People are writing and speculating about the firing of Mark Shea and Simcha Fischer at EWTN’s National Catholic Register. Many are happy about it. I don’t know if too many are unhappy. Perhaps. Some see a change on the horizon. Where?
Shea and Fisher served a purpose. They were instigators and they were tasked with muddling the heads of faithful Catholics, especially to promote leftist political issues. Lies and anger were some of their tools. EWTN didn’t work with them out of loyalty and indulgence. They wanted them there for as long as they had them. They wanted the muddled heads.
Many imagine that the National Catholic Reporter or America Magazine might become a new outlet for these two writers, but that would be surprising. There is an affinity, but not an enough of an ideological match. More importantly they don’t have the required skill set. FrancisChurch, from its top to its parish pastor has, unfortunately, a very effeminate homosexual quality and character. It’s slippery. Writers on the left are quite talented, capable and extremely careful. They can be furious like Michael Sean Winters or Fr. Thomas Rosica, but in this they are much more like snakes than bulldogs. They know when to come in and go out from under their rocks. Crux’s John Allen is a highly talented and intelligent writer who sees exactly which way the wind is blowing, but he manages to maintain an air of honesty while applying very little of it. He and others like him are persuasive, and masters at turning and twirling readers so they’re pointed off course. Think Elizabeth Scalia and everyone at the New York Times.
A lack of persuasion is the cardinal sin for which American Catholic’s Donald McClarey faults Shea and Fisher. Boniface says it’s that they were loose cannons off stage. Both very true. Mr. Armaticus thinks an unCatholic, liberal EWTN is a money-losing proposition. I don’t agree. There is always money in modern times for people who help to wreck the Church. I don’t think they were fired for any of these reasons. I think it was politics.
Politics was the reason Shea and Fisher were retained for years. Politics was their purpose and they knew it. They did their jobs. It’s just that EWTN is no longer in the market for their unique (odd) services. Why?
Well, as Wikileaks has been the latest to demonstrate, Francis – I mean the idea of a Francis as pope – is about politics (Did you think it was about Christ and his saving mission?) and the Catholic media do seem to be bending along the Francis lines.
Others have paid for it, and those payers expect Francis and his Church to turn the ‘catholic’ vote. Shea and Fisher were just helping, but I guess EWTN has now decided they don’t want their help that much. Has FrancisChurch jumped the shark? Is it in fact having the opposite effect on voters?
I’m often too optimistic. I don’t follow sports. I know life is, in a sense, a game, but since it really isn’t, I prefer not to look at it that way. But I’m not convinced Trump is losing right now. I think he probably will ultimately lose because the entire establishment is lined up against him and they will mount and count the votes, but I believe he’s actually quite popular.
When Trump dinged the Francis on his U.S. Border stunt, it teased out the Pope’s monstrous hubris and contempt for decent people. Normal people really don’t like the hyped Francis program. They don’t like Hillary. They don’t like people like Shea and Fisher. You can’t just make normal decent people, sacramental Catholics who live their faith in other words ‘conservatives’ into liberals, even if you foist a Francis onto Peter’s chair.
The actual operation of the Church has always relied upon benevolent power and suffered without it. If Trump is on the way to becoming president, my guess is it will have a certain good effect upon the Church. Maybe for some reason EWTN now wants to anticipate that hopeful day with a remaining shred of respect. Maybe Shea is right. It was about Trump.
It used to be that you could point out a defect or corruption by saying that this describes actions “Money talks and baloney sausage walks,”especially in discussing what is going on in Christ’s Church here on earth. Now, sadly, in the Church money is talking AND baloney sausage is walking. It will take a miracle for Trump to be elected. How is that clear? Obama’s masters are not having him out campaigning for Hillary and she does not do much on weekends. They do not act like they are in a real fight. This is like the bettor who does not hurry to the track to place his bet when he knows the race is fixed and which horse will win. But there have been miracles before. Guy McClung, San Antonio, Texas
This is my first visit to your site. The condition of the Papacy and the Catholic Church is discouraging at the very least. Lucifer has been scratching at the Church for almost 2000 years and his efforts are showing “fruits”. I am 67, a re-vert, a Vietnam veteran, prison minister and lay minister. I long for the days of the TLM and solid doctrine being taught. There is so much confusion and division in the Church today, and I get really depressed thinking of all the people who are falling for all the diatribe. THERE IS NO DEVIATION FROM CHURCH DOCTRINE SINCE THE COUNCIL OF TRENT. Vatican 2 was, is and will be a disaster, causing many people to lose their chance of eternity with God. Perhaps I am just clouded in my age. I want everyone to get to Heaven. I am sad when I see people flocking to disjointed Papal comments being taken as doctrine. Enough already. Peace and God bless.
You are not clouded by age.
WIth age the fog lifts and a perspective is achieved that wasn’t there before. That is unless your boat continues to float on the erroneous waters of young adulthood (if that exists anymore).
You see things as they are. Thank God for it, and ask for the fortitude to endure it — but it seems you aren’t lacking in that virtue.
God reward you.
Read Archbishop Lefebvre’s “Open Letter to Confused Catholics.” I’m not an SSPX Catholic (I would go to their chapel if one was nearby with a morning Mass). It will open your eyes. The man is a hero. The Marxist and effeminate leadership now dominating the hierarchy will only be overthrown by an act of God, as most, if not all, are infected with the deadly VII virus. If you have a TLM nearby, go to it. The Novus Ordo was designed by Freemasons, with the intention of destroying the Faith as we know it, just as Francishero Luther wanted.
I stopped reading Mark Shea a long time ago and when he said Catholics can vote for Hillary I wondered if he was really a Catholic. I’ve never read much of Simcha Fisher but they both seem to be uncharitable using nastiness as a way to get blog clicks. I’m a blogger myself but I’m almost to the point of throwing my computer out the window and spending more time on my knees with my rosary. God help us all as we await the 100th anniversary of Fatima.
I read Shea and Fisher out of curiosity, not because I thought they were Catholics. Shea and Fisher are dissemblers, and not terribly masterful at it either, but I guess, given their audience, they didn’t have to be. I don’t think either of them is truly a convert. I think they are both cryptos.
God bless you, Mary Ann! You’re tops with me.
A very subtle analysis, and I think right on the mark.
I concur with all of the above comments .
Especially increased prayers adoration and TLM.