THE LATTER RAIN: The Playboy Priests of DelRay Florida

The Delray priest scandal is huge, in South Florida,
where I live. Everyone is talking about it. There is
a large Catholic population, in South Florida, and this
news, is disheartening, for many reasons.

Just as things were settling down, from the shattering
revelations, of child sexual abuse, by priests, who were
protected by the Archdiocese, for decades, this revolting
scandal is like opening up old wounds, and pouring filth
into them.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2006/10/04/m12a_priests_edit_1004.html

"Police detectives said Thursday that, over four decades, two priests who led the congregation stole more than $8.6 million from the church and used it to live like playboys. Donations meant for altruistic purposes went to support paramours and pay for gambling trips, coin collections, investment real estate, credit card bills, cars, clothing and perhaps even an Irish pub.John Skehan and Francis Guinan paid themselves out of numerous slush funds, police say, and when their accounts were full, they hid cash from the collection plates in ceilings or carried rolls of bills in their pockets.

The priests used donations to pay off potential witnesses who might have turned them in. It was sadly fitting that when police went to arrest them last week, Skehan was returning from a trip to Ireland, and Guinan was out of reach on an Australian cruise."

The Apostle Peter, revered by the Roman Catholic Church,
uttered a stern admonition, which, is prophetic, in our age:
http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/1Pe/1Pe004.html#17

1Peter 4:17: For the time [is come] that judgment
must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin]
at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the
gospel of God?

Both charlatan priests, now elderly, will stand
before the Throne of God, in addition to, the
public, and courts.

Their abuses of power, are their lives' work,
not ministering, in tenderness, to the flock
of Jesus Christ. They had been enjoying their
Golden Years, taking lavishly decadent trips,
and cruises. They lived in shameless luxury,
and decadence, which was ill-gotten gain,
and contrary to everything Christ stands for.

It's up to the LORD, to decide their destiny, but,
it's reassuring, that their bad deeds have not been
hidden, any longer.

Because they are priests, doesn't make them any
better, or worse, than men, like Kenneth Lay, and
Dennis Koslowski, who plundered the resources, of
people who trusted them. All men, who gather great
riches, by deceit, theft, and even murder, will have
to account for the harm that they've caused others.

Just because these wolves, in sheep's clothing, were
successful in causing harm, doesn't mean that they
reflect good people of faith, and the clergy, who
serve God, in obedience, and selflessness.

It was cowardly, for the Roman Catholic Bishops,
who knew what took place, to conceal it. God, who
sees all, uncovered, this evil.

The Roman Catholic faith, reels under the
devastation, and expense, of countless lawsuits,
shame, and squandered resources, which were pilfered
by unscrupulous opportunists, like these two scoundrels,
who, used their collars, to commit thefts, and mock the
cross.

One of the greatest eschatological prophecies, in the
final age, is the dissolution of the church, when
judgement, begins to be issued, from the throne of
God.

These revelations commence, in the churches, not the world.
In The Book of Revelations, the 7 churches, are warned, to
repent of their evil ways, and to cut off the evil, which
like weeds, and thorns, have choked the life out of their
fields of ministry.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Rev/Rev001.html#top
The seven churches, are prototypes, for the ages of
Christianity, and the different denominations, that
sprung, from the original 7 churches, founded by the
Apostles, and Jesus Christ, in Asia Minor, (Modern Turkey.)

They are all urged to return, to their first love,
which is found lacking in them.

Finally, the fact that so much damage has been
done to the Roman Catholic faith, with severe
consequences, should be a warning, to laity,
and non-clergy Christians, and non-believers.

Kenneth Lay, the disgraced, and convicted CEO,
of Enron, ruined countless lives, stealing from
people, who trusted his leadership. He died shortly
after he was found guilty.

He professed strong Christian faith in God,
but, he faces Judgement Day, like any poor man.

1 Peter 4:17 warns the clergy, and congregations of
Christ, to be diligent. In the next verse, Peter,
further admonishes them: "