As a history and social studies teacher I say "Tell the story." Tell the whole story, the good, bad and ugly. Often the most profound lies start with some key elements of truth. By teaching the whole story we soptlight the truth and burn away the lie. I like what you do. Keep up God's work.
you said the 'whole' story of Truth. I wish our politicians told the 'whole' story. I'm proud of the whole story. It proves our intelligence and our desire to grow to our bestest.
The best quote from this is "God can, and does do extraordinary things through extraordinary sinners. " That hit deep. Yeah, we know its true biblically. But to hear it expressed that way hits differently.
I enjoy his videos also but I’m very put up or shut up and I live in 90° heat here in Florida because that could melt your brain a little bit and we do a reality check every five minutes because of the heat shot that it that that affects your spiritual life to because you don’t have time for nonsense when you’re sweating
I spent a little bit over 2 years in l'arche. Living with the handicapped changed my life in aspects I never even imagined, truly l'arche was and always will be, one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I looked up to Jean Vanier. His writings spoke to me, but more than that, I saw the effect he had on others, on the most fragile, and I had nothing but love, respect and admiration for a man I didn't even know. I was proud to tell people about that one time I met him, right before his death. I honestly thought I met a real life saint. When I saw your thumbnail, my heart sunk. I never comment on youtube videos, but this time I really want to stop and say thank you. Ever since february, I've been trying to avoid thinking about this situation, I had no idea what to think or how to feel. This video, certainly helped at the most surprising time. So thank you, truly, for your words. They healed me today.
This story reminds me a lot of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlett Letter”. The townspeople practically idolized Dimmesdale, putting him on a pedestal and believing he could do no wrong, that it only made it more difficult for him to confess that he was the one who impregnated Hester.
As a Secular Franciscan, I found myself inspired by Jean Vanier who was someone who inspired me to get closer to Christ and saw him as someone who was living a life closer to that of St-Francis (focusing on the poor and needy). As a fellow French Canadian, he was viewed as a model citizen, who inspired not only Catholics but many other Christians and non-Christians who were drawn to help the most vulnerable members of our communities. We must look to the Good seeds and fruits Christ did through him. We must pray for the victims and pray for Jean. I attended one of his talks here in Ottawa in the 1980s; I remember the message and the manner in which he delivered it. We must keep our attention on the message we receive and not build the credit of the messenger. With so many revelations of abuse done by so many in the Church, i am no longer shocked by any revelations of them now but rather deeply disappointed. Keep praying ! In Christ, JC, OFS
Perfect love means putting up with other peoples shortcomings, feeling no surprise at their weaknesses, finding encouragement even in the slightest evidence of good qualities in them.
This is not shortcoming- if the claims are all indeed true - it is criminal to take sexual advantage of someone who is going through hard/dark times (is broken & vulnerable) & coming to you for spiritual healing (which we claim to be the source of healing for all other aspects of our healing)
Thank you for this. I have been to l'Arch and have applied the effects of that experience and the writings of Jean Vanier in a whole project I did at University back in 2013. The good he did is and will always be valid. If my failiures and mishpas cancelled all the good I did I would surely be doomed! We all are a mix of saints and sinners.
I had to stop this video at 2:01 and pray. My heart hurts for you Father and for him and his victims as well. I have not always agreed with your thoughts but I know that you are a true follower, as I am, and it hurts to see the pain in your face. I will add his name to my prayers tonight. I only wish I had your insight. Thank you Fr. Casey. Blessings~
Jesus is a messenger, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God. He has no son, father, mother, or wife. This is the Muslim belief, how Jesus is a god while he sleeps and eats and does not know the unseen. We love Jesus and our Lord and your Lord is only one in heaven. Jesus is not the Lord of the Messenger, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Arabs and non-Arabs.
@@stevecole3192 Our Lord, who is in heaven, does not have a father, son or wife. God has sent many messengers from the first of the messengers, Adam and Noah, even Moses and Jesus, to the last of them Muhammad is a messenger for Arabs and non-Arabs to a messenger after him. He is the one whom Jesus preached about his coming after him in the Bible and the Qur’an. Our Lord, who in heaven is all poor and needy people. To him, our Lord who is in the sky is the one who deserves worship and no other than him. Our Lord who is in the sky is not like anyone in behavior in the universe Jesus is like the rest of the messengers, not our Lord How Jesus is our Lord while he sleeps and eats food and urinates and does not know the unseen then hardens this belief of Muslims in Jesus is the Messenger of God our beloved and I God willing, we will see Jesus and all after death in Heaven. Our Lord and your Lord, the One God who is in Heaven is the one who deserves worship and no other
I was in L'arche for years as an assistant. During my time, we studied his writings especially Community and Growth and Becoming Human and voted for him to be in the run for the Greatest Canadian on CBC in 2004. After the scandal broke, my heart ached for L'arche's core members with disabilities who looked up to Big Jeanne. Betrayal by their founder and his legacy is a source of great suffering that L'arche communities all over the world have to live through.
Casey thank you for the insight. I wish I had the ability to sit down and talk to you and ask questions. Thanks for being like Jeremiah from time to time, and saying things that we may not like to hear from time to time.
Had not heard this. Thanks for putting it in perspective...thanks for for taking many heroes off their pedestals +bringing them into the family of man who need a redeemer.
Fr. Casey, this is a top tier video. Fair, thoughtful, insightful, with even a splash of downplayed humor (expressions montage) to break the ice. Thank you. I have offered criticism on a couple of recent offerings you've put forth but this deserves praise.
“God is never going to disappoint us, God is never going to fall one day to some scandal, turn out to be an abuser, or racist, or complete fraud. When we put out trust in Him above all else, recognize Him as the source of all goodness, when Jesus Christ is the Only True Hero that we look up to...”. Well said Brother Casey!
I think you just summed up how many of us feel about many of the people we look forward and up too. I will continue to pray for more priest like yourself.
Thank you for adressing this issue Fr. Casey! Although a few months ago I couldn´t help but throwing away my "Comunnity and Growth" book from my library. Jean Vanier must have been a very troubled man and I understand he was badly led by a mentor in his younger years. I hope he is at peace and I don´t think his good side was completely untrue, but I can never read his books in the same way as before.
To me, what's hurtful is the fact that people like Jean Vanier and Marcial Maciel were SO good at living double lives, it's truly disgusting ... with Flannery i'm more indulgent because she never pretended she was anything else but a southern writer with a strong character and her Catholic faith, she had true humility and her feet really set on the earth, i could care less if she was or not a racist because she never seemed to present or pretend she was that pious ideal holy character that we as Catholics sometimes make up in our minds, and while possible to achieve, it's hardly the norm, and rarely the path Christ puts us on... i don't know much about anything but i would like to present myself to God as just exactly what i am, nothing more and nothing else, considering that of course i would always prefer to be less like myself and more like Him, but that truly depends on the mesaure of His grace and my own willingness to say Yes to it. That's what maybe we should aim for, we all are really and truly flawed in the light of God and we should recognize and not pretend we're anything else but that, i always go back to that parable with the pharisee and the penitent old sinner man who come to pray before the temple and we should really measure our own spiritual lives by that gospel reading and truly go inside and ask "who am i being more alike in this current state of mind and in my friendship with God"? Then again may God have mercy on us. God bless you Father. This was an important video.
Jesus is a messenger, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God. He has no son, father, mother, or wife. This is the Muslim belief, how Jesus is a god while he sleeps and eats and does not know the unseen. We love Jesus and our Lord and your Lord is only one in heaven. Jesus is not the Lord of the Messenger, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Arabs and non-Arabs.
Sometimes we look up to someone (or even love someone) despite their flaws or even because of their flaws. When we recognize flaws in others it should remind us of the flaws within ourselves. Knowing that someone is flawed does not invalidate any good they may have done, any more than our flaws invalidate any good we may have done. All we can do is to work and pray to bring out the best in all of us.
I teared up watching this; I felt the same way. While in pastoral school, the book that opened me to ministry, that made me able to minister to real people, was Becoming Human, so I appreciated you telling a story that was similar. I've been struggling with how to deal with it as I'm not in school anymore and I minister hundreds of miles from the place, so it was helpful to see other ministers struggle with the same question.
Or as St Augustine said (feast day today): with love for mankind and hatred of sins... The fact that God doesn't give up on the worst sinner really tells you how seriously He loves mankind. It's as if He can't help Himself but to love us.
@Lebanon is dying Help eternal fire is less about God not loving us, it's about us not reciprocating his love. He cannot be anything but loving, but justice and love live together in God
@Lebanon is dying Help he still love...but it is because of our own free will we r thrown to the eternal fire...this reminds me of judas iscariot ....lord loved him that he gave chances for him to repent...still he made up his mind to betray jesus....
@Lebanon is dying Help Judas didn't not believe God is loving and forgiving of the repentant, Peter believed it and that has made all the difference. Maybe we can say Peter understood the heart of Jesus much more than Judas.
Dear Fr Casey, it can be truly painful to feel betrayed. It's only the grace of God helps us to see his hand in our life. Keep up the good work. God bless
I am very close to confirmation and I am considering which saint to make my patronage to. I had considered more ancient saints and doctors of the Church like St Francis, St John of the Cross, or St Catherine of Siena. However, I love St John Paul II. He was a wonderful pope, he inspired me with his passionate love for orthodoxy, mysticism, and also evangelism through ecumenism. He has inspired me to consider nonviolence as a way through the evils of the world. That is a big deal coming from a very Republican, Texan family. My friend and sponsor mentioned how things went down with Marcial Maciel and the Legion of Christ. And I was at first devastated but then I realized that pretending that any of the saints were sinless creatures was foolish. When I think of St JPII, I now have a better perspective of him, he lived with passion and devotion and still stumbled. That very notion inspires me that I can long for the same passion and know that I will still be imperfect without Christ’s sacrifice and the Holy Spirit to guide my soul to perfect unity with God.
I've been there. A couple times. I had a spiritual director who really helped me, and then...yeah. I'm so sorry for your loss. It's a real loss, it's ok to grieve. Dave Chappelle did a fantastic routine talking about Bill Cosby and wrestling with the fallout of all that. Really resonated with me. Those racist writings of Flannery O'Connor aren't new. There's a couple letters that have come to light, and she was definetely flawed...but she recognized the fact that she was flawed, and wrote about those flaws AS flaws. Re-read "Revelation", and then remember that she joked in her last letter that she was going to sign into the hospital as Mrs. Turpin. The difference with her is that she owned her flaws and knew she needed God's mercy. She didn't hide her ugliness, she wrestled with it.
This is sad. Doubly so for me. Jean Vanier is a relative of mine. This is on my mother’s side. He was also a children’s book author and illustrator. I am an artist. He was held up to me as an example of combining faith with artistic abilities.
I am crushed & paralyzed by this news - i just heard this I never read any of his books but his articles, videos, quotes ( from being part of L’Arche..) & I really wanted to meet him (I am very curious to know which one of his books you read that first impressed/shaped you the most?) My L’Arche hero is more Fr Henri Nouwen and it is very interesting that one of the major themes in many of his books is his depression from constantly seeking holy people & finding flawed people ....
This is a decision I've made over and over in my life, mostly in the secular arena. Most of the time, I take my dad's advice - time is short, pick your diversions carefully. While I can acknowledge the talent of a Woody Allen, I choose not to watch his films, because I believe there should be consequences for immoral acts and life is short. There are many,many other movies out there.
Sometimes i feel the need to distant my self from people that i admire and love , Specially the ones i feel speak to my heart and life situations. Watching your video i realized that i may be sending the wrong message by keeping distance from the people i love and admire Dearly. They need to know that nothing can change my love and admiration for them because they bring joy to my life. Fr. Casey ,as always a big Thank you from my HEART.
I met Jean Vanier in the 1970s when I was living in England. I also thought he was a saint. At first I didn’t want to think about what I heard but as time has passed I came to the same conclusion as you have. He is the single most influential person in my life. God used him to change me in profound ways and nothing will ever change that. And yes, I put him on a pedestal and that was my mistake! However it doesn’t negate the fact that God did use him to do profound good for so many people and in the end, like all of us, he had to face God to be judged.
Anybody who wants to explore this topic in literature, I recommend “The Power and the Glory.” I read it when I was a novice in a community that I made my heroes to the point of idolatry...before living with. I appreciate your insights into this subject.
"so often the problem with fallen heroes is that we made them heroes in the first place" --> Yup. That is the heart of the matter. Jean Vanier never set out to hold himself up to others as a paragon of virtue; his aim was to make life better for disabled people, and then everyone around him mistook that work as a sign of some kind of moral purity. But the reality is that if God only allowed the morally pure to do His work, He'd have a chronic shortage of laborers! The important thing is that God's work gets done. It doesn't matter by who.
I was feeling your disappointment Casey. I've observed this human character as a very young child and never have any heroe or adult model becouse of this natural weakness. Except my parents. Only after finding faith I was able to follow some others life stories, get the best of them, to be inspired with them, to let to change myself with them.
I am still very disturbed by the scandal. It has been difficult to finish reading Community & Growth. I am still heart-broken. FYI he wasn't a priest but a layperson. Thank you for talking about this, gave me new perspective on how to see people & their wayward ways. It is true, King David too committed adultery & murder. And amazing how Jesus' genealogy was still chosen to be linked to many people who were flawed, who sinned. I pray that Jean Vanier repented and returned back to the Lord. Let our church also hope and fight for the salvation of all souls.
To all who read this, you are loved, You are appreciated, You are Divine, Never forget you have the power within to Change and shift your life. There is a version of you right now in a different reality smashing it ⭐⚡💫 You are not your addictions or flaws, raise your frequency and your life will Dramatically change for the better 🙏 I just done a video on this for those who are Ready for it 💜 If your reading this then that is a Sign that you are 🔮
Julius Caesar He was man and God at the same time. If he claimed he is good , people would've misunderstood that being sinless would make themselves as God
@@210SAi, Look it up in the Greek Dictionary for the Word perfect? There are more than one translation. Did the author choose the best Word for Clarity? Prayerfully I chose the key word, "Maturity" As we have greater hope to walk into Maturity In the Lord, than to be "perfect". Or is this in fact being 'Perfect?" No one is litterly perfect in Jesus/God/Holy Spirit. However let us strive to become Mature in our Growth. This gives a more reachable Goal. It gives Hope.
He could still be a saint in Heaven if he repented of his sinful behaviour...but he'll never officially be declared a saint by the Church that's for sure! BTW...ALWAYS PRAY FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY...THEY WILL RETURN THE FAVOR.
Thank you Father. I needed this insight this week. I have been working in a mission for the homeless that has seemed to lost the ideals of St. Francis and St. Vincent de Paul. I had to leave them. They are good people. They just have decided to focus on building a better building at the sake of the people we are trying to help.
I’m in my 40s & when I was a kid in Catholic school, everyone loved & revered the priests in my parish. Fast fwd 20 years... 1 of the priests molested many boys at my school, at least 2 were gay (and most likely practicing homosexuals) & one was having an affair w a married woman. Ugh. After knowing all that as an adult, I haven’t stepped foot in any church in the last 15 or more yrs, which sucks bc I still identify as Catholic. Fr. Casey ur absolutely correct. And HOPEFULLY one day the church will be filled w priests like u & I’ll be able to return again.
As I say: God is so awesome he can use literally human scum, and still get things done. Yes, we are all sinners, but sometimes we water down what a "sinner" is, we want to think our heroes are beyond the worst of sins, but that's not true. All we can do is learn from the good they did, and pray God's grace saved them.
Many people think in black and white especially me. Most people can accept a little bit of good and a little bit of bad but when behavior goes from one extreme to another it is a shock. Another perspective is this, If a person goes from extremely bad living, never looking back, and turns good people find that easier to accept than a person who does good and turns bad or is found to be living a double life. A situation like this causes cognitive dissonance. Human nature is hard to understand and many things in life are confusing.
I don’t know if I agree 100%. Preaching good, while secretly acting out your most evil desires does diminish their words, at least to me. Once a persons reputation is poisoned with reports of sexual abuse etc., it brings into question all of their projected values. It shows not only that they’re unwilling, or unable to follow their own lessons, but also has me doubting whether the lessons were genuinie in the first place. Were they a genuine attempt at goodness? Or was it just a charade, to trick both the reader, and the author, aimed to deceive and relieve guilt without needing to better their actions? We know people often subconciously “reward” themselves for good behaviour by allowing themselves the occasional act of selfishness. Except in their case, theese acts are so disguisting, they feel the need for a proportionally big act of kindness in an attempt to “balance the scales”.
Fantastic way to handle this tough topic. In high school, I met John Denver. I had a huge crush on him. I adored his music. I "made the mistake" of reading his autobiography after his death. Oh the things I learned about him.
I find St. Paul's advice in Galatians 2, 20 to be a gold standard to avoid becoming a fallen hero: "it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me..." Unfortunately many people find it very difficult to deal humbly with people's admiration, especially in the context of preaching the word of God. They begin to believe that the credit is theirs, when in reality it is God's graces that allows them, and us, to shine in ways that only God and the Holy Spirit can achieve. Those that let temptation (i.e. the Devil) make them believe that credit is theirs, they will eventually fall, and disgrace themselves. We must always credit God for our successes, and fault ourselves for our failures. This way, when I fail, I remember this, ask for forgiveness, get up, dust myself, and try again. The key is being humble and accept our faults. Rationalize your mistakes, and you will fall into a downward spiral away from God.
I think however, as a lesson, from now on, praying for all those who are in positions of authority, who do influence our lives in any way is very helpful, since the evil one does not spare anyone and anyone can become weak because we are sinners and also since the Holy Father as well keeps asking for our prayers. Praying for all the presenters of our faith on youtube or other platforms...✌🙏 Thanks for this video Fr. Casey.
Great video! Fr, would you expand more on separation of art and artist? For example, while this book is still influential to you, would you recommend it to someone else still? Or would you recommend a less problematic but similar author? Personally, I still enjoy and recommend media from problematic people, but I definitely put an asterisk in my recommendation.
Exactly. And even going back further, Moses murdered a guy before God chose him. Read Exodus 2. It says that he looked around to see if anyone was watching before he killed him. Premeditated. And yet God used him as one of the most important people of the Old Testament.
Lebanon is dying Help From these individuals especially David (not sure about Lot since he was raped by his daughters not the other way around) we should learn Repentance. David was not free from moral obligation just because he was the king of chosen by God. He was always reminded to Repent and we can see it in Psalms that he always asked for Forgiveness. Jesus had ancestors who were prostitutes such as Tamar, Rahab who in the grand plan of God was used to allow his Love incarnate can walk among us.
@Lebanon is dying Help Only God can make bad people good. I recently read about a guy who was a murderer , a mercenary but now runs an institutes for destitutes and homeless in India. God touched him and transformed him.
So True! We need a better teaching to be prepared for this. It's not that we Christians don't sin, but it's that we should be more aware when we do. and our hope is through Jesus. We are not locked in our Sins, through Confession Repentance, and doing our best to restore those actions, we are not locked in forever to any sin. We are free to be whole in our lives. This is one of those gifts of Grace, and His Love. God made us from dust, He knows out needs and weakness'. And, loves us unconditionly.
I have at least two public heroes who let me down badly, not personally, just did things I would never have believed they were capable of (I won't name them or what they did), but I forgive them both and I am sure God will too. I want to reignite my friendship with both of them, but think their actions have badly damaged it. But I will be there if they need me, forever.
I was so thankful to see the way you treated this topic. For me, one of the great wonders of life is that God works through sinners. I also believe that He speaks to the goodness already within people. The true difficulty is that the enemy is never so much "out there" as "in here" and we can never entirely separate out just the bits we want. I think we face the dilemma you describe at some level with everyone, first and foremost our own selves. I am really hoping you might consider offering more videos on topics raised by viewers. I selfishly wish this because the accidental discovery of your channel a couple of months ago has led to me to finally pursue a lifelong desire to seriously explore Catholicism. However, COVID-19 is delaying my faith formation classes and I am keen for guidance. I am struggling with the Liturgy of the Hours! And I'm pretty sure I need to understand the context better. Some of it is beautiful, but some of it feels horribly ingratiating and sycophantic. Even worse, some of the psalms scare me with their apparent pleas for God to smite their enemies and basically show them that He's the biggest baddas in town (see my personal viewpoint in paragraph 1!!!). That is a very long way from "lead all souls into heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy". I am sensing that we are being walked through some of the great human (and biblical) themes, but to do that "first person" within the context of prayer is somewhat freaking me out. Not really the relationship I'm going for... I would *love* to hear debate and perspective on the why, not just the how, of the LOTH. By the way, I am very sorry that you had to face such a crushing blow with Jean Vanier.
Perhaps the Liturgy of the Hours is not for everyone. A retreat at a Benedictine Abbey helped me understand the Divine Office. You may like to start with Night Prayer for a few weeks. That said, perhaps it's best to pray your way. And go to Mass!!! Just a thought.
@@michaelspeight4349 Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply! I now have the joy of regularly attending mass, even in the world of COVID-19, and through a combination of RCIA and practice, I am beginning to appreciate the psalms. It's a slow journey but I have the consolation of the rosary to ground me in the beautiful perspective of "Forgive us our trespasses" and "Lead all souls into heaven".
Don’t attach to the person. Attach to the ideas. Good ideas remain good. People struggle constantly. Let’s recognize we are all flawed but capable of good thoughts.
It happened. Same thing happened to my family. Lots of people do both good and bad. How do we pray for forgiveness 🙏? Especially when a guy is good for some, but not so good for others?
Look past the sinner and see the work of God. Thank you Fr. Casey. I can....it is sharing the same thought to others who are very unreceptive to this idea that make things difficult. ✝️
Dosli smo ti majko draga, sa svih strana ove zemlje, odnjel smo ti jade svoje I u njima svoje zelje. Pogledaj nas, utjesi nas, svoje ruke stavi na nas, svome sinu preporuci, majko mira moli za nas.
"You can't take away..." not only that Vanier inspired Fr. Casey, but that he established communities all over the world that were and are, needed and affirming for adults with cognitive disabilities. He helped to create good lives for thousands, maybe tens of thousands of people, and for many more, enhanced our understanding of the worth of men and women with disabilities.
Very clearly stated, Father Casey. We are so doggone human, all of us, and certainly do not approach the perfection that defines Jesus. You are correct in stating that it is time in our lives to look upon Jesus and elevate Him in our sight, rather than the folks we do elevate, like Hollywood stars or sports figures. May God continue to bless you.
Not sure if you will read this, but I hope you do. I've always had a difficult time accepting King David from the bible. He was a bit of a jerk yet he is David- Jesus's ancestor, the writer of the psalms. This was an excellent talk! New subscriber! Thank you!
Same. I have always disliked David and Bathsheba. They were two selfish whores. King David had everything and Bathsheba could have said no but didn't. She obviously didn't love Uriah or she would have declined king David. I often think about Uriah who David basically murdered as he ordered his men to retreat around him during battle. What about Uriah's life? Didn't it matter to God? Maybe God just loved king David more than Uriah. After all it says in the Bible that God loved Jacob but hated Esau so obviously God loves some people more than others. Even the punishment for David and Bathsheba was that their first child died but they had a second one: Solomon. God seems to just have favourites. It's true that there were consequences in David's family but even that seems cruel because other people had to pay for David's and Bathsheba's actions.
Yeah, been there bro. Have had abuse hurled at me for standing up for the Church so many times, that I don't even cringe any more. I just raise the banner and state the facts. Then kneel and pray even harder. I like how you cited Armstrong. The guy inspired me to start training on my bike. And then he fell. Well that's embarassing. But I still train with my bike. NEver give the devil quarter. Fight the evil. Keep the good. God bless you. Good job.
I found this very thought provoking, and I agree that the central issue is not putting people on pedestals to begin with. Better to focus on their work not their personality. This would also, I believe, make it harder for those with a tendency towards unlawful or unethical behaviour to sustain it as people would be less blinded by their personality cult.
Jean Vanier did much good in the world in terms of his recognition of the gifts that people with developmental disabilities bring. I met him when I was 13. I knew then that I was in the presence of an extraordinary person. I’ve read his books. I know people who have spent their lives at L’Arche homes. The revelation of his abuse of women shook me. While what he did was repugnant, his establishment of L’Arche has changed the lives of hundreds or even thousands of people with developmental disabilities all over the world. How to reconcile the two? I’m still working on it. As repulsed as I am by his abuse of women I am still grateful for the way he changed the lives of so many in a positive way. I know that the priest who was his spiritual mentor also practiced the sexual abuse of women in the same manner. Does that exonerate Jean? No! But it helps us understand a little bit. Also, there were people who knew about what he was doing but kept it quiet until after his death. Bad idea!
I loved watching this video Father. I go with your take for reposed Heroes, but at present Holy Mother Catholic Church’s sufferings are increasing because of present day Priest and Bishops and even Cardinal. I have been praying for all clergy men and women, but what else we ought to be doing as laity to bring our clergy back to God and holiness. Ven. Bishop Sheen once said that it’s laity which keeps their Priest on track. What do you suggest for us laity to do with love, sympathy and care for our priests.
Thank you for touching this topic. I remember how confused I was when I learnt about Bill Cosby's abuses. And many other people. But I'm glad you focus on using what's good aside from flaws of the former heroes. It's always easier when we can trust a person and feel safe approaching their work, but it doesn't mean we can't grow on experiences of those who disappointed us. And erasing someone from history - that's absurd for me, it can only lead to repeating the same mistakes. I think it's not a christian way, not even a logical way. We should just share the truth, also the difficult truth, what's good, what's bad. We even have good examples in bible of people who were very flawed but somehow were a part of the history of salvation. I think this matter also points us to staying vigilant and developing our conscience. We shouldn't trust our teachers mindlessly and see them as pristine figures without a flaw, because later our whole fundament of faith may crumble. After all, they're just people, they make mistakes and if our conscience tell us something in contrary to their words, it would be wise to verify that with other people, in other sources.
If we wish to encourage people to repent, Flannery O'Conner is actually the role model against racism we need, at least according to one scholar I've read. She did recognize racism in herself, and then wrote stories that condemned that racism. Seeing evil in ourselves and choosing to act contrary to that evil is precisely what we should aim for.
@Alejandra Serena V.C. absolutely, all grace flows from Christ, and trying to fix ourselves is always going to get us stuck. But while it is entirely possible that o'Connor was a victim of acedia; busily working against her presenting sin and pushing away God's plan for her... it seems convoluted to jump to that conclusion. Everything I know about her suggests a deep thinker who was unlikely to fall to the noonday devil.
As a history and social studies teacher I say "Tell the story." Tell the whole story, the good, bad and ugly. Often the most profound lies start with some key elements of truth. By teaching the whole story we soptlight the truth and burn away the lie.
I like what you do. Keep up God's work.
Thank you. I support this, can it be in this day wIth so many rewriting History. Thank you for work.
you said the 'whole' story of Truth. I wish our politicians told the 'whole' story. I'm proud of the whole story. It proves our intelligence and our desire to grow to our bestest.
Hi, Fr Casey, pls note tt Jean Vanier was never a priest. I met him in Fatima in 1960s n in Singapore in 1990s.
The best quote from this is "God can, and does do extraordinary things through extraordinary sinners. "
That hit deep. Yeah, we know its true biblically. But to hear it expressed that way hits differently.
Glad it helped you.
Fr. Casey, if you ever play baseball, make sure the parking lot is behind home plate. Otherwise, there will be a windshield with your name on it!
Tough topic, you handled it well.
Not a Catholic, but really enjoy your videos. Keep fighting the good fight.
I enjoy his videos also but I’m very put up or shut up and I live in 90° heat here in Florida because that could melt your brain a little bit and we do a reality check every five minutes because of the heat shot that it that that affects your spiritual life to because you don’t have time for nonsense when you’re sweating
@@jeannestark6293 lol. In South Texas last week it was 113°
Same, his work is interesting, even though I'm a pagan. I hope to learn something about engaging people in my work from him.
Why are you not a Catholic?
I spent a little bit over 2 years in l'arche. Living with the handicapped changed my life in aspects I never even imagined, truly l'arche was and always will be, one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I looked up to Jean Vanier. His writings spoke to me, but more than that, I saw the effect he had on others, on the most fragile, and I had nothing but love, respect and admiration for a man I didn't even know. I was proud to tell people about that one time I met him, right before his death. I honestly thought I met a real life saint.
When I saw your thumbnail, my heart sunk. I never comment on youtube videos, but this time I really want to stop and say thank you. Ever since february, I've been trying to avoid thinking about this situation, I had no idea what to think or how to feel. This video, certainly helped at the most surprising time. So thank you, truly, for your words. They healed me today.
Thank you for sharing. I’m happy for your work and witness. Know that I feel the same pain you feel.
@@BreakingInTheHabit you are my hero i want to be franciscan, greatings from Galicia, Spain
Listen again and take heed of what Father says - make Jesus your hero! God bless you brother
@@ricardobasanta good luck
This story reminds me a lot of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlett Letter”. The townspeople practically idolized Dimmesdale, putting him on a pedestal and believing he could do no wrong, that it only made it more difficult for him to confess that he was the one who impregnated Hester.
this is why i think that priest should be able to marry.
@@facelesspodcaster5594
Explain
(I can think of plenty of reasonable arguments but the comment you're replying to doesn't really give one).
Father Casey: You covered a really tough topic. I keep in mind, It’s not a good idea to put mortals on pedestals. They eventually will fall.
Mortals on pedestals ... that's a unique Catholic trait.
As a Secular Franciscan, I found myself inspired by Jean Vanier who was someone who inspired me to get closer to Christ and saw him as someone who was living a life closer to that of St-Francis (focusing on the poor and needy). As a fellow French Canadian, he was viewed as a model citizen, who inspired not only Catholics but many other Christians and non-Christians who were drawn to help the most vulnerable members of our communities. We must look to the Good seeds and fruits Christ did through him. We must pray for the victims and pray for Jean. I attended one of his talks here in Ottawa in the 1980s; I remember the message and the manner in which he delivered it. We must keep our attention on the message we receive and not build the credit of the messenger. With so many revelations of abuse done by so many in the Church, i am no longer shocked by any revelations of them now but rather deeply disappointed. Keep praying ! In Christ, JC, OFS
Perfect love means putting up with other peoples shortcomings, feeling no surprise at their weaknesses, finding encouragement even in the slightest evidence of good qualities in them.
This is not shortcoming- if the claims are all indeed true - it is criminal to take sexual advantage of someone who is going through hard/dark times (is broken & vulnerable) & coming to you for spiritual healing (which we claim to be the source of healing for all other aspects of our healing)
Thank you for this. I have been to l'Arch and have applied the effects of that experience and the writings of Jean Vanier in a whole project I did at University back in 2013. The good he did is and will always be valid. If my failiures and mishpas cancelled all the good I did I would surely be doomed! We all are a mix of saints and sinners.
One of your BEST Fr. Casey!
I had to stop this video at 2:01 and pray. My heart hurts for you Father and for him and his victims as well. I have not always agreed with your thoughts but I know that you are a true follower, as I am, and it hurts to see the pain in your face. I will add his name to my prayers tonight. I only wish I had your insight. Thank you Fr. Casey. Blessings~
Thank you very much.
Jesus is a messenger, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God. He has no son, father, mother, or wife. This is the Muslim belief, how Jesus is a god while he sleeps and eats and does not know the unseen. We love Jesus and our Lord and your Lord is only one in heaven. Jesus is not the Lord of the Messenger, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Arabs and non-Arabs.
@@قناةفتاوىعلماءالمدينةالنبوية Blessings~
@@stevecole3192 Our Lord, who is in heaven, does not have a father, son or wife. God has sent many messengers from the first of the messengers, Adam and Noah, even Moses and Jesus, to the last of them Muhammad is a messenger for Arabs and non-Arabs to a messenger after him. He is the one whom Jesus preached about his coming after him in the Bible and the Qur’an. Our Lord, who in heaven is all poor and needy people. To him, our Lord who is in the sky is the one who deserves worship and no other than him. Our Lord who is in the sky is not like anyone in behavior in the universe Jesus is like the rest of the messengers, not our Lord How Jesus is our Lord while he sleeps and eats food and urinates and does not know the unseen then hardens this belief of Muslims in Jesus is the Messenger of God our beloved and I God willing, we will see Jesus and all after death in Heaven. Our Lord and your Lord, the One God who is in Heaven is the one who deserves worship and no other
@@قناةفتاوىعلماءالمدينةالنبوية Again blessings~
I was in L'arche for years as an assistant. During my time, we studied his writings especially Community and Growth and Becoming Human and voted for him to be in the run for the Greatest Canadian on CBC in 2004. After the scandal broke, my heart ached for L'arche's core members with disabilities who looked up to Big Jeanne. Betrayal by their founder and his legacy is a source of great suffering that L'arche communities all over the world have to live through.
Casey thank you for the insight. I wish I had the ability to sit down and talk to you and ask questions. Thanks for being like Jeremiah from time to time, and saying things that we may not like to hear from time to time.
Thank you for your wise words, Father. Your message brought healing to me. 🇨🇦
Had not heard this. Thanks for putting it in perspective...thanks for for taking many heroes off their pedestals +bringing them into the family of man who need a redeemer.
Fr. Casey, this is a top tier video. Fair, thoughtful, insightful, with even a splash of downplayed humor (expressions montage) to break the ice. Thank you. I have offered criticism on a couple of recent offerings you've put forth but this deserves praise.
“God is never going to disappoint us, God is never going to fall one day to some scandal, turn out to be an abuser, or racist, or complete fraud. When we put out trust in Him above all else, recognize Him as the source of all goodness, when Jesus Christ is the Only True Hero that we look up to...”. Well said Brother Casey!
I think you just summed up how many of us feel about many of the people we look forward and up too. I will continue to pray for more priest like yourself.
Thank you for adressing this issue Fr. Casey! Although a few months ago I couldn´t help but throwing away my "Comunnity and Growth" book from my library. Jean Vanier must have been a very troubled man and I understand he was badly led by a mentor in his younger years. I hope he is at peace and I don´t think his good side was completely untrue, but I can never read his books in the same way as before.
Hello From. Casey, We are so blessed to have you back!! I hope you enjoyed your much deserved vacation!! God Bless You Fr. Casey!!!
I felt this way when the news broke about David Haas. I don‘t think I will ever be able to hear the lyrics of “You Are Mine” the same way again.
To me, what's hurtful is the fact that people like Jean Vanier and Marcial Maciel were SO good at living double lives, it's truly disgusting ... with Flannery i'm more indulgent because she never pretended she was anything else but a southern writer with a strong character and her Catholic faith, she had true humility and her feet really set on the earth, i could care less if she was or not a racist because she never seemed to present or pretend she was that pious ideal holy character that we as Catholics sometimes make up in our minds, and while possible to achieve, it's hardly the norm, and rarely the path Christ puts us on... i don't know much about anything but i would like to present myself to God as just exactly what i am, nothing more and nothing else, considering that of course i would always prefer to be less like myself and more like Him, but that truly depends on the mesaure of His grace and my own willingness to say Yes to it.
That's what maybe we should aim for, we all are really and truly flawed in the light of God and we should recognize and not pretend we're anything else but that, i always go back to that parable with the pharisee and the penitent old sinner man who come to pray before the temple and we should really measure our own spiritual lives by that gospel reading and truly go inside and ask "who am i being more alike in this current state of mind and in my friendship with God"? Then again may God have mercy on us.
God bless you Father. This was an important video.
Jesus is a messenger, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God. He has no son, father, mother, or wife. This is the Muslim belief, how Jesus is a god while he sleeps and eats and does not know the unseen. We love Jesus and our Lord and your Lord is only one in heaven. Jesus is not the Lord of the Messenger, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Arabs and non-Arabs.
I'm listening to this at work and when father cursed the beep was so loud in the quiet little clinic. 🤣🤣 But always a wonderful video father.
A great and necessary message Father. Thank you and God Bless You !
Sometimes we look up to someone (or even love someone) despite their flaws or even because of their flaws. When we recognize flaws in others it should remind us of the flaws within ourselves. Knowing that someone is flawed does not invalidate any good they may have done, any more than our flaws invalidate any good we may have done. All we can do is to work and pray to bring out the best in all of us.
I teared up watching this; I felt the same way. While in pastoral school, the book that opened me to ministry, that made me able to minister to real people, was Becoming Human, so I appreciated you telling a story that was similar. I've been struggling with how to deal with it as I'm not in school anymore and I minister hundreds of miles from the place, so it was helpful to see other ministers struggle with the same question.
Or as St Augustine said (feast day today): with love for mankind and hatred of sins...
The fact that God doesn't give up on the worst sinner really tells you how seriously He loves mankind. It's as if He can't help Himself but to love us.
God does not merely love, He is Love.
@Lebanon is dying Help eternal fire is less about God not loving us, it's about us not reciprocating his love. He cannot be anything but loving, but justice and love live together in God
@Lebanon is dying Help he still love...but it is because of our own free will we r thrown to the eternal fire...this reminds me of judas iscariot ....lord loved him that he gave chances for him to repent...still he made up his mind to betray jesus....
@Lebanon is dying Help Judas didn't not believe God is loving and forgiving of the repentant, Peter believed it and that has made all the difference. Maybe we can say Peter understood the heart of Jesus much more than Judas.
Fr. Corapi brought me back to the faith. This video helps me justify my admiration for him
I would really would like an answer to this
Dear Fr Casey, it can be truly painful to feel betrayed. It's only the grace of God helps us to see his hand in our life. Keep up the good work. God bless
Thanks for a wonderful and inspiring video.
May God send Holy Spirit to shake up us, sinners, through your work, Father Casey
Wow I have never ever thought in these terms.
Thank you ,Fr. Casey.
I am very close to confirmation and I am considering which saint to make my patronage to. I had considered more ancient saints and doctors of the Church like St Francis, St John of the Cross, or St Catherine of Siena. However, I love St John Paul II. He was a wonderful pope, he inspired me with his passionate love for orthodoxy, mysticism, and also evangelism through ecumenism. He has inspired me to consider nonviolence as a way through the evils of the world. That is a big deal coming from a very Republican, Texan family. My friend and sponsor mentioned how things went down with Marcial Maciel and the Legion of Christ. And I was at first devastated but then I realized that pretending that any of the saints were sinless creatures was foolish. When I think of St JPII, I now have a better perspective of him, he lived with passion and devotion and still stumbled. That very notion inspires me that I can long for the same passion and know that I will still be imperfect without Christ’s sacrifice and the Holy Spirit to guide my soul to perfect unity with God.
I've been there. A couple times. I had a spiritual director who really helped me, and then...yeah.
I'm so sorry for your loss. It's a real loss, it's ok to grieve. Dave Chappelle did a fantastic routine talking about Bill Cosby and wrestling with the fallout of all that. Really resonated with me.
Those racist writings of Flannery O'Connor aren't new. There's a couple letters that have come to light, and she was definetely flawed...but she recognized the fact that she was flawed, and wrote about those flaws AS flaws. Re-read "Revelation", and then remember that she joked in her last letter that she was going to sign into the hospital as Mrs. Turpin.
The difference with her is that she owned her flaws and knew she needed God's mercy. She didn't hide her ugliness, she wrestled with it.
A tale That warns against idolizing humans for their accomplishments
This is sad. Doubly so for me. Jean Vanier is a relative of mine. This is on my mother’s side. He was also a children’s book author and illustrator. I am an artist. He was held up to me as an example of combining faith with artistic abilities.
I am crushed & paralyzed by this news - i just heard this
I never read any of his books but his articles, videos, quotes ( from being part of L’Arche..) & I really wanted to meet him
(I am very curious to know which one of his books you read that first impressed/shaped you the most?)
My L’Arche hero is more Fr Henri Nouwen and it is very interesting that one of the major themes in many of his books is his depression from constantly seeking holy people & finding flawed people ....
Powerful and thought provoking piece, Father. God bless you. Thank you
I’ve been there Fr but you never forget how this person helped you no matter what people say
This was beyond excellent. Thank you very much.
How we personally accept our fallen hero’s gifts versus celebrate them as a society at two very different things.
This is a decision I've made over and over in my life, mostly in the secular arena. Most of the time, I take my dad's advice - time is short, pick your diversions carefully. While I can acknowledge the talent of a Woody Allen, I choose not to watch his films, because I believe there should be consequences for immoral acts and life is short. There are many,many other movies out there.
thanks for your sincerity and prudence Cayce
Sometimes i feel the need to distant my self from people that i admire and love , Specially the ones i feel speak to my heart and life situations. Watching your video i realized that i may be sending the wrong message by keeping distance from the people i love and admire Dearly. They need to know that nothing can change my love and admiration for them because they bring joy to my life. Fr. Casey ,as always a big Thank you from my HEART.
God mercy 🌼
Blessings from 🇦🇪( UAE)
Blessings 🌷🌷🌷
Thank u father!
I met Jean Vanier in the 1970s when I was living in England. I also thought he was a saint. At first I didn’t want to think about what I heard but as time has passed I came to the same conclusion as you have. He is the single most influential person in my life. God used him to change me in profound ways and nothing will ever change that. And yes, I put him on a pedestal and that was my mistake! However it doesn’t negate the fact that God did use him to do profound good for so many people and in the end, like all of us, he had to face God to be judged.
Anybody who wants to explore this topic in literature, I recommend “The Power and the Glory.” I read it when I was a novice in a community that I made my heroes to the point of idolatry...before living with. I appreciate your insights into this subject.
"so often the problem with fallen heroes is that we made them heroes in the first place" --> Yup. That is the heart of the matter. Jean Vanier never set out to hold himself up to others as a paragon of virtue; his aim was to make life better for disabled people, and then everyone around him mistook that work as a sign of some kind of moral purity. But the reality is that if God only allowed the morally pure to do His work, He'd have a chronic shortage of laborers!
The important thing is that God's work gets done. It doesn't matter by who.
Well said!
100%agree
A healing insight for our world of fallen reputations
I was feeling your disappointment Casey. I've observed this human character as a very young child and never have any heroe or adult model becouse of this natural weakness. Except my parents. Only after finding faith I was able to follow some others life stories, get the best of them, to be inspired with them, to let to change myself with them.
Thank you for this. Having just spent two months at l'Arche, this has helped me a lot to get another perspective on how I think about its co-founders.
You have been brilliantly blessed💕.
I am still very disturbed by the scandal. It has been difficult to finish reading Community & Growth. I am still heart-broken. FYI he wasn't a priest but a layperson. Thank you for talking about this, gave me new perspective on how to see people & their wayward ways.
It is true, King David too committed adultery & murder. And amazing how Jesus' genealogy was still chosen to be linked to many people who were flawed, who sinned. I pray that Jean Vanier repented and returned back to the Lord. Let our church also hope and fight for the salvation of all souls.
To all who read this, you are loved,
You are appreciated,
You are Divine,
Never forget you have the power within to Change and shift your life. There is a version of you right now in a different reality smashing it ⭐⚡💫
You are not your addictions or flaws, raise your frequency and your life will Dramatically change for the better 🙏
I just done a video on this for those who are Ready for it 💜
If your reading this then that is a Sign that you are 🔮
Very true
Raise your frequency?
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.
Isn't Jesus also god?
Julius Caesar
He was man and God at the same time. If he claimed he is good , people would've misunderstood that being sinless would make themselves as God
@@juliuscaesar5397 Yes, and that's why he was correctly called good.
Jesus also commands us to be perfect Mat 5: 48
@@210SAi, Look it up in the Greek Dictionary for the Word perfect? There are more than one translation. Did the author choose the best Word for Clarity? Prayerfully I chose the key word, "Maturity" As we have greater hope to walk into Maturity In the Lord, than to be "perfect". Or is this in fact being 'Perfect?" No one is litterly perfect in Jesus/God/Holy Spirit. However let us strive to become Mature in our Growth. This gives a more reachable Goal. It gives Hope.
Sadly I know too many famous people with this problem
even bad people can do good deeds
He could still be a saint in Heaven if he repented of his sinful behaviour...but he'll never officially be declared a saint by the Church that's for sure! BTW...ALWAYS PRAY FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY...THEY WILL RETURN THE FAVOR.
There are lots of saints that the Church has never canonised.
@@michaeljohnsheridan691 who ever is in heaven is a saint....
Thank you Father. I needed this insight this week. I have been working in a mission for the homeless that has seemed to lost the ideals of St. Francis and St. Vincent de Paul. I had to leave them. They are good people. They just have decided to focus on building a better building at the sake of the people we are trying to help.
I’m in my 40s & when I was a kid in Catholic school, everyone loved & revered the priests in my parish. Fast fwd 20 years... 1 of the priests molested many boys at my school, at least 2 were gay (and most likely practicing homosexuals) & one was having an affair w a married woman. Ugh. After knowing all that as an adult, I haven’t stepped foot in any church in the last 15 or more yrs, which sucks bc I still identify as Catholic. Fr. Casey ur absolutely correct. And HOPEFULLY one day the church will be filled w priests like u & I’ll be able to return again.
Christian Psychonaut777 ALL priests take a vow of celibacy. That’s why I mentioned that, ding dong. 🙄🙄🙄
As I say: God is so awesome he can use literally human scum, and still get things done.
Yes, we are all sinners, but sometimes we water down what a "sinner" is, we want to think our heroes are beyond the worst of sins, but that's not true. All we can do is learn from the good they did, and pray God's grace saved them.
Wow, that's really deep. I liked it.
# PRAYERS FOR THE FALLEN WORLD AND FALLEN HEROES # 🙏🙇♂🙏.
God canceled Saul. But he preserved David and Solomon as Saints. This is a mystery.
Mathew Kelly once said " the good of the good, is not diminished by the bad of the good "
An unfinitely complex moral issue you have dealt with beautifully. The water that runs through a tap is more interesting than the tap.
I'm feelin ya dude.. a... I mean Father! My spiritual director, whom I owe my life to, sang Vanier's praises.
Many people think in black and white especially me. Most people can accept a little bit of good and a little bit of bad but when behavior goes from one extreme to another it is a shock. Another perspective is this, If a person goes from extremely bad living, never looking back, and turns good people find that easier to accept than a person who does good and turns bad or is found to be living a double life. A situation like this causes cognitive dissonance. Human nature is hard to understand and many things in life are confusing.
Well said
I don’t know if I agree 100%. Preaching good, while secretly acting out your most evil desires does diminish their words, at least to me. Once a persons reputation is poisoned with reports of sexual abuse etc., it brings into question all of their projected values. It shows not only that they’re unwilling, or unable to follow their own lessons, but also has me doubting whether the lessons were genuinie in the first place. Were they a genuine attempt at goodness? Or was it just a charade, to trick both the reader, and the author, aimed to deceive and relieve guilt without needing to better their actions?
We know people often subconciously “reward” themselves for good behaviour by allowing themselves the occasional act of selfishness. Except in their case, theese acts are so disguisting, they feel the need for a proportionally big act of kindness in an attempt to “balance the scales”.
Fantastic way to handle this tough topic. In high school, I met John Denver. I had a huge crush on him. I adored his music. I "made the mistake" of reading his autobiography after his death. Oh the things I learned about him.
This video meant alot to me!
I find St. Paul's advice in Galatians 2, 20 to be a gold standard to avoid becoming a fallen hero: "it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me..." Unfortunately many people find it very difficult to deal humbly with people's admiration, especially in the context of preaching the word of God. They begin to believe that the credit is theirs, when in reality it is God's graces that allows them, and us, to shine in ways that only God and the Holy Spirit can achieve. Those that let temptation (i.e. the Devil) make them believe that credit is theirs, they will eventually fall, and disgrace themselves.
We must always credit God for our successes, and fault ourselves for our failures. This way, when I fail, I remember this, ask for forgiveness, get up, dust myself, and try again. The key is being humble and accept our faults. Rationalize your mistakes, and you will fall into a downward spiral away from God.
I think however, as a lesson, from now on, praying for all those who are in positions of authority, who do influence our lives in any way is very helpful, since the evil one does not spare anyone and anyone can become weak because we are sinners and also since the Holy Father as well keeps asking for our prayers. Praying for all the presenters of our faith on youtube or other platforms...✌🙏 Thanks for this video Fr. Casey.
Great video! Fr, would you expand more on separation of art and artist? For example, while this book is still influential to you, would you recommend it to someone else still? Or would you recommend a less problematic but similar author? Personally, I still enjoy and recommend media from problematic people, but I definitely put an asterisk in my recommendation.
I learned a long time ago that we all have clay feet. None of us should be on a pedestal
Remember Moses didnt get to cross to the promised land. A reminder to God's obedience even when you get to be a hero.
Exactly. And even going back further, Moses murdered a guy before God chose him. Read Exodus 2. It says that he looked around to see if anyone was watching before he killed him. Premeditated. And yet God used him as one of the most important people of the Old Testament.
Lebanon is dying Help From these individuals especially David (not sure about Lot since he was raped by his daughters not the other way around) we should learn Repentance. David was not free from moral obligation just because he was the king of chosen by God. He was always reminded to Repent and we can see it in Psalms that he always asked for Forgiveness. Jesus had ancestors who were prostitutes such as Tamar, Rahab who in the grand plan of God was used to allow his Love incarnate can walk among us.
@Lebanon is dying Help Only God can make bad people good. I recently read about a guy who was a murderer , a mercenary but now runs an institutes for destitutes and homeless in India. God touched him and transformed him.
Thank you for your insight and truth. I always learn something and increase in wisdom.
When I'm asked if I'm a Christian my answer is yes, then I tell them I'm also a sinner who tries his best not to sin each day
So True! We need a better teaching to be prepared for this. It's not that we Christians don't sin, but it's that we should be more aware when we do. and our hope is through Jesus. We are not locked in our Sins, through Confession Repentance, and doing our best to restore those actions, we are not locked in forever to any sin. We are free to be whole in our lives. This is one of those gifts of Grace, and His Love. God made us from dust, He knows out needs and weakness'. And, loves us unconditionly.
I have at least two public heroes who let me down badly, not personally, just did things I would never have believed they were capable of (I won't name them or what they did), but I forgive them both and I am sure God will too. I want to reignite my friendship with both of them, but think their actions have badly damaged it. But I will be there if they need me, forever.
I was so thankful to see the way you treated this topic. For me, one of the great wonders of life is that God works through sinners. I also believe that He speaks to the goodness already within people. The true difficulty is that the enemy is never so much "out there" as "in here" and we can never entirely separate out just the bits we want. I think we face the dilemma you describe at some level with everyone, first and foremost our own selves.
I am really hoping you might consider offering more videos on topics raised by viewers. I selfishly wish this because the accidental discovery of your channel a couple of months ago has led to me to finally pursue a lifelong desire to seriously explore Catholicism. However, COVID-19 is delaying my faith formation classes and I am keen for guidance. I am struggling with the Liturgy of the Hours! And I'm pretty sure I need to understand the context better. Some of it is beautiful, but some of it feels horribly ingratiating and sycophantic. Even worse, some of the psalms scare me with their apparent pleas for God to smite their enemies and basically show them that He's the biggest baddas in town (see my personal viewpoint in paragraph 1!!!). That is a very long way from "lead all souls into heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy". I am sensing that we are being walked through some of the great human (and biblical) themes, but to do that "first person" within the context of prayer is somewhat freaking me out. Not really the relationship I'm going for... I would *love* to hear debate and perspective on the why, not just the how, of the LOTH.
By the way, I am very sorry that you had to face such a crushing blow with Jean Vanier.
Perhaps the Liturgy of the Hours is not for everyone. A retreat at a Benedictine Abbey helped me understand the Divine Office. You may like to start with Night Prayer for a few weeks.
That said, perhaps it's best to pray your way. And go to Mass!!! Just a thought.
@@michaelspeight4349 Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply! I now have the joy of regularly attending mass, even in the world of COVID-19, and through a combination of RCIA and practice, I am beginning to appreciate the psalms. It's a slow journey but I have the consolation of the rosary to ground me in the beautiful perspective of "Forgive us our trespasses" and "Lead all souls into heaven".
Don’t attach to the person. Attach to the ideas. Good ideas remain good. People struggle constantly. Let’s recognize we are all flawed but capable of good thoughts.
It happened. Same thing happened to my family. Lots of people do both good and bad. How do we pray for forgiveness 🙏? Especially when a guy is good for some, but not so good for others?
Look past the sinner and see the work of God. Thank you Fr. Casey. I can....it is sharing the same thought to others who are very unreceptive to this idea that make things difficult. ✝️
I can relate... Have been disappointed by so many over the years.
Dosli smo ti majko draga, sa svih strana ove zemlje, odnjel smo ti jade svoje I u njima svoje zelje. Pogledaj nas, utjesi nas, svoje ruke stavi na nas, svome sinu preporuci, majko mira moli za nas.
"You can't take away..." not only that Vanier inspired Fr. Casey, but that he established communities all over the world that were and are, needed and affirming for adults with cognitive disabilities. He helped to create good lives for thousands, maybe tens of thousands of people, and for many more, enhanced our understanding of the worth of men and women with disabilities.
Very clearly stated, Father Casey. We are so doggone human, all of us, and certainly do not approach the perfection that defines Jesus. You are correct in stating that it is time in our lives to look upon Jesus and elevate Him in our sight, rather than the folks we do elevate, like Hollywood stars or sports figures. May God continue to bless you.
There are no heroes. We are all a conglomeration of good and bad. Most of us just do the best we can.
Not sure if you will read this, but I hope you do. I've always had a difficult time accepting King David from the bible. He was a bit of a jerk yet he is David- Jesus's ancestor, the writer of the psalms. This was an excellent talk! New subscriber! Thank you!
Same. I have always disliked David and Bathsheba. They were two selfish whores. King David had everything and Bathsheba could have said no but didn't. She obviously didn't love Uriah or she would have declined king David. I often think about Uriah who David basically murdered as he ordered his men to retreat around him during battle. What about Uriah's life? Didn't it matter to God? Maybe God just loved king David more than Uriah. After all it says in the Bible that God loved Jacob but hated Esau so obviously God loves some people more than others. Even the punishment for David and Bathsheba was that their first child died but they had a second one: Solomon. God seems to just have favourites. It's true that there were consequences in David's family but even that seems cruel because other people had to pay for David's and Bathsheba's actions.
You are my hero. Father Casey
Yeah, been there bro. Have had abuse hurled at me for standing up for the Church so many times, that I don't even cringe any more. I just raise the banner and state the facts. Then kneel and pray even harder.
I like how you cited Armstrong. The guy inspired me to start training on my bike. And then he fell. Well that's embarassing. But I still train with my bike.
NEver give the devil quarter. Fight the evil. Keep the good. God bless you. Good job.
This applies to SO many people right now.
I found this very thought provoking, and I agree that the central issue is not putting people on pedestals to begin with. Better to focus on their work not their personality. This would also, I believe, make it harder for those with a tendency towards unlawful or unethical behaviour to sustain it as people would be less blinded by their personality cult.
Thank you fr for the beautiful sharing
1:46 I think that's the reaction that my beloved God has about me so frequently
Never have heroes. They will only disappoint.
Jean Vanier did much good in the world in terms of his recognition of the gifts that people with developmental disabilities bring. I met him when I was 13. I knew then that I was in the presence of an extraordinary person. I’ve read his books. I know people who have spent their lives at L’Arche homes. The revelation of his abuse of women shook me. While what he did was repugnant, his establishment of L’Arche has changed the lives of hundreds or even thousands of people with developmental disabilities all over the world. How to reconcile the two? I’m still working on it. As repulsed as I am by his abuse of women I am still grateful for the way he changed the lives of so many in a positive way. I know that the priest who was his spiritual mentor also practiced the sexual abuse of women in the same manner. Does that exonerate Jean? No! But it helps us understand a little bit. Also, there were people who knew about what he was doing but kept it quiet until after his death. Bad idea!
I loved watching this video Father. I go with your take for reposed Heroes, but at present Holy Mother Catholic Church’s sufferings are increasing because of present day Priest and Bishops and even Cardinal. I have been praying for all clergy men and women, but what else we ought to be doing as laity to bring our clergy back to God and holiness. Ven. Bishop Sheen once said that it’s laity which keeps their Priest on track. What do you suggest for us laity to do with love, sympathy and care for our priests.
Thank you for touching this topic. I remember how confused I was when I learnt about Bill Cosby's abuses. And many other people. But I'm glad you focus on using what's good aside from flaws of the former heroes. It's always easier when we can trust a person and feel safe approaching their work, but it doesn't mean we can't grow on experiences of those who disappointed us. And erasing someone from history - that's absurd for me, it can only lead to repeating the same mistakes. I think it's not a christian way, not even a logical way. We should just share the truth, also the difficult truth, what's good, what's bad. We even have good examples in bible of people who were very flawed but somehow were a part of the history of salvation.
I think this matter also points us to staying vigilant and developing our conscience. We shouldn't trust our teachers mindlessly and see them as pristine figures without a flaw, because later our whole fundament of faith may crumble. After all, they're just people, they make mistakes and if our conscience tell us something in contrary to their words, it would be wise to verify that with other people, in other sources.
If we wish to encourage people to repent, Flannery O'Conner is actually the role model against racism we need, at least according to one scholar I've read. She did recognize racism in herself, and then wrote stories that condemned that racism. Seeing evil in ourselves and choosing to act contrary to that evil is precisely what we should aim for.
@Alejandra Serena V.C. absolutely, all grace flows from Christ, and trying to fix ourselves is always going to get us stuck.
But while it is entirely possible that o'Connor was a victim of acedia; busily working against her presenting sin and pushing away God's plan for her... it seems convoluted to jump to that conclusion. Everything I know about her suggests a deep thinker who was unlikely to fall to the noonday devil.