News Item: : When Pope Francis Meets Bl. Cardinal J.H. Newman?
(Category: Torch of The Faith News)
Posted by admin
Friday 13 February 2015 - 09:03:10

It is troubling to learn that parishes in the Archdiocese of Liverpool are promoting a talk to be given by Fr. Daniel O'Leary. The talk, under the auspices of the Newman Association, is entitled When Pope Francis Meets Blessed John Henry Newman. It is even more disquieting to see that this will take place on Thursday, 19th February, in the parish centre of St. Helen's Church, in Great Crosby. We were married in that parish and have good friends there, and in surrounding parishes, who are faithful pro-family/pro-life Catholics. This news must be quite a blow to them.

We've also learned that Fr. Daniel O'Leary will speak at the nearby Sandymount Prayer Centre on the 14th March - Archbishop McMahon is also due to speak there on 28th Feb and shares advertising space on their website - and Fr. O'Leary will also speak at St. Patrick's Church in Southport on 21st February.

Why are we concerned? 

1) In 2013, Fr. Daniel O'Leary was a speaker at the 40th Anniversary of Quest. This organization was banned from the Catholic Directory by Cardinal Basil Hume because of its dissent from the Magisterium and promotion of homosexual activity. Fr. O'Leary, who appears to have abandoned his Roman-collar, shared the floor at Quest's event with his fellow Tablet-contributor Sara Maitland and Terence Weldon. On the day, Sara Maitland wore a T-Shirt bearing the improbable legend Fag Hag for Jesus. Terence Weldon is a leading member of the Soho Masses Pastoral Council (connected to the so-called 'Soho Gay-Masses') and he promotes homosexual activity and homosexual 'marriage' through his blog Queering the Church. 

2) Fr. Daniel O'Leary also gave an address at the 2013 national meeting of the dissenting organization A Call to Action (ACTA) in Leeds. This group has been involved in calls for 'same-sex marriage' and women priests. Fr. Daniel O'Leary also spoke to the Liverpool branch of ACTA in November 2014 - ironically in the Fisher-More Hall at Our Lady of the Annunciation. 

In his presentation to ACTA in Leeds, Fr. Daniel O'Leary suggested that the 'theological approach' of 'Fall/Redemption-centred theology' tends to be 'conservative, dualistic, safe, legalistic.' O'Leary described this 'theology' - which in reality is a central dogma of the Catholic Faith - as 'inadequate' and 'when presented as the only Christian story of our human condition - utterly destructive.' He even blamed this for the 'splitting of our Church.'

Aside from the fact that the Church is Christ's and not ours, it appears to be O'Leary who introduces a dualistic concept by playing off the so-called 'Fall/Redemption-centred theology' against his interpretation of Duns Scotus' 'nature and grace-centred theology.'

But as any well-catechized Catholic could tell you, there is no dichotomy between the Church's teaching on grace and nature and its doctrine on the fall and redemption.

The Credo of the Church, expresses all of these things in their harmony and proper balance. Anyone familiar with the latest Catechism of the Catholic Church will notice that it explains the mysteries of the Fall and Redemption within the overall context of the priority of God's grace. Indeed, it even expresses this through its 4-part structure; with the first two parts dealing with the mysteries of God and His redemption, and the second two parts explaining our response to God, which is always aided by grace. As (then) Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger explained on page 34 of the Introduction to the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 'In this way it is made clear that Christian morality exists within the ambit of grace, which precedes us and, as forgiveness, never ceases to overtake and outstrip us. While reading the separate chapters on the part on morality, one must constantly keep in mind this inner connection, without which it is impossible to understand them properly.' 

In his address to ACTA, Fr. Daniel O'Leary suggested that a 'flawed understanding of the Fall' caused the Roman Curia to be suspicious of 'listening to the hearts of the faithful' on issues such as 'general absolution.' 

This certainly appears to be a rejection of the teaching of the Magisterium. We would suggest that it also provides a clear example of, what Our Lady of Fatima called, the loss of the sense of sin.

Such dissent, especially being expressed by a Catholic priest, is a danger to faith and therefore to souls. As such it needs to be robustly refuted.

St. Helen - Pray for us!

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This news item is from Torch of The Faith
( http://www.torchofthefaith.com/news.php?extend.871 )