You need to click on the picture to see this screenshot from the New York Times in its full size. Recognize John Klotz, there? His comment has been featured. And it should be. Here is the link to the New York Time article, A Church So Poor It Has to Close Schools, Yet So Rich It Can Build a Palace.
Here is what John Klotz wrote:
I once remarked to the late Fr. Robert Poveromo, that I thought the greatest of all saints since the time of the Apostles was St. Francis. "Some of us," he replied "think he was the only one." As disgusting as the conduct of the the New Jersey Archbishop is, when I clicked the link to read of Father Grange, I was edified by an example of obvious sanctity and a compelling biography of dedication to the poor.
By what miracle, Pope Francis came to pope I do not know. I can only say that the Archbishop of New Jersey should be afraid, very afraid. Perhaps the poor priests and nuns who tend to the poor of New Jersey will get a new place to retreat and renew. Or maybe, I place for poor children to escape briefly from the dire circumstances of their life for awhile.
However, I suspect that it will be a cold day in Hell before the Archbishop gets to live in his vacation palace.May I suggest for him a trip in sack cloth and ashes to Rome to beg forgiveness?
As for NY Times Michael Powell, I am in awe. I have only one phrase, a modern cliche, for him and his editors at the Times. "Keep on, keeping on."
Nice comment, John. There have been other people like Pope Francis in history, one was Cardinal John Henry Newman, and the laity and scholars tend to think about his brilliant mind and the important books he wrote, knowing next to nothing about his care for the poor. It seems that in England at least each prelate did some part of the job, Cardinal Henry Edward Manning fought against vivisection and in favour of labourers, and so on. Cardinal Vincent Nichols is well-known for his work in favour of welfare:
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2014/02/21/cardinal-nichols-will-not-allow-us-to-forget-the-poor-for-this-i-am-profoundly-grateful/
The Harley Davidson given to Pope Francis by the motorcycle company was auctioned to raise money to build a shelter for the homeless and another place for them to eat in Rome.
The sad part about this issue is that it has taken the example of Pope Francis to bring community feeling into the minds of many of the faithful. This feeling was strong in the primitive Church and began to fade as doctrinal and other issues began to take a lot of their time.
If we’re looking for competitors for true sanctity, then my vote goes to Blessed Frederic Ozanam, founder of the St Vincent de Paul Society. A brilliant scholar and jurist, his heart went out to the poor of Victor Hugo’s post-revolutionary Paris, even when as a student there, he founded groups of young men to administer charity to them. A reasonably comprehensive biography can be found at: http://vincentians.com/blog/blessed-frederic-ozanam-biography-i/ .
Like many other dedicated French Catholics of this era, he was brought up in Lyons, well away from the secular philosophy that dominated Paris. His parents were also dedicated to the cause of the poor. The St Vincent de Paul Society remains a significant arm of Catholic charitable works in NZ.
True enough, and we have had more recent examples:
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