After three weeks, we're sure most of you get the idea: It's more than just possible that "One Hand Dan's" consecration did not assure his possession of the priesthood, if the defective one-handed priestly ordination rite denounced by nine priests in 1990 failed to confect the sacrament. And if he wasn't a priest at the time of his consecration 20 years ago, then he's not a bishop now. But in case there are a few addlebrained cultists out there who haven't yet felt the shock of recognition, we'll conclude our series by citing the opinion of the venerable Arthur Vermeersch, S.J.:
The episcopate...is a sacrament so distinct from the simple presbyterate that not only do inferior priests lack the power conferred by episcopal consecration, but also, at least according to several [authors], that the episcopate does not contain the simple priesthood, [lacuna in original print version] priestly ordination having been bypassed, it would be invalidly conferred... (Author's emphasis.)*Li'l Dan's reflexive defenders should realize they have to persuade him to see his way clear to undergoing conditional ordination and consecration. "One Hand" must for once consider the needs of the laity and act to relieve their unease. Read, now, with pious eyes the words of Henry Davis, S.J., on this matter (bold-face emphases ours):
…whenever a prudent doubt based on probable reasons persists regarding the validity of a Sacrament bestowed, that Sacrament may be repeated (c. 732,2), and it is to be observed that when the good of others is at stake or the mental anxiety of the recipient is concerned, repetition may the more readily be conceded. The repetition of the Sacrament ought to be done where its validity is doubted — or rather, so long as its validity is not morally certain — in cases when the Sacrament is necessary, whether absolutely and of its nature, as Baptism, or relatively and in respect of the good of others, as Ordination, absolution, Extreme Unction. Consequently, in doubt as to validity, Baptism, Ordination, absolution of the dying, Extreme Unction of the unconscious, and consecration of doubtfully consecrated hosts, must be repeated.*The holier-than-thou culties out there who breathlessly rhapsodize on the necessity of true sacraments need to get their act together if they really believe all the lovely pieties they repeat. If Catholics are truly obliged to do anything necessary to assure access to true sacraments, then "One Hand" had better do his part to make sure there isn't the tiniest sliver of doubt about those he administers. So far, he doesn't appear to have done anything to remedy the defect, so it's time for brow-beaten cultists to stand tall before diminutive Dan.
We ask them to tell Wee "One-Hand" that he's got to get fixed for the good of souls. Instruct him that Cekada's error-filled, bush-league monograph on one-handed orders is toast. (Actually, Catholic prudence dictates that, for the good of others, even if gross mistranslation, faulty scholarship, slovenly mistranscription, and shameless special pleading had not impeached the Blunderer's article, Dannie should have sought re-ordination before his consecration two decades ago, just to be perfectly safe: it's the Catholic way, you know.)
Without appeal to that now discredited monograph, "One Hand" can no longer be morally certain of the validity of his priesthood and episcopate. Culties still capable of acting on conscience are obliged to insist that the faithful must have unqualified confidence in the validity of the sacraments they receive from his hands, even if he doesn't give a tinker's damn for the integrity of his own orders. Let him know that if he refuses to put the faithful before self, you will withdraw all financial and material support.
DO IT, IF NOT FOR YOURSELF, THEN, AS DANNIE'S BEEN KNOWN TO SAY, "DO IT FOR THE CHILDREN."
* Theologia Moralis, III, (Università Gregoriana, 3rd Edition), p.554, ❡619. Episcopatus ... est sacramentum a simplici presbyteratu ita distinctum ut non tantum inferiores sacerdotes careant potestate collata per consecrationem episcopalem, sed etiam, saltem secundum plures, ut episcopatus simplicem presbyrteratum non contineat, [lacuna of 8 characters in printed text] praetermissa ordinatione sacerdotali, invalide conferretur... (Author's emphasis.)
*Moral and Pastoral Theology, Volume Three, (Sheed and Ward, 1943), p. 25.
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