A lament for my brother, “old” Catholic bishop Ed, and my theologically incorrect attempt to console him

A lament from my brother, Old Catholic Church Bishop Ed, and my theologically incorrect attempt to console him —

Shalom, Marc!

I’m enduring a vigorous character assassination by a Priest and Deacon of the Roman Catholic Deanery here in Greenville and by Roman Catholics in general as well as Trump supporters, for my participation in the Protest Thursday.

If you stand up for those who have no voice or representation, you gotta be willing to take the heat. It isn’t popular to speak Truth to Power but it is and always will be the right thing to do. Don’t give up no matter what!

Blessings,

Ed

* * *

My Chaver Ed!

Tell him to speak with me. I will try to keep my calm, but by the same token, discussing theology or church history with them is an exercise in futility.

I have relished the times I have spent in communion with Catholicism, your “Old” brand included. When I hear “sanctus, sanctus, sanctus,” I know we are exalting the same God. Thus, my friend, Bishop, soar heavenward, with little regard for which variety of sanctuary or man-contrived denomination you fill with the sounds.

Judaism too has a cacophony of denominations, but as we scrape off the muck, many of us have started calling ourselves “trans-denominational” or “post denomination,” and we are elevated by the prospect of dipping our buckets in wells that honor God, and not the wells of denominational nitty-picky, contrived-by-man, folderol.

Regardless of such denominational hocus-pocus, disregard the rabble in Roman collars (and habits?), and keep lifting your prayers for yourself, me, the oppressed, the indifferent, the catholicum (with a lower-case “c”).

Repeat the Psalm whenever in doubt, “The Lord is near to call upon Him, to all who call Him in truth.” Or in a more contemporary, irreverent idiom: “Raise your prayers up to God, and whatever He wants He can keep!”

ר’ משה