The best homily I ever heard (you'll notice it was some time ago) was about sixty seconds long, the final twenty or so simply being, "...and if Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Ladin were the only two people on earth [slow turn towards the crucifix], he STILL [emphatic pointing at crucifix] would have gone [emphatic pointing at crucifix] to Calvary. <end of homily>"
It is at times like these, when someone with a great calling yet who has led so many away from Christ, is called home, that I console myself with the fact that both God's mercy and God's justice are perfect. Because it's also true that, in the end, each and every one of us will be grateful for this as well.
Obviously they should opt for very quiet obsequies and avoid giving scandal. I hope he found room for repentance ere his meeting with Our Lord. O my Jesus....
God is merciful. My husband’s grandmother, a lifelong Catholic, died this week close to the same age, without the sacraments. Her grandchildren calling the hospital chaplaincy and several parishes, but no priests were available. I do think Hubbard needed them more, but I still resent the clerical privilege he enjoyed for most of his life.
There is a protocol for a quiet funeral with the participating clergy dressed in purple. I would respectfully suggest that such a funeral be planned and his burial be in a common location, not the basement of the cathedral or (if the latter is an option).
Are we sure that he'll have a bishop's funeral? What happens if his widow says "you people didn't want to recognize our marriage--I don't really care what you want to do"? There usually isn't a widow when a Catholic bishop dies.
Good point - his widow would presumably have the right to determine the funeral arrangements; she could even opt for something outside of the Church. Either way if the diocese wants to do something they would likely have to get her consent.
That last statement not from the diocese reads like it was written by a PR firm...
"...while deeply respectful of church teaching and tradition (he was) profoundly independent in his thinking.”
What does that mean?
His Grace respected "tradition and teaching" and kept them on a shelf like unread bad "rip off" novel?
He was "profoundly independent" in his thinking...okay, that could be a good thing.
Yet the radical personal push for "women priests", the awful liturgical translations made while he directed that work and his bad judgement come across as "profoundly independent"...of the Church.
Bishop Hubbard was still awaiting the results of three sexual abuse cases against him in Rome, along with cases were he provided cover up for priests in his Diocese accused of abuse. Then he marries a woman in a civil ceremony because the Church would not release him from the clerical state.
After a stroke this week last rites were administered as he lay unconscious and on a ventilator in violation of Cannon Law. In our Church the men make all the rules and break all the rules. In my opinion, no funeral or burial should occur within the Catholic Church. A blessing at the interment site should be his only option. But of course for Bishops with civil wives anything is possible. God help us.
"After a stroke this week last rites were administered as he lay unconscious and on a ventilator in violation of Cannon Law."
I am not sure what this means. Is the sacrament not available if one is on a ventilator or is being on a ventilator itself the canonical violation?
Or is it being unconscious?
My understanding is that priests default to anointing in all cases where the death has not been medically declared, using provisional language such as " if it is possible, I absolve you." If that were the case, that provisional language was used, would that have solved the canon law problem?
The canonical violation is related to the Bishop being in grave sin through his civil marriage as a Bishop Emeritus. It is my understanding that he is then not eligible for the rites of the Church.
The Chaplains were dispatched by the current Bishop as if thing were normal.
I should have not includedhis medical status as a reason for the violation.
I understand. It is likely that you had in mind the presumption that he was not able to communicate with the priests to express contrition. Again, the provisional language would seem to cover.
This is also the issue with assisted suicide. The person rendering the "assistance " cannot really know the person's actual state of mind at the instant that their action makes death inevitable.
It seems most members of the bureaucratic/hierarchical Church are strongly inclined to gloss over controversy, at least in public. Like diplomats, they evidently feel themselves bound to amorality. Please everyone at least a little when their opinion might have worldly weight and ignore the rest.
May he rest in Christ.
The best homily I ever heard (you'll notice it was some time ago) was about sixty seconds long, the final twenty or so simply being, "...and if Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Ladin were the only two people on earth [slow turn towards the crucifix], he STILL [emphatic pointing at crucifix] would have gone [emphatic pointing at crucifix] to Calvary. <end of homily>"
It is at times like these, when someone with a great calling yet who has led so many away from Christ, is called home, that I console myself with the fact that both God's mercy and God's justice are perfect. Because it's also true that, in the end, each and every one of us will be grateful for this as well.
Obviously they should opt for very quiet obsequies and avoid giving scandal. I hope he found room for repentance ere his meeting with Our Lord. O my Jesus....
God is merciful. My husband’s grandmother, a lifelong Catholic, died this week close to the same age, without the sacraments. Her grandchildren calling the hospital chaplaincy and several parishes, but no priests were available. I do think Hubbard needed them more, but I still resent the clerical privilege he enjoyed for most of his life.
What the good bishop needed was more authentic pastors, striving to be holy men and priests (and truly there are a good many in that diocese).
He just never figured that quality comes before quantity.
I will remember your husband's grandma in the Mass tomorrow. May she rest in peace and rise in joy!
There is a protocol for a quiet funeral with the participating clergy dressed in purple. I would respectfully suggest that such a funeral be planned and his burial be in a common location, not the basement of the cathedral or (if the latter is an option).
Are we sure that he'll have a bishop's funeral? What happens if his widow says "you people didn't want to recognize our marriage--I don't really care what you want to do"? There usually isn't a widow when a Catholic bishop dies.
Good point - his widow would presumably have the right to determine the funeral arrangements; she could even opt for something outside of the Church. Either way if the diocese wants to do something they would likely have to get her consent.
That last statement not from the diocese reads like it was written by a PR firm...
"...while deeply respectful of church teaching and tradition (he was) profoundly independent in his thinking.”
What does that mean?
His Grace respected "tradition and teaching" and kept them on a shelf like unread bad "rip off" novel?
He was "profoundly independent" in his thinking...okay, that could be a good thing.
Yet the radical personal push for "women priests", the awful liturgical translations made while he directed that work and his bad judgement come across as "profoundly independent"...of the Church.
I believe it's been clarified that the statement was, in fact, from a publicist and not the diocese.
May God have mercy on his soul.
Bishop Hubbard was still awaiting the results of three sexual abuse cases against him in Rome, along with cases were he provided cover up for priests in his Diocese accused of abuse. Then he marries a woman in a civil ceremony because the Church would not release him from the clerical state.
After a stroke this week last rites were administered as he lay unconscious and on a ventilator in violation of Cannon Law. In our Church the men make all the rules and break all the rules. In my opinion, no funeral or burial should occur within the Catholic Church. A blessing at the interment site should be his only option. But of course for Bishops with civil wives anything is possible. God help us.
"After a stroke this week last rites were administered as he lay unconscious and on a ventilator in violation of Cannon Law."
I am not sure what this means. Is the sacrament not available if one is on a ventilator or is being on a ventilator itself the canonical violation?
Or is it being unconscious?
My understanding is that priests default to anointing in all cases where the death has not been medically declared, using provisional language such as " if it is possible, I absolve you." If that were the case, that provisional language was used, would that have solved the canon law problem?
Thank you for your response.
The canonical violation is related to the Bishop being in grave sin through his civil marriage as a Bishop Emeritus. It is my understanding that he is then not eligible for the rites of the Church.
The Chaplains were dispatched by the current Bishop as if thing were normal.
I should have not includedhis medical status as a reason for the violation.
I understand. It is likely that you had in mind the presumption that he was not able to communicate with the priests to express contrition. Again, the provisional language would seem to cover.
This is also the issue with assisted suicide. The person rendering the "assistance " cannot really know the person's actual state of mind at the instant that their action makes death inevitable.
Thank you for the discussion.
It seems most members of the bureaucratic/hierarchical Church are strongly inclined to gloss over controversy, at least in public. Like diplomats, they evidently feel themselves bound to amorality. Please everyone at least a little when their opinion might have worldly weight and ignore the rest.