Blast from the V2 rocket created ecumenical debris that is still falling upon us.

ABS has taken the liberty (Religious Liberty is everyone's right) to have fun with this text from 1963 by including the emotional subtext of this public report.

Texas Bishop: ‘Put an End to the Scandal of Mutual Recrimination’

by Administrator1

Following is the text of the remarks of Bishop Stephen A. Leven of San Antonio, Tex., on the schema on ecumenism on Nov. 26. 1963

What I have to say about Chapter I can also be said about Chapter II. For I wish to speak about the principles and practice of ecumenism.

Every day it becomes more clear that we need the dialogue, not only with Protestants but also among us bishops. For there are some Fathers who have already spoken to us frequently in the council who speak as if the only text in the Holy Bible were Matthew 16:18: “Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.”

In every intervention they argue against the collegiality of the bishops. They preach to us and chastise us as if we were against Peter and his successors or as if we desired to steal away the Faith of our flocks and to promote indifferentism.

They speak as if our Holy Father John XXIII had never cited in our day the expression of St. Augustine: “They are our brothers, they will not cease to be our brothers until they cease saying Our Father.”

(Sure, some fathers note that Cain and Abel were also brothers but that is a hate fact biblical literalism that ignores a ton of modern scholarship that teaches those entries in the bible are prolly just myths or something; whatever.)

They speak as if the whole doctrine of the freedom of conscience due every man, so clearly stated in Pacem in Terris, were offensive to pious ears.

(And all of this talk about the duty to have a rightly formed conscience bespeaks a pharisaical preoccupation with rules and laws and what not and will make men feel sad)  

Again and again in this hall they continue to chastise us as if the prelates who feel compelled by clear evidence to acknowledge the gifts of the Holy Spirit in persons of other ecclesial bodies were denying the Faith and giving grave scandal to the innocent.

(It's like they do not understand that The Holy Ghost would pour out Grace upon those who refuse to accept Divine Revelation.

Sure, the Raccolta has a prayer approved by Pope Pius IX that teaches no holiness of salvation outside the church exists but that is of a mean-spirited and medieval truth that we enlightened men are running away from as fast as our well fed tummies allow.)

They prefer to blame non-Catholics, whom perhaps they have never seen, (rather) than to instruct the children in their parishes. Otherwise why are they so afraid the efforts of ecumenism would not be good? Why are not their people better instructed? Why are not their people visited in their homes? Why isn’t there an active and working Confraternity of Christian Doctrine in their parishes?

It seems the dangers arising from ecumenism may be exaggerated. The prelates who seek a sincere and fruitful dialogue with non-Catholics are not the ones who show disaffection and disloyalty to the Holy Father. It is not our people who miss Mass on Sunday, refuse the sacraments and vote the communist ticket.

(Ok, that last observation may have been a bit over the top, even for me. a Bishop who has chosen not to note that Communism can be a barrier, to, you know, life and stuff).

It is not we who make little of the well-known and often repeated (by word and example) desire of Popes Paul VI and John XXIII. And what of the will of God who, as St. Paul says (1 Tm 2:4), wishes all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth? Jesus said (Mk 9:40): “He who is not against you is with you.”

Our Catholics are good Catholics, loyal to us bishops, to Holy Mother the Church and to the Holy Father.

We have not lost the working class. They are the foundation and the support of the Church.

Venerable conciliar brothers, I pray you let us put an end to the scandal of mutual recrimination. Let us proceed in an orderly way with the examination and study of this providential movement called ecumenism so that with patience and humility we may achieve that unity for which the Lord Christ prayed at the Last Supper. St. Paul wrote (1 Cor. 13:13): “So there abide faith, hope and charity, those three, but the greatest of these is charity.”

(The important truth to take away from the discussions of Ecumenism - and, mark my words, the day will come when some wise ass will refer to Ecumenism as the Universal Solvent of Tradition - the important truth to keep in mind is that we Bishops are the ones who will now attack the bad old church of the past because we can no longer expect out enemies to do that job one-half as well as we can.)

Enough with the old stupid rules. Us is now liberated from the chains of Tradition and stuff and so the one would be perfectly acceptable for the last week of Advent in any N.O. gathering space...