Recently in Florida, some Bishops protested the new translation of the Roman Missal saying it included words too difficult for us dunderheads. Among the byzantine words that supposedly soar above our working class craniums was “gibbet”. A “gibbet” is a capital punishment device that also holds its victim up for public scorn. The Bishops may not think we are smart enough to understand the word “gibbet”, but we sure do know a Lynching when we see one.
Pro-life advocate Joseph Landry is being Lynched by a Bishop. Bishop Lynch that is. Jeff Miller, The Curt Jester, points to a story about a pro-life advocate being tried or trespassing for the crime of handing out pro-life materials in a Church parking lot in Florida.
[Catholic Online] On Wednesday, June 18, at 8:30 a.m., Joseph Landry will stand trial at 14250 49th St N, Clearwater, FL 33762 (County of Pinellas: Criminal Justice Center) for “criminal trespassing” for handing out pro-life flyers in the parking lot of St. Jude’s Cathedral during mass.
…
The flyer is a political parity entitled, “Real Solutions for the Negro Problem.” The tract argues that a Christian cannot vote for a racist under any condition, even if the voter agrees with the candidate on all other issues; i.e., racism is an automatic disqualifier for a candidate seeking political office.The flyer then uses this logic and ethical foundation to show that likewise, a Christian may not in good conscience vote for a candidate who supports the killing of unborn children by abortion; support of child killing is an automatic disqualifier for a candidate seeking political office.
Landry’s argument may or may not be the most effective one, but it boggles the mind that he should be charged with trespass. I wondered how a Bishop could let such a travesty happen, but then Jeff Miller reminded us who we are dealing with here.
But when it comes to Bishop Lynch it sounds pretty plausible. This was the Bishop that did not help Terri Schiavo whose situation he described as a “family dispute” and managed to even misspell her name on the press release on her death. The same bishop who latter allowed Michael Schiavo to marry within Catholic church in his diocese. A Bishop who has ordered the cessation of the regular exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for adoration by the faithful.
‘Nuff said. Apparently Catholics have been calling the Bishops office for months asking for the charges to be dropped. The were assured in various ways that there was nothing to worry about.
For months, Catholics have been calling Bishop Lynch’s office, asking the church to drop him the charges. The church has told people that it is not pressing charges, or that the charges “have been taken care of,” or indicated in some way that Mr. Landry is not going to be tried for trespass for handing out pro-life literature in a Catholic parking lot.
If the Bishop didn’t lift a finger for Terri Schiavo, what chance did Landry ever have?
June 18, 2008 at 3:54 am
Okay, I’ve been waiting for someone to do this ever since this story started circulating in the blogosphere, and I’m tired of waiting, so here goes:
gib·bet: 1. A device used for hanging a person until dead; a gallows. 2. An upright post with a crosspiece, forming a T-shaped structure from which executed criminals were formerly hung for public viewing. tr. v. gib·bet·ed or gib·bet·ted, gib·bet·ing or gib·bet·ting, gib·bets. 1. To execute by hanging on a gibbet. 2. a. To hang on a gibbet for public viewing. b. To expose to infamy or public ridicule.
(Whew!) Now, was that so hard???
June 18, 2008 at 4:00 am
I’m glad we could help, David.
June 18, 2008 at 4:03 am
But David!
I did sort of define it in the post! I think that should count for something!
June 18, 2008 at 4:15 am
Patrick:
Oh, you mean when you said “lynching.” But you’d have to know what “gibbeting” is to get that joke, right? Don’t get me wrong, I think this is a great opportunity for us to expand our vocabularies. Besides, I’m always hearing these snotty intellectuals in magazines like Commonweal tell me that ours is the most educated and informed generation of Catholic laity in history. Obviously we’re finally ready to take on the big league stuff — like, uh, “consubstantial.” Yeah, that’s a tongue twister for ya!
June 18, 2008 at 4:37 am
The whole “gibbet” thing is silly. What, do these bishops never hear the song “Alleluia, Alleluia, Let the Holy Anthem Rise” at Easter?
From the hymn:
Alleluia Alleluia He endur’d the knotted whips
And the jeering of the rabble
And the scorn of mocking lips
And the terrors of the gibbet
Upon which He would be slain
But His death was only slumber
He is risen up again
And the word “gibbet” appears in the infamous and widely-hated “Gather Comprehensive Hymnal” so don’t tell me, good Bishops, that you’ve never seen it (or heard the congregation wonder for about one-sixteenth of a second whether the “g” is soft or hard). I know you have!
June 18, 2008 at 11:46 am
Bishop Lynch of St. Petersburg gets my vote for the worst Bishop in America. Not even counting that 1) he fled his diocese to let Terri Schiavo die, as you referenced (2) the public words of support for Michael Schiavo position he spoke at this time, and (3) he allow Michael Schiavo to remarry in his diocese, his diocese also had to pay $100,000 to make a harassment suite go away from one of his male employees.
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/03/23/TampaBay/Church_paid_100_000_t.shtml
I am at a loss why they haven’t replaced him yet.
June 18, 2008 at 1:30 pm
“And the word ‘gibbet’ appears in the infamous and widely-hated ‘Gather Comprehensive Hymnal’ so don’t tell me, good Bishops, that you’ve never seen it…”
Well, I hadn’t, probably because I’ve never used that hymnal. Until I looked it up, I thought “gibbets” were what you removed from a turkey before stuffing it.
Not even close, huh guys?
June 18, 2008 at 4:25 pm
“I am at a loss why they haven’t replaced him yet.”
Probably because of what amounts to a “bishop shortage.” Several dioceses in the States are currently without bishops. Several more have bishops due to retire before the end of the decade. I forget the exact numbers, but they would be significant enough that replacing an incompetent bishop would take a while.
Unfortunately, ineptitude is not always grounds for removal as a bishop. Were he to be openly preaching heresy, he’d be called on the carpet before anything else, and that hasn’t happened.
That we know of.
June 19, 2008 at 2:47 pm
AVITC,
You mean Bishop Lynch may be even more unCatholic than Cardinal Mahony?
Oh my, another Bishop that will provide his cranium as floor tile in Sheol.
June 20, 2008 at 1:34 am
Excuse me, Red Cardigan, I’m going off topic. Tell me about the Gather Comp. If you want I’ll feed you my e-mail