Have you ever had one of those experiences wherein you got sick after eating or drinking something and then, even though you know that the sickness was probably not related to that food item, you just cannot stand to look at it or even smell it without getting nauseous?
Well I have. Nothing against Cracker Barrel, but I can’t go within 1000 yards without needing a barrel myself. Enough about that.
But I have also found that the same thing can happen with words. When I find words that occur in frequent proximity to things that make me sick, I find that I can no longer stomach the word anymore, even if used appropriately.
Much to my chagrin, I find myself facing this very situation right now. What is the word that makes me sick every time I hear it or read it?
Pastoral.
Pastoral used to be a fine word but it has been keeping some bad company lately.
A priest decides to give out communion to active and proud homosexuals and has a float in the local gay pride parade. He says he is being pastoral.
Politicians who openly defy the Church, try to rewrite its history, and openly advocate heresy are welcomed to communion. Why? It’s the pastoral thing to do.
There are those who fight with gusto against a decent English translation of the liturgy and insist that your average Catholic is so ineffably dumb that such a translation wouldn’t be pastoral.
Recently, a wonderful Bishop stood up for the faith and backed a pastor who refused an active homosexual couple’s desire to enroll their child in Catholic School. For this, a prominent member of the Society that purports affiliation with Jesus tut tuts the good Bishop and says that he is not being very pastoral.
Since when did pastoral become the euphemism of choice for woeful prudential decisions (or worse) that are injurious to the faith and faithful? The word has now become such a red flag for me that I am vexed even hearing it.
Therefore I have come to a hard decision. It is with regret that I declare the word pastoral to be anathema. No longer will I write or say the word nor will I give credence to anyone who uses the word, even unwittingly. A pox on pastoral.
Starting now.
I am sorry it came to this, but the word now does too much harm. I am left with no choice. Banning it is, well, the pastoral thing to do.
Ok, starting now. For real this time.
Mary\'s Anawim 
Oh, I don’t think anyone will really be surprised at this guy’s pastoral sense.
Tremendously weak period in Christianity when the priority is the immature need for an immediate gratfication of “peace” over and against the patient endurance of standing for a truth that often cuts like a two-edged sword. Yet a truth that does not confuse our people and places them in the presence of God, rather than a tired, liberal relativism that angers God.
Matthew 10:34-39: “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.
Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Well… I do like pointing out that Vatican II was “only” a pastoral council, deliberately not defining any new doctrines, when people cite this or that passage which supposedly changes some doctrine or teaching.
Pastoral is merely the latest pollution from the ‘smoke of satan that has entered the tabernacle”
It is time to (prayer first and always) then gird our loins and do battle with the diabolical demons that have infiltrated this Church.
Paul warned us about those who would tickle our ears and preach false doctrines – and they are here.