It's Wednesday, and that means it's time for"Town Talk"...

Today, in Town Talk, the Post prints NO remarks in support of Archbishop Burke, but does happen to find SIX which are critical of either the Catholic Church or the Archbishop. A rational person is led to ask, is this the norm or the standard with respect to the calls coming into the Post? Or does the editor, selectively choose those which are the most demeaning to the Church? Surely, in this large Archdiocese, there would be at least a few calls of support rather than the barrage of complaints, whines, and calumnies we see here on a weekly basis?

Have mercy
I HOPE GOD has mercy on the souls of the Roman Catholic Church. It no longer stands for the love and salvation of the people. It's for its own self-preservation and protection of those who live off of the people. People fear that the church is the only way for salvation, but no man shall enter Heaven but through his own actions and beliefs in his or her own life.

Salavation by works?

Divine pope
THE FIRST OF God's Ten Commandments is "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me". The people of the Catholic faith as well as the media might want to keep this in mind the next time the pope becomes ill. He is a man in a high position in the Catholic Church, but he is just a man like the men in other faiths. He is a human being and like all other human beings will have illnesses and eventually death. But he is not a god to be worshipped.

It looks like we have entered the "Twilight Zone"...or maybe this call was made from another planet?

Where's the trust?
WHY SHOULD THE people at St. Stanislaus Church have any confidence in the word of Archbishop Raymond Burke when his dealings with other South Side city parishes is so difficult and so disingenuous? For example, Holy Family originally was supposed to remain open; their finances were just wonderful. Then his committee said, "No, we're going to close them." Then the archbishop's office announces that the South Side will learn of the closings by Jan. 15. Here we are into February and still no word. No, the people of St. Stanislaus have it right.

Let's see if I can understand this one.
The people of St. Stanislaus are right, because:
1. the notification dates of the closings and consolidations have been extended (prsumably to allow more time to study and review the issues),
2. the Archbishops's dealings with the South City parishes ae difficult and disingenuous, yet the vague ad hominems cite no examples to support the claim,
3. a decision was made to close Holy Family after a preliminary recommendation was made for it to stay open.

Well now, I can see it so much more clearly! These "facts" prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the people of St Stanislaus are correct (in rejecting the directives of the Church). The scales have fallen from eyes and I can now see!

Praying for a red hat
KEEP UP THE good work, you people from St. Stanislaus. I pray that the archbishop gets his red hat from the pope and then gets transferred from St. Louis and takes Jamie Allman along with him. I'll never give one red cent to the ADA (Archdiocesan Development Appeal) program as long as Burke and Allman are here.

There can be no doubt that many faithful Catholics, in addition to praying that Archbishop Burke will be granted extra graces for strength, courage, wisdom, etc., are also hopeful that he will be given the "red hat". But we pray for this, not that he be moved, but that he will remain here and continue to lead the faithful to a true and deeper understanding of our faith in Jesus Christ and His Church.

I have encouraged other Catholics to increase their ADA contributions, precisely because Archbishop Burke is here and because he is so committed to teaching and handing on the faith. But some, as we see in this "Town Talk" comment, appear to find the truth troubling, as did many of the disciples of Christ who said, "This is an intolerable teaching, who can accept these things?"

And how does Jamie Allman fit into this? I wonder if those who are close to these people (the Town Talk callers) notice, hear or see their spiritual anguish? One cannot possibly be at peace with God, with himself, or with anyone else, if their attitudes are as we see here. We must pray for them.

Words of wisdom
IF MEN ARE not governed by God, they will be ruled by tyrants.

This was with the others, and I included it as did the Post. Perhaps the caller was referring to our depraved society in general and not the Archbishop or the Church?

Where's your humility, archbishop?
I'M SURE CONCERNED about the archbishop's physical well being. With all the back-patting he does, one would think his arms and shoulders might be awfully sore. When I went to Catholic school, the nuns taught about humility and how all the clergy emulated the virtue. Archbishop Burke's demeanor weighs in as more pompous by far than humble.

Back patting? Where are the examples? This person is evidently seeing someone else, and not the Archbishop.

It is entirely to be expected, although we do not see it enough today, that a man can be be humble. Because humility is such a fertile ground for developing of other virtues and gifts, we should not be surprised to those who are humble possess and demonstrate a strong faith, firm convictions, and fidelity to the Church. These qualities and virtues become more apparent precisely because one is humble. Humilty is necessary for us to grow in holiness. There is, today, a gravely mistaken notion of the virtues, of grace, of fidelity, of many things far too numerous to mention. It is sad when Catholics cannot even recognize the virtue of humility...

I think I know who this caller might have seen. Based on the number of negative reports and calls (as evidenced by today's Town Talk), there must be an imposter, posing as Archbishop Burke, running loose in the greater St. Louis area.

Overlooked church
SINCE WHEN DID St. Boniface become the only Catholic church in Carondelet? St. Mary and Joe was the first one and they are still there. So I believe your caller is wrong.

It isn't the first time a caller has been wrong, and evidently, from today's list of calls, it won't be the last.

Link.