The Parishioners Speak out in Dallas

April 15, 2002 | Slyfox

[Slyfox]

I attended the protest at my church, St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Dallas, TX, where our pastor, Fr. Stephen Bierschenk, was relieved of his duty on a trumped up charge of non-compliance with the diocesean "no tolerance" policy intended to weed out child abusers.

Fr. Bierschenk was given one month to come into full compliance, and as of today, well within the one month deadline, every background check has been completed. Being unjustly fired from his post at our church and after the urging of parish leaders and a multitude of the faithful, he has decided to take his case to Rome,

Fr. Bierschenk has a strong case. Two other priests in the Dallas diocese in the last two years, who were also inappropriately treated, have taken their cases to Rome and have won. According to Canon Law, a priest may not be removed from his post during his appeal.

During the Confirmation service tonight, with the bishop in attendance, every young person being confirmed took the name of Stephen as their Confirmation name. At the end of the service, as the altar servers and priests and the deacon came down from the altar to exit the church, the bishop took the side entrance so he wouldn't have to face the multitude and EDBCmedia outside.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Hello, are you senile?

Not at all. Are you? If you are not senile, you certainly are rude, crotchety, disorganized, and opinionated. You started an argument with me over a post that was directed to someone else quoting yourself and taking exception as if they were my words. Enough! Be gone! I have nothing more to write to such a rude person who CHOOSES to MISUNDERSTAND and TWIST the written word.

[Teacher317]

every young person being confirmed took the name of Stephen as their Confirmation name.
How childish, if true.

Young people being childish?!?! How DARE they! Why, they'll just ruin that solemn ritual with a quiet symbolic show of support for someone they care about. Why, the next thing you know, they'll be making macaroni crafts during Sunday School that have "Mommy" and "Daddy" shamefully emblazoned on them! They might even wear a Breast Cancer ribbon on their lapel, or *gasp!* a gold cross around their necks! The horrors! /sarcasm>

Sinkspur, if Christians can't quietly stand up against a wrong with a quiet symbolic display of support, then why bother having a religion at all? If it's not about righteousness, morality, and mutual support during our journey towards Heaven, then just what IS religion to you?

[Teacher317]

The girls also took the name Stephen. It was not a setup on part of anyone but the kids themselves. We were all stunned.

They sound incredibly sweet. RM, can you please detail for me how this is an abuse of the Confirmation sacrament? Are the children not allowed to choose their own names? Is there a rule about using the same name as someone else? I'm uninformed at the moment.

[Slyfox]

I remember witnessing an exchange between a DRE and another parish staff member, at a different parish than mine, about the election of Ronald Reagan in 1984. They were aghast that with all their teaching the kids about the evils of Reaganism, when they did a mock vote, those durn fool kids went ahead and voted for Ronald Reagan. Not just a simple majority, BUT THE ENTIRE CLASS voted for Ronald Reagan. The two parish staffers were completely undone about it. Seems like some people just can't stand it when young people have the audacity to support a conservative.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

Yes, you've said the truth i.e., the good Pope, respect for the office of bishop. But the rest has clearly been tried and failed. The sad part is that the Church you love only seems to respond when the money dries up and the press shines a light on the crimes inside.

Unlike most of the other posters on this thread, I'm not ready to give up on the Church. As a protestant convert myself, I know that the successful schismatic movements were led by the conservatives of the era, not the liberals. Martin Luther and most of the reformers weren't out to destroy the church, they were attempting to save it. They were seeking the same "preservation and re-establishment of the truth of the Church" that the posters here are. The problem is that in so doing, they end up discarding so much of the good with the bad. The movements they start then ultimately attempt to destroy the Church. The Church's greatest enemies have all come from within Her with the intent of ridding Her of those they deem to be corrupt. Regardless of their intent, these posters are following the same path and all attempts should be made to correct them.

It's takes much less faith to fight on our own without God than to lay down our anger and put all our faith in Him. It's so easy to fall into despair when we see what these liberals have done, but it should never allow us to doubt that Christ will defend His Bride (even in the America). Nothing can justify actions which harm our own Church. Christ Himself gave us his sacrifice at Calvary as an example of the faith we should show in the midst of this kind of hopelessness.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

RM, can you please detail for me how this is an abuse of the Confirmation sacrament?

See post #71 (and possibly posts #68 and #79). Each and every sacrament is an action conducted directly by God and so they shouldn't be used to undermine His Church in protesting a bishop's legitimate authority. Based on my experience with similar posters on this thread, I doubt that I will be able to adequately explain this matter of faith.

[sinkspur]

Sinkspur, if Christians can't quietly stand up against a wrong with a quiet symbolic display of support, then why bother having a religion at all? If it's not about righteousness, morality, and mutual support during our journey towards Heaven, then just what IS religion to you?

This has nothing to do with religion. It has to do with a priest lying to his bishop and arrogantly thinking a diocesan policy doesn't appy to him.

Go HERE to get the latest information. The parishioners' allegiances are misplaced.

[Teacher317]

Thanks for the link.

The parishoners allegiances may be misplaced, I don't know (again, I'm TOTALLY out of the loop on this one), but I was a bit put-off by the idea that some kids doing something sweet for a priest they like would be called names.

[sinkspur]

I was a bit put-off by the idea that some kids doing something sweet for a priest they like would be called names.

Something sweet?

Parents were using these eighth-graders to stick a thumb in the bishop's eye. And, eighth-graders being eighth-graders, they were happy to oblige.

[Teacher317]

Yes, I read those posts... I just can't see why you respond the way you do. Here's an example: "To the office, since the bishop had no reason to deny the children the sacrament, but the choice of name destroyed the atmosphere of joy which should have attended the exercise of his office."

To me, the kids were saying, "We love you, even enough to take your name (Stephen), and we support you no matter what the leadership might say." I don't see how this exhibits a diminishment of joy... it seems to be an increased degree of brotherhood and love, not less. I understand that the bishop in question may not have been glorified by their expression of love for their priest, but I hardly think that negates the meaning of the ceremony or the expression of support. (Is the ceremony performed by the priest, or the bishop? I guess that would make a difference in determining whether it was a show of support or a swipe at the bishop.)

When I try to see the core message in those posts, the most consistent message that I can find is that the church leadership comes first, and total obedience is required. When a priest is removed, are the parishoners to disavow or hide all of their feelings, positive thoughts, and friendship with him? That seems to be what you are requiring of those children. Again, I'm an outsider, so I can only report what it looks like from 'out here'.

[Teacher317]

An earlier post said the children did it on their own, and I can see that as a possibility. The kids in my classes ocassionally try to come up with ways to make grand gestures of positive emotions.

[Mike Fieschko]

I just can't see why you respond the way you do. Here's an example: "To the office, since the bishop had no reason to deny the children the sacrament, but the choice of name destroyed the atmosphere of joy which should have attended the exercise of his office."

I typed that, not freeper Ronaldus Magnus.

Is the ceremony performed by the priest, or the bishop? I guess that would make a difference in determining whether it was a show of support or a swipe at the bishop.)

The norm in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church is that the bishop adminsters the sacrament of confirmation.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

Thank you for making the clarification. Some factual background information about this case has been provided in a new discussion here.

[Slyfox]

From Akita, Sr. Agnes Sasagawa states the following:

OCTOBER 13, 1973

"My dear daughter, listen well to what I have to say to you. You will inform your superior."

After a short silence:

"As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by My Son. Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the bishops and priests."

"The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops.

THE PRIESTS WHO VENERATE ME WILL BE SCORNED AND OPPOSED BY THEIR CONFERES...

churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.

"The demon will be especially implacable against souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sadness. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them"

"With courage, speak to your superior. He will know how to encourage each one of you to pray and to accomplish works of reparation."

"It is Bishop Ito, who directs your community."

And She smiled and then said:

"You have still something to ask? Today is the last time that I will speak to you in living voice. From now on you will obey the one sent to you and your superior."

"Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary. I alone am able still to save you from the calamites which approach. Those who place their confidence in me will be saved."

link

[history_matters]

Thank you, Slyfox. Did you see Sister Agnes in the documentary on EWTN last night? God always prepares us, but do we listen? I pray God I'm listening now.

[Slyfox]

Just for the record, Fr. Bierschenk was not lying when he told the bishop that all the teachers had had their background checks done. The CCD teachers found to not have their checks on file were actually public school teachers who already had background checks done on them. It was considered prudent to not waste the money to preform yet another background check on them. But, true to form, the chancery ignored that information when it was made apparent to them that they had made an error. Father Bierschenk was needlessly smeared.