JD and Ed talk about the funeral Mass of Albany Bishop Howard Hubbard.
Ed plays a round of mustache trivia.
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Two things came to mind when listening to the podcast:
To further illuminate the absurdity of Bishop Hubbard’s funeral, where was his wife seated in the cathedral? Again that sounds like an absurd question... but I’m actually curious.
Also, until recently, I lived for many years in Los Angeles. Cdl Mahoney is everywhere... even when he isn’t wanted. I know for a fact that he has invitees himself to high church functions (galas, church consecrations, etc) when the hosting congregations/organizations do not want him there. But, while almost nothing shocks me anymore in the life of the church, I will be flabbergasted if +Gomez does not allow Mahoney a full state funeral with all the pomp and circumstance in that monstrosity that he built in DTLA.
I really see no excuse for the funeral as it was but I do have a question re: anointing of the sick.
Given Hubbard had a stroke, he could have been greatly cognitively impaired after that and before his death.... so he may have been very limited in being able to indicate repentance, etc. I know anointing can be done for very impaired people - but what could be the case here? Able enough to request an anointing... maybe indicate assent to repentance... but not being able to elaborate much more... What exactly could they require of somebody under quite a bit of physical/mental disability?
Alongside the Seton Home Jingle contest, Ed should adjunct a History of Mustaches course😂. Great episode!
Rockin' the vacation 'stache, there. :-)
I was really hoping for photographic proof of mustache! Thank you!
Thanks JD and Ed. You asked any number of totally embarrassing questions and I am definitely not holding my breath waiting for any reply, much less a coherently Catholic reply, from the Bishops of any country. The vexed question of clerics' "wives", mistresses, rent boys, children, etc showing up at funerals ought to be addressed in canon law, but probably won't. I recall the distress of the Legionaries of Christ at Father Marcial Maciel's funeral. One of his mistresses and one of his daughters turned up.
It may be many years before Kieran Conry, ex-bishop of Arundel and Brighton on the south coast of England, enjoys his episcopal send off. Seeing that he had to resign after the Daily Mail came asking about his latest mistress, it may be a low key affair. Or maybe he will get the full Hubbard treatment.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kieran_Conry
Disgraced Cardinal Keith O'Brien had a funeral in England, rather than at his cathedral in Edinburgh. Which, for a Scot, probably counts as being cast into the outer darkness.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/cardinal-keith-obrien-denied-funeral-12237413
One of many further troubling wider questions is whether any of our clergy believe in anything, apart from keeping their bombproof jobs for eternity. As you said, Is Hell Empty as far as they are concerned? It would certainly be consistent with the whole tone of the service. All the clergy robed in white, the sung acclamation that the deceased would rise in glory, the sermon which was blatently universalist.....
Only GOD knows the state of anyone’s soul so we cannot pass judgement. What can be said is what I was told over thirty years ago by a very holy priest. When a priest dies, he is responsible for every soul that ever came before him. It is an awesome judgment - far more exacting than for a layman because of the greater responsibilities he had and for the extraordinary graces he received. The judgment of a bishop must be even more so. Bishops have received special graces to shepherd their flocks. That is why the laity have a great responsibility to pray for priests that they not be found wanting on the Day of Judgment. Death, Judgement, Heaven or Hell.
Clericalism is one of the greatest problems in the church in the modern age. I agree Ed, this is entirely clericalism.
Canon law is certainly relevant, but I think discussion of some basic moral philosophy is needed here—the discord between Bp. Scharfenberger’s support for Eucharistic coherence and lack of funerary coherence strikes me as a simple lack of fortitude. Acting in accord with reason amidst conflict seems like a major shortcoming in our priests and bishops.
A note on terminology: Ed.'s mustache is not called a handlebar, which would have the ends g rown longer and turned upward, but rather a horseshoe. For examples of the two styles, see Rollie Fingers and Hulk Hogan.