Parish removes Volusia priest who posted nude photo online

Associated Press ... breaking on live feed | February 26, 2003

[NYer]

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. (AP) _ A Byzantine Catholic priest accused of posting his nude photograph on sexually explicit InteznEp pages has been removed from duty by the New Jersey bishop who oversees his parish.

The Rev. Francis Gera was ``relieved of his assignment'' at Holy Dormition Parish last week, a lawyer for Bishop Andrew Pataki wrote in a Tuesday letter to a Catholic Church watchdog group. Lawyer Thomas P. DeVita said in the three-sentence letter that Gera also has been ``forbidden from performing any priestly functions.''

Gera, 64, was removed from his position after leaders of Roman Catholic Faithful, an Illinois-based group dedicated to fighting ``corruption within the Catholic hierarchy,'' contacted Pataki about the postings, which included a picture of a naked man believed to be Gera but identified only as ``Poppa Bear.'' The postings, seeking the companionship of a man between the ages of 18 and 40, also included the same e-mail address that Gera used for parish business.

The group's president, Stephen G. Brady, said that he was told of Gera's posting by one of the priest's parishioners, whom he declined to identify. The parishioner, Brady said, first told the bishop about the postings a few weeks ago and contacted Roman Catholic Faithful when he did not get a response from Pataki. On Feb. 19, Brady sent a letter to Pataki explaining the postings.

According to DeVita's reply, Gera was removed from duty the next day. ``This guy in Catholic terms is a danger to the faithful,'' Brady said. ``He obviously can't believe what the church preaches.'' DeVita said Wednesday that the church was investigating Gera further, but would not provide any details. A message left at Holy Dormition was not immediately returned.

There are no known allegations of misconduct against Gera, but Brady said the fact that he posted his nude photograph and used the same e-mail address he used for church business raises questions about his previous actions. ``How many people has he misled or led astray?'' Brady asked. ``To be so brazen, to me, speaks volumes about his corrupt way of thinking.''

Although under the leadership of the pope, the Byzantine Catholic Rite adheres to the Eastern Orthodox ritual and liturgy. There are about 150,000 members nationwide. Unlike the Roman rite, Byzantine priests are allowed to marry. They are expected to remain celibate if single, however.

AP-ES-02-26-03 1156EST

[NYer]

This story originally ran on the Drudge Report. This post details the response provided to RCF which filed the complaint. For catholics, RCF is one of the organizations leading the charge in removing corrupt priests, albeit one from the Byzantine Rite.

[NYer]

Three cheers for RCF and Stephen Brady!!

[dead]

The postings, seeking the companionship of a man between the ages of 18 and 40

His buddies are going to ostracize him when they find out he was cruising for adults.

[ArrogantBustard]

They are expected to remain celibate if single, however.

All together, now: DUH!!!!!

Well done, Bishop Pataki! May more of your Roman Rite brethren learn to follow your example.

[Romulus]

bump and ping.

[sinkspur]

Apparently, this guy was "celibate."

[SquirrelKing]

``Poppa Bear.''

*BARF*

[Slyfox]

Geez, it's leaking over into the Byzantine Rite.

[Loyalist]

This wouldn't have happened, of course, if Byzantine Rite priests were allowed to marry. </sarcasm>

[annyokie]

Actually, Byzantine priests are allowed to marry. Romans are to remain chaste. I was surprised that this guy was an Orthodox.

[TankerKC]

This wouldn't have happened, of course, if Byzantine Rite priests were allowed to marry. </sarcasm>

Kind of takes the wind out of that sail, doesn't it?

[ArrogantBustard]

Byzantine Priests are not allowed to marry. In the Byzantine Rite of the Catholic Church, both single and married men are ordained to the Presbyterate (AKA Priesthood). Once ordained, however, a man is not free to (re)marry. This character was not married. Therefore, he (like anyone else not married), was expected to keep it in his pants. Fornication is still a mortal sin. Everybody is supposed to be chaste. Chastity means exercising your sexuality in a manner consistent with your state in life. That is, if you're married, you have sexual intercourse only with your spouse. If you're not married, you refrain from sexual intercourse. And this guy isn't Orthodox. (Or othodox, either, for that matter...)

[AnnO]

Byzantine Priest, Gera's church is only about a mile or so down Rte. 40 which is Granada Blvd. and we live off of that Rte. Just a hop, skip and jump from us. We have driven past it many times and have been wanting to stop for Progies and other goodies that they sell but just never have done it. Good thing I guess. They have a sign in front of the church advetrtising the Progies for sale. Home made, of course. How sad that Gera would do something like this when the scandals in the Roman Catholic church are so much in the news.....he must be mentally ill to do something so advert but he may have been doing things like this for years and thought he could keep on doing it without getting caught. Sickening and sad!

[annyokie]

I stand corrected. I'm an RC and was going on my coursory knowledge from my Theology classes I took in my small RC alm mater.

Thanks for the info.

[eastsider]

(split 50/50 with the Noteholders)

DUH!!!!!

[eastsider]

Let me try that again, AB:

All together, now: DUH!!!!!

DUH!!!!!

[Polycarp]

ping

[Steve_Seattle]

This really surprises me. I attended a Byzantine rite Catholic Church in Seattle on a number of occasions, and the pastor was very conservative and critical of the regular diocesan clergy, who he regarded as modernist and morally lax. I assumed this attitude pervaded priests in the Byzantine rite, but apparently I was wrong.

[Coleus]

Thanks for the ping Polycarp & Romulus, this story is the reason why I had asked the question in the first place. I had received an e-mail about it.

http://www.dreamwater.org/edu/passaic/
http://www.dreamwater.org/edu/passaic/passaic.htm

Holy Dormition
17 Buckskin Ln.
Ormond Beach, FL 32174
Phone: 904-677-8704
E-Mail:
Site:
http://www.byzantines.net/holydormition/

[ArrogantBustard]

I've a few Byzantine Rite friends, one of whom is a Deacon. They set it all out straight for me.