"I have sworn a holy war over every form of tyranny over the mind of man!"
These words by Thomas Jefferson, should have a meaning to all of us American or otherwise who truly believe in concept of democracy and justice.
Let what I write here today be a message to those who have unwittingly supported tyranny unbeknownst to themselves even when obeying religious dictates. A religion steeped in the suppression of freedom is not a religion but a travesty at best.
John Walsh while opposing the stand taken J Grant Swank regarding Roman Catholicism showed how blind some Catholics are to the flaws in their own church. (Those protestants are a hot blooded lot)
Of course I must give John Walsh an outline before telling my story of Roman Catholicism and how it masks itself when using religion as a weapon.
My father a Roman Catholic in good standing was stationed at an Army camp in Jerusalem; Palestine in 1928. While there he was inducted into the Knights Crusaders of the Most Holy Sepulchre one of the highest orders of Catholic knights, and received a Crusaders Cross from His Holiness Pope Pius X. I myself became a member of the Society of St. Columba of England and on coming to Canada Joined the Knights of Columbus which is very similar to the St. Columba Society.
Now here is where my story begins. In October 1991, the Métis archbishop of Montreal ordered that all non-Quebecois Catholic Churches sports signs in the Joual language. This was a political manoeuvre by the archbishop who was a fanatical Joualophone, who wanting to show his authority dared to invade the field of linguistics, which was well outside the scope of the Catholic Church and its minions. Being very annoyed at this move, I wrote directly to the archbishop and reminded him that was in violation of church rules regarding languages of worship.
Now wanting to intimidate me the archbishop instead of admitting that had overstepped his authority, sent me a letter, informing me that should I challenge his authority and not accept his dictates that he was going to excommunicate me. I told the archbishop that there was no way that I could accept his political dictates which was well outside his jurisdiction. I took the matter directly to the Vatican and was sent a letter by the Vatican Secretary of State Monsignor Alessio Sandri, who informed me that I had to obey the archbishop's dictates or face EXCOMMUNICATION. I refused point blank to let a prelate dictate to me what political views I could hold. And so I was officially EXCOMMUNICATED by the said archbishop in 1991.
So John Walsh who claims to be a Catholic should first challenge the wrongs within his own church before attempting to right the perceived wrongs of J. Grant Swank's views.
Kenneth T. Tellis
