In an open letter addressed to “Dear Archbishop McCarrick,” Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò calls Uncle Ted to repentance, writing:
Time is running out, but you can confess and repent of your sins, crimes and sacrileges, and do so publicly, since they have themselves become public. Your eternal salvation is at stake … I implore you, repent publicly of your sins, so as to make the Church rejoice and present yourself before the tribunal of Our Lord cleansed by His blood.
Bearing in mind that Archbishop Viganò has effectively surpassed Cardinal Raymond Burke as the top neo-con cult hero du jour, it is no surprise that his latest issuance is being widely hailed by many in that camp as yet another bold effort in witness to the faith.
One small problem, however; Viganò’s latest salvo is far more emotional than faithful.
While witnessing the aged and discredited pervert pleading for forgiveness in some public venue may be satisfying to some, the truth of the matter is that his eternal salvation is not contingent upon him doing so.
Repentance – as in confessing all of his mortal sins to a priest in number and kind, with sincere contrition and a firm purpose of amendment – indeed this is necessary; as it is for all of us. But doing so publicly? (Hey, folks, you really want to take your own sins to the microphone?) It is for McCarrick’s confessor to prescribe a penance and no one else.
Archbishop Viganò wasn’t finished with the empty emotional pleas. He went on to write:
But something else of great importance is also at stake. You, paradoxically, have at your disposal an immense offer of great hope for you from the Lord Jesus; you are in a position to do great good for the Church. In fact, you are now in a position to do something that has become more important for the Church than all of the good things you did for her throughout your entire life. A public repentance on your part would bring a significant measure of healing to a gravely wounded and suffering Church.
Is Uncle Ted McCarrick really in a position to do great good of the Church as the public face of anything? This is a dubious suggestion at best.
Can he do good? Certainly – all things are possible with Christ, but let’s be real. McCarrick has squandered whatever opportunity he had to act as an emissary for Holy Mother Church in any capacity. A private life of prayer and penance would be by far the more fitting service to the good; even if less satisfying to the under-nourished masses who have lost their sense of things eternal.
Furthermore, public repentance on McCarrick’s part would not, in fact, bring a significant measure of healing to the Church. Hierarchical homos would still be running amok, and far more important is the fact that a raging manifest heretic in white would still be running the show in Rome, the errors of Vatican II would still be widely taught and accepted as true by many, the despicable Mass of Paul the Pathetic would still be considered their “Ordinary” rite, etc.
And somehow Teddy McCarrick is in a position to offer significant healing? Nonsense.
Look, don’t get me wrong. I am all for Archbishop Viganò outing the homosexual network, their various evil deeds and their well-kept secrets. I applaud him for doing so. This latest sappy plea on his part, however, is not only useless; it serves to discredit him and undermine his good efforts.
That said, it does contain a bit of advice that he himself should take. So with this in mind, here is my open letter to Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò:
Your Excellency,
You are in a position to do great good for the Church. In fact, you are now in a position to do something that has become more important for the Church than all of the good things you did for her throughout your entire life.
It would seem that you are still in possession of information, and perhaps even documents, as yet unrevealed; truths that once exposed to the light of day might serve to rid the Church of some of her enemies operating from within. Cease with the piecemeal revelations; rather, put all of your cards on the table and let Our Lord take care of the rest.
It is time to set aside your fear of martyrdom and come out of hiding. Stand up boldly and publicly for whatever truths you may have to share in defense of Holy Mother Church, and if indeed this costs you your life, blessed are you.
