Catholic Church issues today generally involve priests. Celibacy, marriage, women being ordained priests, abortion, and homosexuality were significantly prominent issues in another time.

In many regards, the Catholic Church of today is not the Catholic Church of yesterday. A few of the differences will be demonstrated. Many the result of man’s interpretation of the Bible rather than God’s word.

There were no priests till the end of the first century. The apostles were holy men. Men of God. They bore no specific title.

By the end of the first century, Christ’s followers had multiplied. The holy men were of the opinion they themselves should be referred to with a special designation. Something to demonstrate they were above the masses.

The title Priest came into being. With it, ordination.

The issue of celibacy arose. Not a problem in God’s time. It took a thousand years to rear its head. Certain apostles were married. Peter, the first Pope, was. Subsequent holy men were. They enjoyed sex and fathered children.

No where in the Bible does it say God insisted on celibacy for priests. There were no priests for almost 100 years after Christ’s death. For almost a 1,000 years thereafter, priests had been enjoying marital bliss. Some even outside their marriage bonds.

In 1074 AD, Pope Gregory VII declared candidates for ordination could not marry. Few, if any, listened to him. Priests continued to marry in large numbers for another hundred years.

Celibacy was mandated and made part of Canon Law in 1139 AD at the Second Lateran Council. Between 1074 AD and 1139 AD, Pope Urban II became a zealous advocate of celibacy. So much so that he had priests’ wives sold into slavery and their children abandoned. Priests continued marrying and/or having sex for several hundred more years. In decreasing numbers, however.

By 1200 AD, fifty percent of priests were married and fifty per cent not. So much for the Second Lateran Council.

History suggests Popes were married through 1585 AD. Some fathered children. Six Popes subsequent to 1139 AD produced illegitimate children. One Pope four, another three, and several two.

It is well established that four Popes had male lovers. Open and notorious. One slept in the same bed with his partner in the Vatican of that time.

The most interesting thing learned is that celibacy is not a vow. Rather it is a promise. A promise a new priest makes to a Bishop.

Abortions have their place in Church history. Not as represented today. Rather as what existed in reality at a certain time.

It was 836 AD. Priests had been having sex with nuns and other women for a number of years.. Some of the ladies became pregnant. The monasteries and nunneries became abortion mills. Infanticide was an agenda item. Very young babies were killed. Sort of makes one think…..Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

In any event, the Council of Aix-la-Chapelle decreed in 836 AD that there were to be no more abortions and child killings in monasteries and nunneries.

There were women priests. Would you believe! From the time of Christ to some time into the fourteenth century. And further in time. There was another Council in the fourteenth century that declared women could no longer be ordained priests. Yes, they had actually been ordained just as men up to that time.

Few payed attention to no more female priests. A hundred years later, women were still being ordained, hearing confessions, etc.
By the fourteenth century, male presence and power was increasing within the Church. The hierarchy began to look down upon women as priests. The female gender was considered less than the male one. Women were no longer worthy of being priests.

The hierarchy relied on the Bible for its new found position regarding female priests. Man’s interpretation as opposed to God’s. Where was that interpretation for fourteen hundred years? A modern day inconsistency also exists.

In 1972, Czech women were imprisoned in large numbers by the Communists. Ludmilla Jarorova and several other Czech women were ordained as priests to serve the needs of those women.

For centuries, Popes themselves married and procreated.

The purpose of this article is to make people aware there is a difference between God’s Laws and what man later determines to be God’s Law. Some believe the inconsistencies, the law changes, are the result of those who considered themselves special. The men in the Church.

There have been such men in every century. Once in power, they abrogate power and authority to themselves. Resulting in the screwed up Catholic Church of today.

Former Republican Representative Carlos Curbelo (Fla): “I don’t think that anything can save Donald Trump. He’s decidedly on the path of irrelevance. He reduces himself by the day.”

Trump’s tax returns recently released support Curbelo’s premise. Trump owned 3 planes. Two jets and a helicopter. The tax returns showed income in the six figures for the 2 jets. They also reflected expenses for each in the exact amount of the the income for each. To the penny. A tax wipe out. Did the IRS see receipts for the expenses?

Bloomberg Tax writer Andrew Leahey wrote an interesting article yesterday (12/27) re Trump’s recently released tax records. The title clearly spells out how Trump should be handled re the returns: “Don’t Embrace Trump Over Tax Returns – Charge Him Instead.”

Kari Lake lost her lawsuit to have the Arizona governor result set aside based on election fraud. He found no wrongdoing. Lake in effect got a Trump result.

The newly elected Governor Katie Hobbs asked the court to sanction Lake for having brought a frivolous lawsuit. The judge refused. However, he did make Lake responsible for certain costs and expenses sustained in opposing her ill conceived suit. He ordered Lake to pay $33,000 for fees and costs. Lake not a happy camper about the loss and her having to pay $33,000.

Wacked out defines her mental condition.

An incident involving Lake at a suburban 7-Eleven on Christmas morning reflects how “flipped out” she was. Perhaps, still is.

Lake purchased a lottery ticket at the 7-Eleven. A lottery scratch game called Cash Craze. She lost. Lost re the ticket and herself. She accused the ticket machine of being rigged against her and “riddled with fraud.” She then launched into a tirade on a wide range of targets, including the “pathetic” quality of Christmas presents she received.

All in front of witnesses.

A member of Lake’s family said the visit to the 7-Eleven was “unfortunate.” However “got her out of the house for a few minutes.”

A big Syracuse sports week!

Tomorrow, the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium at 2 pm. Syracuse plays Minnesota.

Saturday, Syracuse basketball against Boston College. Two pm.

I am leaving out my synopsis of page 2 of the Executive Summary of the January 6 Committee Report. Today’s blog already too long. It will appear tomorrow.

Enjoy your day!