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Dr. Michael Sirilla: Director of Graduate Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Harry S. Truman famously reflected that, ''America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job in hand.''
I've mentioned a couple of times that, during the two years we were over in America at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, I took classes with Professor Michael Sirilla to study the Church's Sacramental Theology in more depth. It was a special time of being immersed into the riches of Sacred Scripture, the Canons of the Council of Trent and St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologia.Â
I've also said that Prof. Sirilla always struck me as a family man of integrity, maturity and professionalism. It is clear from his consistent defence of Catholic Truth that Prof. Sirilla has also cultivated the kinds of courage and determination, which were hinted at in the Truman quote above.
More importantly, Prof. Sirilla has applied these in a cause far higher than the noble work of nation building; for he has made consistent, and in the present climate costly, stands for the One True Faith in the midst of the present chaos.
That can't be easy for a man with a wife and kids to provide for.
Indeed, Ed Pentin's latest interview with the excellent Regina magazine suggests just how difficult it is for good people to make a public stand for the Faith in the stiflingly un-Catholic atmosphere which prevails in too many places at this time.
And yet, Prof. Sirilla's stance has remained consistent.
Back in September 2015, during the visit of Cardinal Raymond Burke to Steubenville, Prof. Sirilla delivered the following abstract of an article refuting the sacrilegious Kasper proposal. He explained: ''The Synod Fathers and the Pope must reject Cardinal Kasper's ersatz proposal of mercy as found in the Instrumentum Laboris and instead unequivocally reaffirm Christ's genuine offer of mercy as found in the Church's perennial practice and expressed by Pope St. John Paul II in Familiaris Consortio, a.84.''
In July 2016, Prof. Sirilla courageously signed up as one of the 45 academics/pastors who issued a request for a clarification of Amoris Laetitia, due to the fact that it included, ''a number of statements that can be understood in a sense that is contrary to Catholic faith and morals.''
This was a particularly courageous act, because, as is now well known, several of the signatories experienced subsequent pressure and persecution. The good Dr. Joseph Shaw even lost his position as director of academic affairs at a Pontifical University.
In September, we noted how encouraging it was to again see Prof. Sirilla's name as one of the 500 orthodox academics who had defended the truth against the dreadful Wijngaards Statement, by signing up to the Affirmation of the Catholic Church's Teaching on the Gift of Sexuality.
Given the pressure that has already been put on some of the 45 signatories to the earlier request, and the spreading culture of fear which is too often undermining orthodox Catholics in the days of Francis, it is encouraging to learn that Prof. Sirilla has now also signed up as one of 23 scholars supporting the Dubia of the 4 cardinals.
In August I suggested that, far from being persecuted, the 45 academics/pastors who had asked for clarifications regarding Amoris Laetitia should each be awarded a cigar. I imagine that Prof. Sirilla must be due a whole box of them by now.
Please say a prayer for Prof. Sirilla and his family; and for all who are standing up to defend the true teachings of our Holy Mother the Church in these evil times.
Our Lady of Fatima - Pray for us!  Â
