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The Parishioners Speak out in Dallas
April 15, 2002 | Slyfox

Posted on 04/15/2002 8:31:13 PM PDT by 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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: catholiclist
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1 posted on 04/15/2002 8:31:13 PM PDT by Slyfox
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To: Slyfox
every young person being confirmed took the name of Stephen as their Confirmation name.

well ... using the occasion of receiving a sacrament to 'send a message' is clever, but I've got mixed feelings about it.

Has anyone begun a boycott of the 'annual appeal' or whatever it's called down in your archdiocese? That may have a more lasting impression, since it indicates your perseverance.
2 posted on 04/15/2002 8:42:15 PM PDT by Mike Fieschko
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To: Mike Fieschko
Withholding funds is going to take place. The people I talked to are not going to give to the Bishop's Appeal.
Our parish was one of his best supporters.
3 posted on 04/15/2002 8:48:35 PM PDT by Slyfox
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To: Mike Fieschko
Has anyone begun a boycott of the 'annual appeal' or whatever it's called down in your archdiocese?

In the Archdiocese of San Antonio where I reside, I understand that's not really an option. The Appeal begins in September. Each Parish is assigned a certain amount they are expected to pay, and that is what they must pay by December 31st.

4 posted on 04/15/2002 9:00:46 PM PDT by sockmonkey
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To: Slyfox
Well at least they didn't take the name "Sebastian."

If your priest is innocent, I hope he's quickly cleared. Catholics must channel their outrage and resist the temptation to witch-hunt. Of course, I'm personally familiar with cases in which notorious perverts were defended by various parishioners, even in the face of damning evidence, so I hope your loyalties are well-placed.

5 posted on 04/15/2002 9:06:13 PM PDT by Romulus
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To: Slyfox
During the Confirmation service tonight, with the bishop in attendance, every young person being confirmed took the name of Stephen as their Confirmation name.

How childish, if true.

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.

Without more detail, this is meaningless.

This is a background check case in which Bierschenk LIED to the bishop about people who he said were checked who, in fact, were not checked.

If Bishop Grahmann puts checks in place to enforce a sexual abuse policy, and priests who don't enforce it go to Rome and Rome overrules Grahmann, then Rome is complicit in whatever happens when one of these unchecked volunteers abuses somebody. But, they're all over in Rome, so the Dallas DA can't touch them.

Bierschenk should shut his mouth, accept the bishop's transfer, and serve God in obedience.

And so should the pampered parishioners at St. Thomas Aquinas, the wealthiest parish in the Dallas diocese.

What a bunch of crybabies!

6 posted on 04/15/2002 9:18:24 PM PDT by sinkspur
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To: Romulus
I hope your loyalties are well-placed.

When the media began covering sexual abuse among priests, I cautioned on this very forum that it would not take very much for this thing to somehow affect innocent priests. This is one such priest. He is being tainted by the scandals.

He is the type of priest who a hundred years ago, a bishop would have counted on to develop parishes in the middle of nowhere. And he would've accepted the job joyfully. I can't tell you how devastating this is for him and our parish. His face is being dragged though the mud. And the liberals are clicking their collective heels over it.

If this priest was not the man I know him to be, if he were guilty of abuse, the entire parish would have run him out on his ear. We wouldn't have waited for a lay woman in the chancery to make the final decision.

7 posted on 04/15/2002 9:22:33 PM PDT by Slyfox
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To: sinkspur
What does it feel like to be a liberal Catholic? Please tell us all about it.
8 posted on 04/15/2002 9:23:54 PM PDT by Slyfox
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To: Slyfox
His face is being dragged though the mud.

Bierschenk is not, of course, guilty of abuse, nor has anyone implied that.

He is, however, guilty of telling Bishop Galante that certain people had background checks done on them when, in fact, they had not.

Is lying to the bishop sufficient for getting a transfer?

He's going to the fastest growing parish in the diocese, St. Michael's in McKinney. Not exactly a slug assignment.

9 posted on 04/15/2002 9:28:19 PM PDT by sinkspur
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To: Slyfox
What does it feel like to be a liberal Catholic? Please tell us all about it.

You folks at Thomas Aquinas are spoiled. You get a pastor and you think he ought to stay in place like a pope.

If I were your bishop and a priest lied to me, I'd have busted him to St. Edward's, downtown.

This is not about "liberal" or "conservative."

A priest who lies to his bishop over a zero tolerance issue deserves what Steve's getting.

10 posted on 04/15/2002 9:31:18 PM PDT by sinkspur
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To: sinkspur
What does it feel like to be a liberal Catholic?
11 posted on 04/15/2002 9:31:54 PM PDT by Slyfox
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To: Slyfox
You're reduced to stuttering.
12 posted on 04/15/2002 9:33:16 PM PDT by sinkspur
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To: Slyfox
For the record, Fr. Bierschenk did not lie to anyone. Through the diocesean audit it was found that a few members of the staff, were missing their background checks. Father was told to bring the matter into compliance and he agreed to comply within the one month set by the bishop. However, before the month was up, he was called into the bishop's office and relieved of his duty at our church. He was told that his last day would be May 9th. As of today, well within the one month, he has completed all of the background checks. He will take the matter to Rome. He will stay at his parish throughout his appeal. Hopefully, we will be able to keep our good pastor.
13 posted on 04/15/2002 10:11:23 PM PDT by Slyfox
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To: Slyfox
For the record, Fr. Bierschenk did not lie to anyone. Through the diocesean audit it was found that a few members of the staff, were missing their background checks.

From this story, Diocese won't change decision on Dallas priest it appears that there were more than a few missing background checks. I wonder if the bookkeeping records are as well documented.

"The on-site audit, completed March 19, said the parish business manager reported that the church implemented the Safe Environments Program in 1999. The assessment also found no documentation of criminal background checks, interviews, screening forms, reference contacts, acknowledgement forms or Safe Environment training for employees or volunteers." (emphasis added)

14 posted on 04/16/2002 7:40:37 AM PDT by SMEDLEYBUTLER
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To: SMEDLEYBUTLER
The Safe Environments Program in 1999, from what I understand, was instituted by the parish itself. St. Thomas was the first parish to do anything like that in the wake of the Rudy Kos fiasco. The March 19th audit was conducted by the diocese and found, through an oversight, that a few staffers had not been checked. Father was given one month to complete the checks and was working on them when he was called to see the bishop in order to be fired. The bishop claims that it was tough-love, but it was actually a point used to dislodge a conservative priest from a successful parish.

On the same note, George W. Bush was totally within his right to address a grievence and have a court rule in the matter. It is no different in this case. There was no lie except in the fact that HE was lied to when he said he would be given one month to complete the checks.

15 posted on 04/16/2002 8:03:13 AM PDT by Slyfox
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To: Slyfox
What does it feel like to be a liberal Catholic?

As a third party observer, it sounds like those protesting the Bishop are the real liberals. In the Western Rite of the Roman Catholic Church (this is a Catholic dispute, right?), priests serve at the pleasure of the bishop. To attempt to change this would be the "liberal" effort. Any parishioners who are protesting this, especially to the point of pressuring catechumens to pervert their sacrament of confirmation, are the real liberals.

That said, I will pray for all involved.

16 posted on 04/16/2002 8:03:31 AM PDT by Ronaldus Magnus
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To: Ronaldus Magnus
Any parishioners who are protesting this, especially to the point of pressuring catechumens to pervert their sacrament of confirmation, are the real liberals.

I know the head of the CCD program. She was surprised to hear them announce to her while they were waiting to go over to the church for the Confirmation that they had all decided to take the name Stephen. There was no pressure from any of us. I didn't know about it until afterwards. And I was one of the organizers.

17 posted on 04/16/2002 8:08:08 AM PDT by Slyfox
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To: Ronaldus Magnus
priests serve at the pleasure of the bishop

Yes, that is true but bishops are also held to account when it comes to Canon Law. The are not supposed to be petty dictators.

18 posted on 04/16/2002 8:14:19 AM PDT by Slyfox
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To: Ronaldus Magnus
The St. Thomas web page

Look for the "parish organizations". You will see that we are not a liberal parish.
We are in fact considered the most conservative large parish in the whole diocese.

19 posted on 04/16/2002 8:25:16 AM PDT by Slyfox
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To: Slyfox
See Also
20 posted on 04/16/2002 8:34:19 AM PDT by B-Chan
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