FATHER BYERS UNDER VATICAN INTERDICT [One of the most popular series on holysoulshermitage.com

[N.B. This is a repost, for full disclosure, just in case anyone missed it. Sometimes people wonder how I get away with saying what I say on the blog. Could it be that I'm already under Vatican Interdict? The original post follows:]

Did you ever wonder why I’m a hermit, I mean, really why?

Is the Holy See taking a peek to see how things are going? This is humorous!

I mean, it had to happen. The Holy See just had to step in and put me under interdict. The Latin used in the decree lacks the style of the high Renaissance. I guess they want to make things easier to read. I say “Holy See,” but, to be more precise, this document eminates from the corner of Campo dei Fiori, where Father Giordano Bruno, O.P., was burned to death. This all took place while I was still teaching at the Pontifical Seminary Josephinum up in Columbus, Ohio, just before I became a hermit. I’m only admitting to it now. I’m becoming quite proud of this; it’s kind of a feather in the cap sort of thing.

But really, could it have been that I was a heretic regarding the doctrine or morality of the Church? Had I been stomping on the prudential wisdom of the Church, of our Lord? Have I not been a faithful son of the Church, indeed, of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI? What terrible thing could have such a decree issued against me, simple priest that I am? Read on:

Attenta proditione strepitenti contra aedem propriam necnon contra facultatem alumnosque theologiae apud Pontificium Collegium Iosephinum in Statibus Foederatis Americae Borealis;

Attento quod gravis culpa huiusmodi suscitare debet ut poena interdicti personali reo plectetur;

Praehabitis quoque omnibus adiunctis in causa;

Omnibus iure habentibus apud supradictam domum interpellatis;

Rev.dus Pater Georgius David BYERS ex Congregatione Presbyterorum a Misericordia declaratur subesse interdicto personali in aedem lato, et ad mentem: scilicet, sub conditione, ut Rev.dus Pater, ante certamen lusorium[!], clare ac publice suam fidelitatem erga suos turmales aedis se aut pronuntiet aut demonstret.

But I will never repent of this, not ever! My faithfulness to some is not compromised by my faithfulness to others. Whatever happened to ecumenism in the Holy See? Have we all become so conservative all at once? What can I do except, at this point, quote Martin Luther:

Hier stehe ich. Ich kann nicht anders!

One day, I will be vindicated. One day, the truth will win out. I can only repeat what Father Savonarola, O.P., said to his fellow Dominicans just before they burned him at the stake, they wanting to excommunicate him even from heaven… He said: “Non tocca a te!” (You don’t have the capacity to do that).

So, there. I said it.

Having said that, I have my misgivings. Perhaps there is still a chance to repent. Being burned at the stake is not a pleasant experience. In the coming months, I’ll be writing more about this, please God.

There is, by the way, oh dear reader, a humorous aspect to all this, I promise. There. That’s twice I said it (besides the tag: humor). Don’t condemn me until you know, as Paul Harvey was wont to say, the rest of the story.

UPDATE: By the time I write this update, many other posts about this interdict have been written. To see the list of posts, click on the category INTERDICT!