectualise a lifetime of reasons to follow ones base desires... & will never experience peace, contentment, nor a life without anxiety, doubt, & question.

It is very simple, extremely difficult to follow, yet simple - follow The Creator or the created.

Mike K
10/12/2016 09:27:10 pm

OK. Miss Liliana is proud and I am ignorant. But allow me to at least make the observance that Fr. E is different from when I knew him a while back. He may be proclaiming the Truth, but is becoming morose in proclaiming these Truths. Are these difficult times in which we live, both for the Church and for our country? You bet. More than you nor I can imagine.
But please, give us hope, and a little of that "Franciscan" joy Fr. E once had in San Antonio.

Dr Williams
10/13/2016 08:12:48 pm

Michael,
I don't think you're looking for that "Franciscan" joy, I think you're seeking a "clergymen" to make you feel comfortable. I feel for you, you've allows this culture of ours to influence you more than Christ's Church.
Be a man & lead, don't be lead! I will pray & fast for you - and no I'm not trying to sound sanctimonious (for I am a bigger sinner than you are).
Dr W

Fr. Palka
10/13/2016 04:25:15 pm

Mike K
Really? You want me to find "joy" in the fact that so many people don't give a (literal) damn about abortion? There is no true joy to be found in this topic, only sickening sneers and cackles. I hate to point out something so obvious (that people today care far more about their pets than about unborn children) but I refuse--and always have refused--to allow people to remain "joy"-fully ignorant all the way to hell. I must speak out if I am to save my own soul. It was no different at any other parish I attended. Some of my writing is lighthearted, some is pretty grim. Killing babies is pretty grim. Remember a football player named Michael Vic whose career went into the outhouse because of dogfighting? How many football players have been sacked (pardon the pun--there's your desired "joy"!) because they knocked up a girl and forced her to have an abortion? Which do you really think happens more often? Which do YOU really think is more evil? The majority of Americans, even among Catholics and probably even among Catholic Clergy, based on their voting records, thinks abortion is not evil at all; sad, perhaps, or even regrettable, but not evil. Dogfighting, on the other hand, now there's an evil for you!

Michael K.
10/13/2016 08:54:15 pm

Fr., abortion will bring God's justice upon not only this country, but all of humanity. The sins of this nation alone is terrifying to contemplate what Our Lord has in store for us. We are at the precipice of a chastisement never known in the history of mankind. Having said that, you as a pastor must announce this evil in all its forcefulness, yet at the same time, be as gentle and kind as the Good Shepherd who leads His flock, eyes wide and terrified by the wolves that surround them on all sides. Don't add to their terror; they see, know and sense the danger that encompasses them . You need this balance in your ministry, otherwise you can lead the weak and vulnerable into despair. Take this humble comment for what it's worth. I'm not planning to respond to you any further. Sorry to see you change from when I knew you at St. Anthony.


Comments are closed.

    Author:
    ​Fr. Palka

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Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus
  • Home
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    • Bulletins >
      • Article Submission
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    • New Parishioners
  • Liturgy
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    • Sacrament Prep
    • Altar Boy page
    • Music
    • Vocations
    • Extra Stuff >
      • Divine Office
      • Fraternity of the Sorrowful Passion of Christ Prayer Book
      • Help! I cannot find the right Mass in my missal! I don't know when to sit, stand or kneel!
      • Understand the Bible!
      • Formed.Org
      • Old talks you missed!
  • Community
    • Photos >
      • First Communion 2025
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      • Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre Mass 2024
      • Confirmation 2024
      • First Communion 2024
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      • Cardinal Burke visit
      • First Holy Communion 2023
      • Confirmation 2023
      • Sr. Winny's Projects
    • Adults >
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