Scranton: Bishop Martino is receiving compassionate, loving prayers from Spiritual Mothers represented on this blog

The bishop himself, probably doesn't realise this but we have faith that our prayers are helping to console and sustain him.

All the Scranton news links and details I have learned from during the last four days have come to me from 'Helen in Philadelphia', our blog contact resident in that diocese, and I am most grateful to her. I've studied it all in a spirit of prayer and have come to a much better understanding of what has been going on in Scranton than would have been possible without her help. The Press Conference, which thanks to Helen, I was able to view live, whilst informative in many ways, concealed a great deal. Only the Catholic Press were allowed to attend.

The story, in most of its aspects is now readily available on various websites, including Zenit (see sidebar) so I do not intend to give more links. Spiritual Mothers in their compassionate concern will have already found them, and if not, will do so, and probably come to the same conclusions as I have reached, in the sense of what the story tells about Church politics in the Diocese of Scranton.

However, politics is not the business of this blog. Prayer is - and for ALL priests and bishops, particularly those in any kind of distress.. We would pray for the bishop whatever kind of bishop he had been in Scranton. That is part of our calling. However, I believe that Joseph Martino is a good Bishop and a good priest, loyal to the Pope and to the Magisterium, and who has struggled, with far more than the financial problems of his diocese.

The reason I think that, is partly because of the FACTS which have (and have not) been given to us in the media, but mainly because of the contrast between Helen's compassionate response as a spiritual mother of priests, privately expressed to me, and that of the vitriol which characterises the reaction of the bishop's detractors and opponents on com boxes such as the timesleader.com (This is not the London UK Times, but a US news organ..)

I will quote the detractors if you wish, but I prefer that a spiritual mother should be heard here:

Here is 'Helen of Philadelphia', with her permission:

"Bishop Martino has faced emormous opposition..............it's affecting his health. He is giving up. I found out yesterday and cried. ...........I truly do feel like Mary at the foot of the Cross crying for her son........since I know in my heart the Blessed Mother is concerned, I feel she would like us to pray for Bishop Martino. His health is being affected by all the stress."
August 29. 2009

On Monday's Press Conference: "I think Bishop Martino was very good at hiding his broken heart. People that know him will tell me he is good at that......"
August 31, 2009

(The latter remark reminded me of our Holy Father's mien during the early months of this year.)

Helen thinks that through her contacts we may be able to get our spiritual bouquet through to Bishop Martino when the dust has settled. In the meantime we know that our prayers for him are effective to his welfare, whether he knows about them or not. Nevertheless please contribute to the Bouquet in the combox here. I've collated the offerings from the earlier post.

Now, in the meantime there is more positive news from St. Pauls-Minnesota; Australia; Italy; Spain and several other British and USA dioceses. Will post as much as I can about these tomorrrow.

God bless

In union of prayer,

Jane