Last week, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced that it will be honoring Senator Durbin with a lifetime achievement award.
Senator Durbin is a long-time Democratic United States Senator from Illinois who served in leadership for his party and was a prominent voice on all the national issues, including his aggressive support for abortion rights and “same-sex marriage”. He also supported policies that violated the Church’s religious liberty while himself being a Catholic.
Senator Durbin was also a strong supporter of immigrants and immigration laws that shielded undocumented aliens from prosecution. It is this latter issue for which he is being honored by the archdiocese.
The event will be hosted by His Eminence, Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago (and member of the important Dicastery for Bishops in Rome), and held at the Jesuit prep school, Saint Ignatius College Prep.
For those of us with some familiarity with Cardinal Cupich, it does not come as a surprise that he would honor Senator Durbin in this way. His Eminence likes to involve himself in local and national politics, most often with a highly partisan flavor in favor of the left side of the aisle. That is not necessarily a criticism. He prioritizes issues that fall on the politically liberal side of the chamber. That is simply an obvious observation.
What is a problem and a genuine scandal is His Eminence’s honoring a public official who clearly and unapologetically supports abortion rights, same-sex marriage, and violations of religious liberty, all of which are profound attacks on the dignity of the human person, people of faith, and the Catholic Church.
It is also in obvious violation of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) own statement on political life, which maintains:
The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions. (Emphasis added)
And yet this does not matter to His Eminence.
This is being done when it is known that Senator Durbin has been prohibited from receiving Communion in his own diocese by multiple bishops. The denial of Communion is not a punishment but a call to conversion and repentance. Formally honoring the senator sends the opposite message and endangers his soul.
It also undermines the voice and witness of the bishops with Catholic politicians. They know there is at least one bishop, a cardinal no less, who will praise them even when they hold positions directly opposed to the Church. This sort of division among the bishops plays right into the hands of political powers.
Cardinal Cupich is his own man, and he has proven many times that he is willing to go his own way, or the way of a small minority of bishops, and create division. Perhaps he has the smell of the sheep, but his sheep tend to huddle in the far-left corner of the yard.
I do not know Cardinal Cupich personally, but I have been around him enough to have a sense of the man. He was my rector at the seminary for first-year theology, and even then, in 1995, he went his own way. I remember one evening he cancelled all classes and pastoral activities for a special convocation, something unprecedented for the seminary. He called us together to announce he had been made a monsignor. I felt bad for him then because I thought about how isolated he must be to believe that any of us cared.
He also imposed on the seminary a liturgical sensibility that was out of touch with the seminarians: Mass in the round (actually, it was a square), rubrics ignored, Adoration offered once a month in a far corner of the seminary that had a sense of marginalization, and open conflict with admired faculty members, among other things. None of us at the time imagined he would ever rise in the ranks. Monsignor Cupich would, however, find his way to the top.
When I worked at the USCCB, he did not hold any significant leadership positions. He could not get elected due to how unpopular he was (and remains), and yet he frequently muscled his way around with staff. He created a climate of fear, so familiar during the Francis pontificate, that impacted the daily work of lay staff.
His move to Chicago was a sign from Pope Francis that the Pope wanted a disrupter among the U.S. bishops. For reasons unknown, Pope Francis did not like the American bishops, and moving Blase Cupich to Chicago and elevating him to the rank of cardinal was an attack on the collegiality forged by the post-Bernandin Conference. Cardinal Cupich seemed to relish the role.
He was the voice of the Vatican when the USCCB planned to take decisive action in the wake of the McCarrick affair. Cardinal Cupich delivered the message that the Holy See would take a different approach, and the USCCB must stand down. Unfortunately, the USCCB leadership capitulated, and Cardinal Cupich had another Pope Francis feather in his zucchetto.
There are plenty of other examples of Cardinal Cupich’s willingness to reject the wisdom of his brother bishops and create division, but this latest act of honoring a well-known advocate for abortion should catch the attention of the new Holy Father. How he responds may indicate how he will relate to U.S. bishops.
Pope Leo XIV does not have to publicly admonish Cupich to signal his displeasure. Cardinal Cupich is beyond retirement age. The Holy Father can easily accept his resignation and replace him with someone who might be an effective leader among U.S. Catholics–helping them to embrace the Holy Father’s vision of orthodox synodality, love for the poor, and decisive evangelization, and foster unity among his brother bishops. For the pope’s hometown, he should have a man he can trust. Blase Cupich is not that man.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
What an odious pair, scandalizing the faithful this way.
Pope Leo must know about this. What he does — or doesn’t do — will tell us everything we need to know about the present pope and whether or not he is Catholic.
Thank you Mr. Hendricks for a wonderful and courageous article. Cupich is and has been a bad example of Apostolic Sussession and a good example of Judas Iscariot. I hope and Pray Pope Leo accepts his retirement but am not confident he will. Until The Church/Pope stands up for The Truth and calls good good, and evil evil, we will continue to have Cupich’s and Judas’s as bishops and cardinals.
Yes, accept the retirement rather than responding more directly to a calculated stunt and thereby awarding equivalency to second-string clericalist–having been lured into creating a martyr to the moribund wing of the Church in North America.
“Perhaps he has the smell of the sheep, but his sheep tend to huddle in the far-left corner of the yard”. A Best Award winning line.
I think the “smell of the sheep” really means the smell of sulfur.
That’s the smell of the “Shepherd’s” teaching your smelling there. Comes in a wide variety of light in the loafer moral relativistic excrement – diocesan, franciscan, jesuit, etc. The more modern, the more pungent the smell.
What a pathetic excuse for a prince of the Church. But a fitting symbol of the Francis legacy.
The USCCB norms on awardees are a dead letter in Chicago. See, when the man in red wants to do something, he can elbow ahead like the best of clerics (while telling us about how “clericalism” is bad for the Church).
From where this Catholic stands, that sounds like a sensible suggestion, dear Jayd Henricks.
“Pope Leo XIV does not have to publicly admonish Cupich to signal his displeasure. Cardinal Cupich is beyond retirement age. The Holy Father can easily accept his resignation and replace him with someone who might be an effective leader among U.S. Catholics–helping them to embrace the Holy Father’s vision of orthodox synodality, love for the poor, and decisive evangelization, and foster unity among his brother bishops. For the pope’s hometown, he should have a man he can trust. Blase Cupich is not that man.”
One might add: A man that Pope Leo can trust to lovingly obey all the commandments of God and so anointed by The Holy Spirit a man who will courageously preach The Good News of Jesus Christ, without fear or favor.
Thanks for alerting us, Jayd; yet another example of heretical hierarchs.
Ever in the love & mercy of King Jesus Christ; blessings from marty
What a tragedy fr the Archdiocese of Chicago that the saintly, wise and faithful Francis George was followed by this man as Archbishop.
Jesus and the Holy Spirit warned us repeatedly in the New Testament about the problem of false teachers, “heretical hierarchs,” in the Church and directed us to reject them ( 2 John, 9-11).
I wonder if Cardinal George really made any fundamental changes in the Chicago archdiocese.
As a person who worked in the archdiocese of Chicago under Cardinal George, I can tell you he talked tough but had a soft heart. It took him years to replace his seminary director, chancellor, Rector of the cathedral, vocation director and so on. He was a bit like John Paul II that way. A very good man with a great intellect, but not very good at getting his own people in place. Cardinal Cupich replaced people immediately.
We are living in a time of great trial, when the Prince of this world is relentless in his assaults on the Mystical Body of Christ. He and his minions are masters of deception, cloaking falsehoods in the guise of truth to lead the faithful astray.
How, then, shall we navigate these treacherous waters? We must learn to be discerning. Let us not simply listen to the words that are spoken, for words can be twisted and used as a smokescreen. Rather, let us pay close attention to the actions of men. For it is in their deeds that the true nature of their hearts is revealed—whether they are striving to follow the Gospel of Christ or have succumbed to the whispers of the tempter.
Let us pray for the grace of discernment, so that we may not be deceived and that our hearts may remain fixed on Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Let’s not forget that Cupich gave the invocation at the 2024 Democratic National Convention last summer. .
That was the convention that featured a mobile abortion van parked outside so that children could be slaughtered even as the Democratic proceedings unfolded.
Needless to say, Cupich didn’t mention that fact in his comments.
But it made me wonder. Is the god Cupich worships actually Baal?
It certainly appears that way.
I’m from Omaha, Cupich’s hometown. It’s known by many that he was ambitious about his “career” as a priest, eager to rise in the hierarchy.
Another interesting fact—he grew up in Sts. Peter and Paul parish, where a homosexual pastor, Father Anthony Petrusic, was there for many years.
Dear Michael B, dear Brineyman, dear Monica – you are right: evil has been penetrating The Church, just like muddy water soaking into a pure stick of chalk. Once it’s in, who can get it out?
CBC & SD are hardened & only a miracle could make them change. We have our share of clergy of that cloth in Australia.
Saint Paul wrote to the Philippians: “Do all that has to be done without complaining or arguing and then you will be innocent & genuine, perfect children of GOD amidst a deceitful & underhand brood, and you will shine in the world like bright stars because you are offering it The Word of Life.”
This seems to be that stage of salvation history where: “Meanwhile let the sinner go on sinning, & the unclean continue to be unclean; let those who do good go on doing good, & those who are holy continue to be holy.” Rev 22:11
As was ever true – it matters little that heretics-in-high-places corrupt the precious revelation of GOD in Christ. What matters is for us who are true to The LORD to persevere in faithful, joyful, loving service.
May The Holy Spirit of GOD, strengthen & comfort us in our witness.
Dr.Rice, my deepest gratitude for a humbling reminder of the proper response to those in the Church whose actions engender confusion, fear, an deep dissappointment.
I stumble at this choice. Pride gets in the way and I condemn others rather than hold fast to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Thank you.
Many thanks, dear Michael B.
Yes, it’s understandable we wax angry with the perverters of our Beautiful Faith. Especially, since it’s always so pointless & self-destructive for them. Jesus’ response is different . . .
A very moving painting of Jesus wearing His crown of thorns, has Him looking straight at (through) us, with tears flowing from His lovely eyes. Tears, not of self-pity, but of the deepest sorrow that so many of us are pointlessly ignoring or corrupting His perfect message.
Let’s believe that a smile of joy replaces those tears because of the many great CWR articles, and the insightful comments & responses from sincerely humble & faithful Catholics, like you.
We’ll do even better, Michael, because Jesus taught us to pray to Father GOD, always asking for more of His Holy Spirit that He’s eager to give to us, without limit.
I want to cry, because so many clergy I know nullify their status and calling and ministry by flouting GOD’s commandments, careless & ignorant of their grieving & quenching of The Holy Spirit of GOD.
Dear LORD Jesus Christ, please help us. Most Blessed Mother Mary please interceed for us as we struggle against sin in this dark place.
I have to conclude that cupich is a Democrat 1st and a Catholic 2nd.
“And they were like sheep without a shepherd.”
The Dark Side is operating within the Catholic Church. Beware of Satan and his agents. The Church Militant must stand strong.
Forget not “The Spirit of Francis Award” with which Cupich honoured his former flat mate Cardinal McCarrick for reaching out to the margins:
https://catholicphilly.com/2016/11/news/national-news/reach-out-to-the-poor-says-cardinal-honored-by-catholic-extension/
Every time I recall that photo of Cupich handing McCarrick the “Spirit of Francis” award, I’m reminded of an old saying — something about birds of a feather.
Cupich would do better to concern himself with the salvation of Dick Durbin’s immortal soul than to give him some earthly accolade for all to see.
By the same token, Cupich would do better to concern himself with HIS OWN immortal soul at this point in his life.
This is a disgrace – there is no other way to describe it.
“Lifetime achievement award”?
How many lifetime achievements has Durbin’s support of infanticide snuffed out?
Cupich is the classic example of a ladder climbing cleric who has lost credence in every sense of that word. Gain the whole world…
It has been wrenching to observe. Hopefully our Chicago born Holy Father knows the whole story in depth and will unburden Chicago, the country and the entire Church with a faithful orthodox shepherd swiftly. Personnel is policy. It will be telling indeed.
It is scandalous. I am from India but feel sad that such High ranking cleric of the Roman Catholic Church is placing the faithful in conflicting opinions. There is nothing above the Gospel teaching of Jesus Christ the Savior of the World. My prayers for Roman Catholics who mislead the flock.
Pope Leo should accept Cupich’s retirement, which Francis did not at the time the Cardinal reached retirement age eighteen months ago. Any priest who goes against the teaching of the Catholic Church should be relieved of his position, immediately. Honoring Dick Durbin puts that teaching in the sites of those who oppose morality. Shame is too lukewarm for the likes of the senator, and for that matter, the Cardinal.
When I was blessed decades ago to organize pro-life activities for my childhood parish, my pastor told me after Mass to come see him. At the meeting, he f-bombed me, labeled me an idiot like the rest of my pro-life family members and said that he has had the occasional to give the Eucharist to Nancy Pelosi. He related how he praised Pelosi for her authentic Catholicism versus my rigid, ridiculous, rancid ideologies. Imagine what he would have said to me if Franciscus was our Pope at the time! Anyhow, at that moment, I was blessed to know that God is the Lord of Life, Just and Omnipotent. I feared for both of our souls. Amazingly, my scandalized anger left me, and my pastor softened when I responded with a smile saying: “Anything else?” By the end of the meeting, he agreed to let me have a second collection to support poor pregnant moms on Mother’s Day! (Please pray for his soul.)
Being pro-life is to love our neighbor. All of us will have to stand before the Lord of Life after this life to be judged. Aiding and abetting mass murder of children, etc., is a frightening betrayal of God’s Love. I am too terrified for these men to be scandalized.
I’m a little confused on your “decades ago” timeline with Pelosi but wish you had reported the whole thing to his bishop. The f bomb is often used by the left, I’ve noticed.
Anyone who directly or indirectly provides/aides in an unnecessary abortion is automatically excommunicated, is my understanding.
This meeting happed in the summer of 2003, right after Pelosi became Minority Leader. As for telling my Bishop, Matthew 7:6.
Growing up in the 70s, we were enduring an unrelenting heat wave in our fans only church, which was packed at the 10 30 mass. Our priest read the Gospel, then declared, “there will be no sermon today due to the heat; as long as no one is going to call the Bishop and complain.”
Those were the days! My memories are the endless hot air blowing the felt banners and $&@! like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFQQS6CRh3E 🎶🎼🎵🎤🎸🎹
Also, this inquisition was not about “right” and “left” but right and wrong.
Same was true for decades promoting pro-life legislation at our State Capital. Most of the wounds in my back came from RINO Republicans. The Democrats, like my Pastor, prefer to stab me in the front.
If that pastor is still alive I wonder what he thinks about her accumulation of wealth during her congressional tenure.
Perhaps the Church and its leaders should stop giving awards to any politicians.
Cdl Cupich’s followers like avaricious house sparrows elbow and peck their way through other more civilized species for any morsels cast by his eminence. Durbin one of the more successful passer domesticus.
Wm Hartwig: I’ll stack up one Charlie Kirk against a million of your faux Catholic leftists.
Another sad day in the Church. The only award that matters is the final reward, let’s pray that they both get one.
The other actions of this Cardinal, which I think is uncalled for, is his rush to close Catholic grade schools. He give the impression of having little interest in helping struggling Catholic schools to survive. Can only hope Pope Leo gives this Cardinal his retirement papers
Pope Leo seems like a good and holy man. But, will he have the strength to confront the likes of Cupich and the other secular lefty Cardinals Pope Francis appointed for the U.S.?
I am a little worried, because Pope Leo is from Chicago and may be willing to give his errant brother in Christ a free pass. I hope not. I hope he will put love of Christ and the Church before love of the Windy City.
I was born in and lived in Northern Illinois (not Chicago, although I’ve been there many times), and I moved to pro-life Missouri after my beloved husband of 42 years died of COVID. After my husband and I converted to Catholicism from Evangelical Protestantism, we enjoyed a conservative and orthodox bishop in our hometown (Bishop Thomas Doran R.I.P.). We didn’t trust Cardinal Cupich and it’s looks like distrust was justified. So sad. Blessed Mother, pray for Illinois!
I am an 84-year-old cradle Catholic who was catholic school educated from Kindergarten to the Jesuits in high school and college. The cardinal is doing something which should be called out by the hierarchy as contrary to what the Catholic Church stands for. Those people who are morally marginal see this as a tacit approval of moral relativism to do what makes you feel good as an individual not what is right and moral. Cupich and Durbin are giving scandal and will have to answer to a higher authority.
No condemnation of Cardinal Dolan’s remarks along with Bishop Barron about Charlie Kirk’s rightist positions which is the opposite of what our church teaches.
Hartwig, I didn’t see the remarks from Barron or Dolan, maybe you can enlighten us. But I think you’re barking up the wrong tree, Barron and Dolan to my knowledge have always defended Church teaching.
Explain yourself. If you have the goods, put them in writing right here. I’ve had it with people who haven’t listened to one thing Kirk said “in its entirety” and just go around parroting AOC, Jasmine Crockett and Cupich.
Mr. Hartwig:
The frame of reference is obeying the word of Jesus. The frame of reference is not politics.
PLEASE SEND EMAILS
These are the email addresses of the Archdiocese leadership involved with the decision to honor the baby killer Dick Durbin.
It is very easy to copy and paste these addresses in to “BCC” and send one email that will reach all of them.
The email can be addressed to Cardinal Cupich.
bcupich@archchicago.org
pgorman@archchicago.org
mknoll@archchicago.org
gzepeda@archchicago.org
smachaj@archchicago.org
dkeene@archchicago.org
jduriga@archchicago.org
julio.rangel@archchicago.org
info@mercyhome.org
marsch@mercyhome.org
jcoronel@archchicago.org
mgoebel@archchicago.org
Kevin: Information like this is very helpful to those of us who care enough to express our views to cupich et al. Thank you.
A complete waste of time and irritating to the recipients. These men will answer to a higher court.
The old woman will get her way….
In regard to a couple of Mr. Henricks comments:
Francis didn’t like the American bishops because he thought they were, as a body, too conservative, if you can believe that. He tried his best to change that, with mixed results. Some of his appointments are turning out to be rather good, probably much to his chagrin. Some of the bad ones are about as horrible as one can imagine. Cardinal Cupich has certainly been one of those.
Cupich undoubtedly has created a climate of fear throughout his long career. How does a man who, how shall we say, doesn’t exactly project masculinity, become so intimidating? It is a question that has long perplexed me.
As for his rise through the ranks, in spite of his mediocrity, surely his long relationship with Theodore McCarrick helped immensely.
I am an 84-year-old cradle Catholic who was catholic school educated from Kindergarten to the Jesuits in high school and college. The cardinal is doing something which should be called out by the hierarchy as contrary to what the Catholic Church stands for. Those people who are morally marginal see this as a tacit approval of moral relativism to do what makes you feel good as an individual not what is right and moral. Cupich and Durbin are giving scandal and will have to answer to a higher authority.
A lifetime achievement award while advocating for the death of millions of unborn lives? This is infuriating.
Cardinal Cupcake submitted his mandatory resignation letter 18 months ago on his 75th birthday to then-Pope Francis. No word yet on his eventual replacement.
Sen Durbin is one of the absolute worst offenders of human life in regards to contraception and abortion.
Chicago needs a new archbishop ASAP and Durbin needs to be voted out.
“Why is the Archdiocese of Chicago giving a lifetime achievement award to a politician”
That’s my question. Surely ordinary pewsitter must have done something to merit this award.
Cupich is a left-wing politician masquerading as a Bishop. Too many of them and they are diminishing the Church. The closed Churches attest to this.
The USCCB mum regarding the murder of Charlie Kirk, the Vatican a day late and a dollar short. Patriotic Protestant American Evangelicals gather over a 100,000 to remember this great young man. Reminds me of Pope Saint John Paul’s visits to the United States. Those days are gone.
Now we have an American Pope.
And now we have the Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago lauding a man, banned from receiving the Holy Eucharist due to his support for infanticide.
Time moves on, seemingly over a cliff. History will not be kind…and neither will Eternity.
Cupich, clearly a Chicago cardinal wearing a red hat intent on taunting a former Chicago bishop who now wears a white hat. Infantile. Yet another proof that some men without chests wear red hats.
The author here, Jayd Henricks, appears to have been in seminary under Cupich at the same time as author Tony Ghepardo (a pen name possibly, not sure on that) who wrote the book GOD FEARING SOULS about his experience at that seminary. And believe me, it is a devastating chronicle of the homosexual beehive (his characterization) that Cupich ran there.
I’d like to hear something from Jayd Henricks about that. If Tony Ghepardo is accurate, all readers here will learn that as hard as it is to believe, Cupich is even worse than they have imagined!
Dear Harry & other learned, faithful Catholic commenters:
The sum of what has been factually observed here is shockingly repellent.
Yet, there is worse, in that such clergy who flout GOD’s commands, immersing themselves in gross immoralities & in devilish affilations are aliens to The Holy Spirit of GOD. They have chosen to divorce themselves from The Holy Spirit of Christ our LORD.
They are no longer Catholics or Christians. Their eclesial & liturgical functions are empty rituals. No faithful Catholic should follow their blind example.
This is why our Pope is given the power to remove them. He the protector of Catholics against such travesties of process.
Please, everyone, hold Pope Leo XIV in your constant prayers.
Despite Manent’s view, the modern state which he thinks is so essential to defending the West, was part of the Christian West’s decline. It’s absolutism compromises the place of the Church.
I think it’s fairly common for Archbishops and politicians to be buddies. A certain amount of this is necessary perhaps, but how close should Bishops and politicians get? The relationship should be civil, but also arms length. Bishops need to be able to call out politicians when necessary.
The utility of the intersection between the temporal and the eternal is best attested to by the bestowing of the title Fidei Defensor on Henry Tudor.
Turban Durbin should be receiving private confession, not public commendations.
Yes, Henry 2 of England and Thomas Becket come to mind. The latter gave his life for the Church and I believe for Henry’s soul.
Why is cupich doing this? It’s a sure sign he’s on his way out and wants to once again stick his finger in the eyes of orthodox Catholics before he leaves. It’s the equivalent of Biden’s autopen being used to grant pardons to his criminal political friends.
When will you discover that the Church is more than your narrow vision?
You may not agree with the Cardinal, but please show him some basic respect.
Respect for … what? Are you even somewhat familiar with the Cardinal’s track record? Good grief.
🗿
Christ said that he knew his sheep and his sheep knew him.
You should not expect the flock to ignore an acrid lupine smell emanating from this “shepherd”.
You don’t want “basic respect”, you want blind fealty to somebody you find agreeable. Cupich has authority (not over me thankfully), but respect is something that must be given to be received. We know what Cupich did to the priest who dared burn the pride flag and he’s earned contempt.
There was simply nothing to recommend him as the Ordinary of a flagship Archdiocese, save his shared political convictions (and reflexive opposition to the Latin Mass) with the Argentine Pope.
Don’t worry folks. I am sure that the good cardinal had some “dialogue behind the scenes” with Senator Durbin before giving him his award. 🙄
We have to learn from the Lord how we are to live among Judases, ones who will not turn against their wrong way. Some may not be Judases in the end because they will repent; meantime they will wreak havoc and here too the lesson must come from God.
The Lord wants that.
Two interesting situations. There are some who have Church authority and demand to follow a wrong way while denying the punitive aspect of that very authority as it would apply to them and their arrangements, quite plainly and noticeably.
There is the other situation where the Judas type subsists very ably within that authority and can’t be challenged on it.
Both cases deny the Church’s fullness but they are treated accordingly.
‘ Jesus then said, “You are the light of the world.” This builds upon St. Matthew’s reference ….. to “the people who sat in darkness” having “seen a great light” (Mt 4:16; cf. Isa 9:1-2). The reference to “a city set on a mountain” is also drawn from the prophet Isaiah, who envisioned a time when “the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains” (Isa 2:2). That is “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” mentioned in the Epistle to the Hebrews, the eternal home for those who, as members of the Church, journey toward the Kingdom.
“The humble city is the society of holy men and good angels,” wrote St. Augustine in his great work, City of God, “the proud city is the society of wicked men and evil angels. The one city began with the love of God; the other had its beginnings in the love of self” (Bk. XIV, ch. 13). Those who are motivated by a vanity and narcissism live in darkness; they are consumed by themselves and destined for eternal darkness if they do not change their ways. ‘
https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2023/02/04/salt-cities-and-disciples-2/
‘ Years later Peter wrote, in his first epistle, of being a “living stone,” and surely he must have been thinking in part of the Lord’s rebuke. He compared those who live by faith with those who “stumble by disobeying the word” (1 Pet 2:7-8). He further warned that the devil, the father of disobedience, “is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). It is by self-denial, acceptance of the Cross, and following closely in the footsteps of Christ that we are kept safe from the devil. Our self-made wisdom cannot save or protect us.
The same contrast between man’s flawed thinking and God’s perfect knowledge is addressed by Paul ….. In the opening chapter of his letter to the Romans (1:18-32), he described pagan worship as irrational, idolatrous, immoral, and self-aggrandizing. But Christian worship is rational—that is, in keeping with Divine wisdom—holy, and focused on the true God. It consists of being transformed by God so we can know “what is good and pleasing and perfect.”
The false Christs of our age are just that: of this age. They have nothing to do with the Cross because Satan hates that bloody sign and instrument of his destruction. But for those who embrace and carry it, the Cross is life. ‘
https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2023/09/02/what-do-all-of-the-false-christs-of-our-age-have-in-common/
Why is Leo silent about this travesty? I thought he said something to the effect that one cannot be Catholic and support abortion.
There are more than 400 active and retired bishops in the US. So far, two, yes only two, have come out critical of the cardinal. Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield Illinois, Durbin’s home diocese, and Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco.https://www.lifenews.com/2025/09/22/catholic-bishops-tell-cardinal-cupich-to-cancel-award-for-pro-abortion-senator-dick-durbin/ But what do we really expect, look at how few criticized Notre Dame for giving President Obama an honorary degree.
The list of US Bishops seeking a higher appointment by kissing up to Cardinal Cupich (💋) signed this letter in 2021: https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/signatories-on-letter-opposing-usccb
Many have already received their step up in the hierarchy as a reward. Some are still waiting, wagging their tale in silence.
I can hear Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR, saying to these guys: “I’m not impressed!”
Beware, there is Hell to pay. Do not reward those who legislate Satan’s sacrament of murder. Matthew 24.
Cupich’s shepardship is most keenly displayed in his ordination of two- that’s right a whole two- new priests this year. The fruits of his ministry are indeed rare- rarer than his feathersin his zucchetto.
This is the sort of leadership that leans the Church towards irrelevance in the world today. Rome has become so like Washington, D.C. and only God can “drain the swamp.”
The author’s final statement that Cardinal Cupich is not the man Pope Leo can trust remains to be seen. I think that the report card on pope Leo is still out.
It is not just what a person does, but what he fails to do.
Amen Crusader
A very wise man once said “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for enough good men to do nothing”.
And what is Pope Leo doing while his bishops in the USA are apostasizing and the Church is running amok? He’s insinuating himself into mideast politics. Rome is burning while Nero fiddles.
It has been said that Cardinal Cupich and the then Cardinal Prevost are good friends. It was interesting to watch Cupich muscle his way to the front of the balcony when Leo XIV was giving his first remarks. It is expected here in Chicagoland that Cupich will have a great influence in naming his successor. God help us.
Let’s hope and pray that Pope Leo XIV retires Cardinal Cupich soon. He has been a blight on the Church for far too long. The Catholic Church founded by Jesus Christ through the Apostle Peter needs good and holy shepherds of the flock. Yes Cardinal Cupich is a prince of the Church. But judging by his actions he is a prince of darkness. Retire him soon!
Cupich’s defense of his scandalous decision smacks of the insidious “seamless garment” undermining of doctrinal priorities that was introduced by Bernardin.
Why is anyone surprised that Cupich is way out in Left field. He was made a Cardinal by Pope Francis, an avowed Marxist. Socialism and Communism are neither consistent nor compatible with Biblical Christianity.
What we are witnessing in Chicago barely scratches the surface.
The sodomites have so fully embedded themselves so deeply into every level of Holy Mother Church that it can and will only be purged by direct and powerful Divine intervention.
I attended minor seminary in the southern US (high school equivalency). There was a corresponding major seminary of the same religious order in the same city. Many of the transitional deacons from the major seminary were our instructors.
Throughout it all, there was an undercurrent of homosexuality that permeated the entire religious order. Though, the magnitude of it was not at all evident to us students until decades later.
Two priests who instructed us, and whom we were very fond of, died of AIDS a few years after our class graduated from the minor seminary.
Several of our classmates went on to the major seminary. Out of a high school freshman class of 56, two made it to ordination.
There are still revelations of the well hidden homosexual subculture within the order, which I will not name to protect the innocent.
From my perspective, this subculture within our Catholic Church begins with recruiting adolescent boys for the minor seminary, all the way up, as demonstrated in Chicago, to the College of Cardinals.
Pope Leo seems to be paying James Martin a great deal of attention, while st the same time, stating that he doesn’t want to “rock the boat”. He would rather build bridges.
Our short term concern should be, in response, bridges from where to where and from whom to whom?
I’m not even Roman Catholic (I’m an Evangelical Presbyterian pastor, retired), but I know enough about Blaise Cupich to know that he should never have been entrusted with a Sunday School class, much less an archdiocese. He’s the kind of bishop whose skulls pave the road to hell, and bring the gospel as well as the Church into disrepute. His award to the apostate Durbin is simply the latest in a succession of scandalous actions that should have resulted in his dismissal years ago. If Pope Leo has the kind of concern for his flock that I think he has, he will cashier this clerical embarrassment immediately.
The sodomite subculture within the Catholic Church, at least in the United States, can be viewed by visiting sites such as the Association of US Catholic Priests (auscp.org).
Navigate to the “Assembly” page, then scroll through the slide presentations given. Pay particular attention to the slides provided by Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, OMI, current President of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas.
“The sodomite subculture within the Catholic Church, at least in the United States . . ”
Truly a nightmare scenario . . . but not just in the USA.
Rapant among Catholic clergy in London & Oxford; beyond-rampant among Australian Catholic clergy in Sydney & Brisbane . . .
Boys groomed for sex by Viktor Reiderer SJ, witness it’s in Africa, too.
Rome sets the example in its reputation as the happy-hunting-ground for pimps & procuresses who specialize in confidential provision of children & vulnerable adults for the perverted lusts of Catholic clergy . . .
Why would we not think its the same around the world . . ?
Then there are the hundreds of millions of ‘poor widows’ contributing their ‘mites’ not knowing what iniquities their sacrificial gifts are financing! Plus massive legal fees defending clergy who get caught-out.
Seems evident that our Cardinals are trying to camouflage the ungodly abominable reality in The Church by electing popes who promise to normalize pornography and every sort of sexual perversion. Accompanied by sacrilegious support for abortion, as a way to eraze (murder) any resulting conceptions.
There’s the attraction of extending the clerical lifespan by transfusions with exsanguinated foetal or neonatal blood.
Clearly abortion has benefits for well-healed, ageing clerics.
These are heinous sins that extend far beyond the bounds of Catholicism.
Yet: we have Christ’s medicine to guide the world out of these horrors.
Our Catechism has all the moral teachings needed.
If only it were lived & proclaimed.
Ever seeking the glory of Christ our KING; love & blessings from marty
Wonderful article!
Thank you
Amen, Cyndy Faison, Amen.
Maybe check-out this one, too:
https://firstthings.com/archive/?_author=thomas-j-paprocki
Eminence Cupich is a post-Christian apostate and of course false shepherd.
Here in a nutshell is the evidence of his apostasy:
1. Jesus was not resurrected, be only “obtruded in the spirit,” and the apostles only “saw him in their hearts.”
2. Jesus did not command the storm on the sea, there was no Transfiguration, and the rest of the miracle accounts, including the raising of the widow’s son, the daughter of Jairus, and Lazarus, are just “mythologies.” “We probably don’t need to believe these things.”
How is that known?
Because these denials of the Gospel accounts are explicitly stated in a book that Eminence Cupich, sometime between 2014 to 2017, publicly endorsed and recommended to Catholic students, saying that he employed it in the curriculum in the seminaries under his control.
The book is “Jesus the Christ,” (1974, re-issued 2011), written by the celebrity-apostate-hierarch Eminence Walter Kasper, published when he was only an apostate priest, after which our Catholic establishment and Pontiffs promoted him to Bishop and Cardinal, enabling him to spread his apostasy throughout Europe and the Americas.
The Church establishment promotes published apostates to teaching authority over our children and grandchildren.
These are not Christian men. These are men alienated from Jesus.
Dear Chris in Maryland –
“The Church establishment promotes published apostates to teaching authority over our children and grandchildren. These are not Christian men. These are men alienated from Jesus.”
One explanation is that, over the last 80 years or so, many of our Church hierarchs have been systematically proslytised by high-status members of well-organized freemason lodges, who hate the truth that Jesus is LORD.
One of the dangers of our officers moving in ‘higher circles’ of society.
I’ve heard both Catholic and Protestant clergy in Australia describe the great administrative & personal advantages of lodge membership & of their progressive initiation into various freemason occult ‘degrees’.
It’s hard for even a skilled researcher to totally pin this down.
Freemasonry is indeed a many-headed-hydra.
For example, it takes inspired discernment to connect the dots and realise the clergy & lay leaders in a parish or Church organization are secret, sworn-freemasons.
Whilst no one (not even our Pope) knows enough to factually attribute the present spectacle of Catholic moral decay to freemason subversion, it seems to be the best inference to cover the gathering evidences.
In discussions with women leaders from the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and the Australian Catholic University (most male clergy refused to discuss it), we realized baptism, confirmation, holy Eucharist, holy orders, and the creeds have not proven sufficient to stop clergy from making banned allegiances grossly incompatible with Catholic Christianity.
We were inspired to think of a simple ‘Personal Affirmation of Faith Allegiance’ as an easy way to increase clarity. A draft ‘PAFA’ is offered here for general comment.
I …………………………………….. of …………………………………………………….. solemnly affirm I have no allegiance that conflicts with my Christian allegiance to the Catholic Church and obedience to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I affirm that I have no association with any pagan or occult or atheistic organization or freemasonry or witchcraft or their like. I appreciate that this is a solemn affirmation of my personal faith allegiance and that, if proven false, I may be held to account and be liable for legal sanctions and resultant costs.
Signed……………………………….Dated……………. Witnessed………………………………Dated…………….
Many of us would feel more secure in receiving directions from Pope, Cardinals, Archbishops & Bishops and in sacramental ministry from our priests, deacons & lay leaders if they had faith-bonded with us by an unequivocal witness to Catholic good faith & freedom from freemasonry, etc.
Dear LORD Jesus Christ, worker of great miracles, please help us. Amen
Martin:
Thank you.
I recommend re-wording to make this a declaration of obedience to Jesus as the Head of the Church (per St. Paul), and a vow of “Do’s and Don’t’s” on the 3 main duties of Bishops as “faithful shepherds,” i.e. preaching, teaching and sanctifying.
What’s the main concern?
Because in this new age of openly apostate hierarchs, a vow of faithfulness to the Church itself is both a categorical and strategic mistake, because a false man can simply be pretending a vow of faithfulness, while simultaneously declaring his allegiance to an apostate organization of false hierarchs.
Everything must be explicitly rooted in obedience to Jesus himself, and not mere stewards, who can, and as we see, do betray Him.
Many thanks for your thoughtful comment, dear CiM.
Hopefully, this pericope of the PAFA can be seen as mandating obedience to King Jesus Christ alone:
“I solemnly affirm I have no allegiance that conflicts with my Christian allegiance to the Catholic Church and obedience to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.”
Deliberate rupture of that singlehearted allegiance excommunicates.
Seemingly, substantial sections of The Church subsist under clergy & lay leaders who are permanently in an excommunicated state.
When they receive Holy Communion they compound this with sacrilege.
Please pray for our Pope to find the courage to perseveringly address this foundational desecration, & so ensure his welcome by Saint Peter.
Ever seeking to hear & lovingly obey Jesus; blessings from marty
Cupich= A protégé of the Argentine Apostate
Precisely Ed.