“The fact that Miss Johnson found it necessary to declare herself as a lesbian to Fr. Guarnizo would indicate that it was not publicly known and her declaration in the sacristy would not have made it such.”
So, you think she was telling the priest right before Mass because it wasn’t publicly known?
I think it was simply everyone at the funeral Mass for her own mother knew about her lesbian practices through her mother or herself, and she was going to use the opportuninty to make a point about her views to her mother’s family and friends present, and anyone who would read about it later in the media she herself would notify. How in the world could she make a big deal about it, if the priest gave her Communion? She had to tell him. If the priest had a reputation a being conservative as many have said, he was the perfect patsy, some other priest might have no problems with it. “Priest Unknowingly Gives Communion to Grieving Avowed Lesbian” or “Priest Knowingly Gives Communion to Grieving Avowed Lesbian” are not the headlines that she was after, and I doubt we would have heard about it at all if such was the case. She wouldn’t have called the papers, and they wouldn’t run the story if she did.
Didn’t she talk about being a lesbian before this funeral in a public way? In any case, the whole church did know because she talked about it during her mother’s eulogy to my understanding, but I’m not sure if it was before,during or after communion. I mean, I would find it suprising if these folks didn’t know, and were just finding out during some kind of “big reveal” at her mother’s funeral. She showed up with “her lover,” as she told the priest.
Freegards
Eulogies are usually given after the Mass. But you are right, if her “lifestyle” was publicly known then it is whole different question. The truth is I do not know. In any case, the priest had to make a snap judgment and did not have time to either consult with a canon lawyer or poll the people about who knew what. The worse that the Fr. Guarnizo was guilty of, if he is guilty of anything at all, would be poor judgment. Given the situation he should be given some slack even if he may have violated the canon. Miss Johnson, by her own testimony, is guilty of the greater sin. Wether or not she was publicly known as a lesbian she should not have presented herself for Communion.
But there is the other important issue that Can. 915 is ambiguous without special training in canon law and reference to a now obsolete code. On his own website Dr. Peters states: “Serious discussion of Canon 915 requires access to key documents on the law and awareness of the positions taken thereon by qualified commentators.” This should not be. The canon should be rewritten to remove any doubt as to its meaning.
Eulogies are usually given after the Mass. But you are right, if her “lifestyle” was publicly known then it is whole different question. The truth is I do not know. In any case, the priest had to make a snap judgment and did not have time to either consult with a canon lawyer or poll the people about who knew what. The worse that the Fr. Guarnizo was guilty of, if he is guilty of anything at all, would be poor judgment. Given the situation he should be given some slack even if he may have violated the canon. Miss Johnson, by her own testimony, is guilty of the greater sin. Wether or not she was publicly known as a lesbian she should not have presented herself for Communion.
But there is the other important issue that Can. 915 is ambiguous without special training in canon law and reference to a now obsolete code. On his own website Dr. Peters states: “Serious discussion of Canon 915 requires access to key documents on the law and awareness of the positions taken thereon by qualified commentators.” This should not be. The canon should be rewritten to remove any doubt as to its meaning.