Melody Lyons

Did she have a point?

I’ve been teaching a course on theology of childhood this term, and it seems clearer than ever to me that I have to apologize for how I treated my children’s spiritual lives early on. They became ways for me to brag to the world about my children, pawns in some sort of game of shaping a public persona. I regret this: the deepest desires of their hearts, their spiritual lives, are not ways for me to gain a following.

When St Mother Teresa was asked what the greatest evil she had ever seen was, she said communion in the hand.

It's not particularly well done. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the conversation. That's why I wrote in the first place. Christian's rebuttal will persuade some simply because it sounds very academic, but it's a good bit of weak gymnastics to support his point, and he never really ends up refuting mine. The biggest obstacle to proving his conclusion? Fr. Ripperger himself. But again... I'm grateful for the dialogue, though he should have linked my article (but perhaps it was an oversight). I would love to respond and hopefully will have the time soon. My article was not intended to be an end in itself but a jumping-off point for conversations that need to be had. That is happening and it's a good thing. Incidentally, those defending Father R who are using lies, personal attacks, and vile behavior to do it, are not doing him any favors. They simply confirm for his opponents that his work has bad fruit. So if you see them, perhaps kindly correct them. Finally, I have appreciated Father very much in the past. I even purchased books of his. There's probably still a photo up of one on my IG. But his teachings have changed. His method has changed. And it is good for Father and for the Church to talk about it. Great men do fall by inches. And sometimes it's exorcists.