A few weeks back we met Deacon Sandy when he put up a video touting the uniqueness of his Good Shepherd parish. He was then embarrassed by all the people that took note of their uniqueness.
He asked us to take down the video because he said they no longer stood by it. That they were rethinking their approach. It took him at his word, taking down the video, giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Well, today I’m thinking there needs to be serious cuts in benefits.
On the weekend following the whole kerfuffle, Deacon Sandy gave a homily at Good Shepherd. The homily includes copious use of visual aids courtesy of the the projectors on screens, projectors that cost thousands even though Deacon Sandy claimed the parish is so impoverished that they cannot afford kneelers.
Later on in the homily, Deacon Sandy Sites talks about how we worry about having nice things. To illustrate the point he puts up a slide with many designer labels.
“We are extremely concerned as a society about the labels on our clothes and the brand, because we’re worried about what people will think about us. Aren’t we? For guys it might be Brooks Brothers, it might be Versace. Ladies, it might be Prada or it might be Coach…But we worry about that. And these are the kinds of thing God is saying, “Don’t worry about it.” Here is how bad it gets in our Church.”
Then Deacon Sandy puts up a picture of Pope Benedict in his red shoes.**
Cue mocking laughter from the congregation.
See the horrifying moment here.
**Again he took the video down trying to hide. This time, an enterprising soul posted it for me. Thanks Ben!
This is absolutely disgraceful. Putting forth Pope Benedict to be mocked for his materialism. Subjecting a Pope to ridicule and maligning his character suggesting that the Pope is a shallow materialist worried about fashion and what people will think of him.
This is despicable behavior. Deacon Sandy should publicly apologize to Pope Benedict and should no longer have the privilege of giving homilies until such a time as the Bishop can be confident that such a thing could never happen again. This behavior is beyond disgraceful.
Please let Deacon Sandy know what you think about this as well as his Bishop. If the Bishop needs it, I have a copy of the video. Please share this as this needs to stop.
Deacon Sandy Sites
Parish Director / Good Shepherd Parish / www.mygoodshepherd.org / +1.262.255.2035 Land / sitess@archmil.org
Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
archbishoplistecki@archmil.org
Update
@CMReport They weren’t Prada shoes: http://t.co/VSMuiujBsr
— Matthew Balan (@MatthewJLB) March 10, 2014
Original Video Here
March 11, 2014 at 12:46 am
Deacon Sandy (and I know you are going to be reading this), that cheap shot not only is disrespectful but shows a lack of knowledge on your part regarding the rich traditions of our Church. The Office of the Pope has such symbols, like red shoes, for a reason which is to remind us and the occupant of the office of all that has come before him. Maybe it might be good to consider that. Do the right thing and apologize during your next sermon and instruct the flock on the significance of the red shoes.
March 11, 2014 at 1:11 am
the RED also represents the blood of the martyrs but then again, who am I to judge?
RED
Vestments of
red
Altar cloth
too
Martyrs who
bled
Did this for
you.
Gold
Tabernacles
Veiled in
red’s hue
Martyrs in
shackles
Hung for
this view.
Red mums
full bloomed
In water and
brass
Martyrs
consumed
Burned for
this Mass.
Red rays of
sun
Rose-streak
the nave
Their suffering
done –
Now red we
must crave!
March 11, 2014 at 1:33 am
I trust that CMR will remember this on the next occasion that Mr. Sites requests of the editors a favor (such as removing a video) or the benefit of the doubt (such as a charitable interpretation of a visibly-disgraceful homily).
March 11, 2014 at 1:33 am
These cheap shots at Pope Benedict need to stop! He was a great leader and a wonderful man. How is the world meant to see that if even Catholics are ridiculing him?
March 11, 2014 at 2:18 am
This is despicable.
March 11, 2014 at 3:00 am
Frightening. And they're all over the place, destroying and desecrating the Church
March 11, 2014 at 3:19 am
I can't watch the video it has a message stating This video is private
March 11, 2014 at 3:20 am
Looks like the cowardly deacon has again taken his video private.
March 11, 2014 at 3:23 am
I have pointed it to a different source
March 11, 2014 at 3:35 am
Hey hey…. wait a second now. Isn't he in "full communion"?
March 11, 2014 at 3:59 am
Sandy, one thing that is evidenced by your sarcasm and attacks on the pope as a person and the papal office as a whole, is your lack of humility and wisdom necessary to the sacred order of the Diaconate.
I, as an ordained deacon from a non-RC Catholic denomination learned all of this in Seminary. Did you not?
One of the things that required of me was the laying down of my orders to follow Christ to the RC Church. I gave up a LOT for that and to hear you disparage the Pope, to ridicule his clothing of all things, just made me sick.
Always remember there is another side to the scriptures speaking about how we are to not worry about what we wear: we are NOT to worry about what OTHERS wear either.
Nor is it our place to condemn them for what they wear.
Check yourself. Spiritual pride is deadly.
March 11, 2014 at 4:07 am
Well – that's pretty shocking (to put it mildly.) On the upside, it's not exactly a packed church.
This is the Pope Emeritus Benedict's personal cobbler, Adriano Stefanelli who made his shoes.
March 11, 2014 at 4:08 am
Geez…these guys don't seem to learn. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Pope Benedict wore a hair shirt under the pontifical robes.
March 11, 2014 at 6:28 am
Isn't that a Travelers Insurance advertisement he uses at the end of his homily and then puts his own message on it? I assume he has permission to use their work in his homilies?
March 11, 2014 at 7:27 am
Ironic that they name their church St. Catherine of Siena.
March 11, 2014 at 8:43 am
This is a Catholic Church?
March 11, 2014 at 10:12 am
So I see in the second video that they did away with kneelers? I love the example he gave: we stand to honor the president of the United States, so Christ deserves the same respect. Kind of a bad example if you ask me.
March 11, 2014 at 11:12 am
"If I don’t read an article like that every week or so, I have to examine my conscience." Pope Benedict
March 11, 2014 at 11:29 am
It seems that all of the technology and modernization do not bring too many people to his Church.
March 11, 2014 at 11:32 am
Deacon Sandy. Why Deacon Sandy? Was "Deacon Sparky" already taken?