JMJ
May 17,2018
Down the street where we lived in Saskatoon there is a small church called Westmount Mennonite. We stopped in one time . John was immediately invited to Men’s Saturday Breakfast Fellowship . They explained that this church, whose building is smaller than most houses on the East Side , supports fifteen overeseas missionaries. Since St. Paul responded to the Macedonian cry it has been proven many times the parishes ( or church communities) that support missionaries endure and grow.
Since St.John Paul II we keep hearing about a new spring time of evangelisation. Many are taking up the call in many ways . However while we and others are working in the springtime seeding and planting of our mission patches a different theme is triumphed in Chicago by Cardinal Cupich ( pronouned supich) . The Westmount crowd and others sing the song Send the Light, the blessed Gospel Light. The Chicago version seems to be MAINTAIN THE DECLINE. Now what is that? Translated : Keep on Falling Downhill ? There are over 350 Catholic Parishes in Chicago. Sources tell me there are six hour long meetings of priests and nuns to decide what has already been decided, what of these 350 + parishes should be closed. Rather than send the Gospel Light it sounds like six hour long meetings to turn off the lights.
Chicago likes to run their own show, and play by their own rules. Outstanding citizens include Al Capone who cooled his gangster heels in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. Capone buddied up with the Bronfmann rum runners and helped them become the intergenerational fundraisers for the Liberal Party of Canada. The Chicago livestock yards were owned, at least in part, by Pat Burns of BURNS lard and founder of the Calgary Stampede.
The City of Big Shoulders may be admirable when it comes to enterprise and not so admirable when the enterprise becomes the Mafia. The Chicago style becomes a deadly virus when it enters the Archdiocese offices. Case in point:
On Palm Sunday two henchmen from the Chancery Office interrupted the service at St. John Cantius to remove Fr. Phillips as head of the Order of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius and pastor of the parish. Fr. Phillips saved this church from the wrecking ball to turn the parish from a 44 head count to more than 2000. He revived the community , a true mixture of very poor and very rich, of Hispanic, black, Polish, German, Italian et c et c Americans. The Cantians went to the streets in Pro- Life Marches, Fatima Processions ,and personal evangelisation. Fr. Phillips is considered a Saint, the Ultimate Community Organiser and an irritant to the Spiritual Euthanisers whose goal appears to be to preside over the funeral of the Chicago Church.
Fr. Phillips was sent back to his Resurrectionist Order. Canon Lawyers from Rome were hired, a report was made. Cardinal Cupich to date is not releasing the report. Parishioners state the accusations were made public. The Report should be made public. Cardinal Cupich apparently has heard that an accusation is sufficient for destruction of a Founder, an Order and a Parish. The parish, the world including many people in Rome are not accepting this Hit and Run attack on Fr. Phillips. It is time to restore Fr. Phillips to his parish , and to the head of the order he founded . Gay
