Monday, January 7, 2013

Don't count on your 'I am a Catholic' card




A sad account related to me by a priest from a religious order (that is, not a parish priest).

When he was in charge of a parish in a major English citiy a senior police officer told him that, at one time, in the event of a road traffic accident or some other tragedy, they would make efforts to determine whether the victims were Catholic.

If they found evidence that they were, indeed, Catholic, they would phone the local priest so that the Last Rites could be administered.

But, now the police no longer follow this procedure.

Why?

Because the priests no longer respond; they stay put.

I cannot imagine any priest with traditional views ever refusing a sick or emergency call but, having just been on the receiving end of a priest who wishes to send an Extraordinary Minister to an elderly relative who wishes to receive the Sacraments from a priest, it would seem that liberal priests cannot be relied upon.

The Catholic id card in your wallet may turn out to be the Joker.

No comments:

Post a Comment