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Posted on 06/11/2002 11:05:28 AM PDT by NYer
NEW YORK (AP) _ A high-ranking priest in the Archdiocese of New York resigned his positions as church pastor and auxiliary bishop after admitting to several affairs with women, the archdiocese announced Tuesday.
Bishop James F. McCarthy, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Shrub Oak in Westchester County, admitted to the affairs after they were brought to the attention of archdiocesan officials in a letter that arrived Saturday. ``I take this opportunity to express my personal care and concern for all involved in this situation, in particular any women and their families who may have been hurt, and Bishop McCarthy as well,'' Archbishop Edward Egan said in a statement.
The affairs took place over the course of several years, according to the archdiocese. Church officials will cooperate with prosecutors if any legal issues arise from the affairs.
The Westchester district attorney did not immediately return a call about the case.
Just two months ago, McCarthy had spoken about how the ongoing scandal involving sexual abuse by priests had eroded the relationship between priests and their parishioners.
Throughout the metropolitan area, at least 11 priests accused of sexual misconduct have been suspended from front-line duties in Roman Catholic Church parishes and schools. Officials in the New York archdiocese have given prosecutors in
formation on 35 years worth of sex abuse cases. In the neighboring Brooklyn Diocese, officials gave prosecutors information on more than 30 priests accused of sexual misconduct with minors over the past 20 years.
AP-ES-06-11-02 1352EDT
Darn right! The situation in Catholic colleges and universities is at critical mass. If something isn't done now we may never get another chance.
Bump that thought. First thing that came into my mind.
Do you think the Roman Catholic Church will ever accept this?
I was thinking he must be a Baptist with his shirt on backwards!!
"Do you think the Roman Catholic Church will ever accept this?" 66 posted on 6/11/02 2:17 PM Pacific by Salvation
Hence, the trademark [sarcasm, irony alert] featured in some of my self-consciously satirical and ironic posts. The Catholic Church does actually allow Anglican and Episcopalian clergymen to become priests and remained married if they convert. Catholic priests of the Byzantine Rite can also marry. Whether the hierarchy of the Church will modify celibacy requirements for Roman Catholic clergy universally is a topic of considerable theological debate. But I was being flippant about this case in New York.
LOL! I am!
Sorry, that's backwards. Married men in the Byzantine and other Eastern Rites may be ordained priests. Married men in the Latin Rite may be ordained deacons. Once ordained, though, (re)marriage is not permitted.
That said, I don't think marriage is really the question with this bishop. He had been, after all, carrying on with several women - something not permitted to the married, so far as I know!
I knew a priest in NY once who was extremely corrupt (and is still there). He slept around (with women), hung out with a bunch of gay Orthodox clergy, made no secret of his hatred for Cardinal O'Connor, refused to read the annual pro-life letter, etc. When asked how he got away with it, he just shrugged and said it was because he "knew things about people." That is, he had the goods on other priests and bishops in the diocese. Once this sort of thing starts, it creates a horrible environment.
The tangled webs woven by individuals get tangled up with all the other webs, lies bump into each other, and everything grinds to a halt. All for the self-gratification of a few loser guys. But then, Jesus Himself was sold out for a mere pittance, so I guess this is nothing new.
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