Bishops Offered Blasphemous Stations of The Cross During Holy Week
·9 min
The episode opens by challenging claims from conservative cardinals that there is no crisis in the Catholic Church. The host presents evidence from Lenten activities in Austria, specifically dioceses hosting Stations of the Cross themed around James Martin's work. These events reinterpret the traditional stations through the experiences of LGBTQ refugees, using fictional phone calls to tell their stories. The host reveals that the Vatican is currently working on redefining the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, likely to be announced in June as part of a new Bible translation. He criticizes the Austrian events for focusing on making experiences of exclusion and hope visible rather than promoting repentance or conversion. The project involved aerial acrobatics performances inside churches, organized by staff from Catholic dioceses and other Christian denominations. Institutions from the Diocese of Linz, Graz, Sackau, Innsbruck, and the Archdiocese of Vienna supported it, along with the Evangelical Church of Vienna. A Protestant theologian involved stated that living out LGBTQ diversity helps the church transcend boundaries. The host argues this reflects a broader agenda to normalize sins that scripture describes as crying out to heaven for vengeance. He contrasts this with the Pope's public statements on war, suggesting the church's rhetoric is politically charged. The episode concludes with a warning that the church is tempting God by bringing these sins into worship spaces, urging listeners to pray for those involved rather than respond with anger. Stein signs off during the Easter season, emphasizing the need for prayer amid the crisis.
