Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Just Say No to Fr. Benedict Grochelle and Relevant Radio/EWTN


I used to listen to Catholic radio on my drive to and from work. I recently (about 2 years ago) became an Episcopalian and have been trying to explore the Catholic side of this thing called via media. I grew up in a fundangelical/Full Gospel church back home, so I am very familiar with the Protestant side of the faith. I enjoyed hearing the slightly different wording of the ASV translation American Catholics use, the different slant on some doctrinal issues, the stories about the early Saints. It fed the hunger for learning that I still feel today.


>In particular, I loved listening to Fr. Gorchelle recite the Rosary. I started making rosaries (both Catholic and Anglican) and would follow along. Something in his voice was soothing and helped me to enter that state of prayer where it's just you and God. It was how I enjoyed the end of the day.

Now when I turn on the radio, I find more often than not I am yelling at the commentators. It seems that fear of abortion and homosexual marriage have taken over the airwaves. The worst was when I heard Fr. Grochelle, a PRIEST, outright lying about the Freedom of Choice act. For starters, he was spouting how this was going to pass in "the most Pro-Abortion Congress in history" and that the President was ready to sign it. Then he spouted on about how Doctors and health care providers would then be required to perform abortions and dole out birth control, and Catholic hospitals would have to close. I hereby raise the Bullshit Flag on this one...

First off, the Freedom of Choice act isn't even being mulled around in Congress at the moment. There is nothing scheduled this term to broach the subject. Second, the FOC act does not require healthcare providers to perform abortions, and religious hospitals, i.e. Catholic hospitals, are exempt from having to perform them.

It aggrivates me to no end when a priest, preacher, deacon, bishop or Pope lie in order to support their agendas. What is the Catholic Church afraid of? Why is it stepping up its efforts so strongly now to get its message across?

I don't have an answer as to why. I do know that I no longer listen to them. My raido is now silent on the drive home, and I no longer pray the Rosary with Grochelle. Add this to the list of many reasons why I remain an Episcopalian and not a Catholic.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What do you think now? Was Father Groschelle lying, mistaken or right?

Anonymous said...

Didn't then-candidate Obama say that the first thing he'd do is sign the Freedom of Choice Act? You're quite right that FOCA is not currently under consideration by either the House or the Senate - but Congress has a recent history of quickly passing sweeping legislation with very little debate. Could it be that the anti-abortion forces are trying to establish themselves prior to introduction of the latest version of FOCA (perhaps this summer, when the economy settles down)?

Rev. Raggsdale said...

Again, I call Father Grochelle and Relevant Radio to account for lying. I have read the Freedom of Choice Act as it currently exists as a DEAD BILL, and again I must reiterate that it does NOT force physicians or other healthcare providers to perform abortions. AND it exempts religious (i.e. Catholic) hospitals and clinics from having to perform them.

Just as an aside, what is your take on the story coming from Brazil about the 9 year old rape victim whose mother and physicians were excommunicated for performing an abortion on her. Your comments on this would greatly help me in understanding your point of view here. And to try not to post anonymously here if possible. I like to know who I am talking to, even if it is only a handle.

Anonymous said...

I will pray for You!