We have been following the case of Fr. Yozefu Ssemakula’s book, The Healing of Families, which has come under fire recently for serious theological errors. It is currently under review by ecclesiastical authorities in his diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee.

The latest critique of the book is coming from the Fathers of Mercy, a missionary order whose ranks include the popular author and EWTN host, Father Wade Menenzes.

“Various clergy and laypersons who we know have either read this book, or have attended seminars conducted by Fr. Ssemekula," the Fathers states. "There are reports of great physical, emotional and spiritual healings in their families; despite the many healings reported, many concerns about theological contradictions and new spiritual teaching in the book have also been expressed. Because of their reports, we decided to take a closer look at the book.”

The Fathers go on to cite numerous problems with the book, beginning with the fact that the book was denied an imprimatur from his diocesan bishop, the Most Reverent Gregory Parkes. The reason for this is a host of theological errors such as portraying God as a kind of “helpless nice guy who is outmaneuvered by Satan”.

The book also diminishes the mission of Christ to one of mostly healing rather than to win our salvation by His suffering and death on the cross. As a result, suffering is almost always presented in the book as being “unnecessary, and therefore wasted, and that it is outside of God's will for us.”

Fr. Ssemakula also teaches that the suffering of Jesus was willed by neither the Father nor the Son, that “He did not come to die, but to save, and ended up dying.” As the Fathers state, these statements are contrary to the Biblical prophecies of the Redemption being brought about through the suffering and death of the Messiah.

The book was also found to be full of “proof-texting” – described by the Fathers as “a serious misuse of Sacred Scripture in which passages are taken out of context in order to ‘prove’ a point which is not supported by the clear meaning of the Scripture passages. There is also a severe lack of reference to the Catechism, Church Fathers, or the Saints.”

Many other very serious concerns are outlined in the Fathers statement, which is well worth reading.

This author reached out to Fr. Ssemakula for some indication of whether or not he would be willing to work with the diocese to correct theological errors in his book in order to receive an imprimatur, but he has not yet responded.

We will continue to follow up on this as the situation warrants.