Posted on 10/24/2003 8:32:28 PM PDT by Antoninus
BOSTON — The Boston priest who informed Archbishop Sean O’Malley that he would not implement the mandated "Talking about Touching" program in his parish told The Wanderer the archbishop "is not committed" to implementing the program in all archdiocesan parishes, that the program is currently "under study" by archdiocesan officials, and "there is no way the archbishop will approve it." (See The Wanderer, October 16, 2003, p. 1.)
Fr. David Mullen, pastor of St. Brendan’s Church in Bellingham, Mass., spoke with The Wanderer five days after appearing on Fox News’ O’Reilly Factor, where he spoke of his decision to ignore the controversial program.
Fr. Mullen also said that several other pastors in the Boston Archdiocese are also refusing to implement the program, and have made their objections known to the archbishop. He called the "mandate" to implement the "Talking about Touching" program a "middle-management decision that misserves the archbishop," and placed the blame for the program on Deacon Anthony Rizzuto, who heads the archdiocese’s Office of Child Advocacy, Implementation, and Oversight.
Deacon Rizzuto was appointed to the new position by Bernard Cardinal Law last October, just months before the cardinal resigned his office.
"I’m sure the archbishop didn’t know what was in the program," said Mullen, "which was implemented before he even came to Boston. He’s in the middle of a crisis, and he probably hasn’t even had the chance to learn who is responsible for selecting the program and mandating it.
"What happened is that somebody in middle management assumed episcopal authority," he added.
Mullen also reported that at a meeting of all archdiocesan priests with the archbishop two weeks ago, the archbishop heard priests’ objections to the program, and agreed to "study the program."
"The archbishop and the archdiocese are in a very delicate position. If the program is dropped, the media will spin it to say that the archdiocese is not serious about ‘protecting children.’ But the death knell for TAT will be sounding soon," the priest said.
"Deacon Rizzuto looked at this program through secular eyes as though he was from Mount Olympus; but now things are starting to unravel. A lot of priests are concerned about the program, because of its content, its homosexual connections, its lack of any Catholic content, and parishes that are using the program are changing it to suit their needs."
In some parishes, Fr. Mullen added, pastors are setting times for the program when they know no one will come to the meeting.
"We have to defeat this program here," he said. "We can’t ever let it appear that the archdiocese backs this program. And if we can defeat it here, then Archbishop O’Malley can go to his brother bishops and tell them to drop the program."
Fr. Mullen, who was ordained in 1982, said it was wrong for the archdiocese to mandate the program. He added that no one in the Church has any authority to mandate any kind of sex education because no one in the Church "can contravene natural law, which says that parents are the primary educators of their children and their rights are inviolable."
"You just cannot say that these sex programs are necessary ‘because parents are not doing their job,’ because the fact is that most parents are doing a very good job, and you don’t override the rights of all parents on the suspicion that someone somewhere might not be."
Fr. Mullen also told The Wanderer that his parishioners are solidly behind him.
"We drove the heretics out of here a long time ago," he said.
He described his parish of 800 families as a solid middle-class parish, comprised mostly of white collar professionals and tradesmen, with a large number of big families.
"We have lots and lots of children here," he said. "We do lots and lots of Baptisms, but not many weddings and even fewer funerals.
"The people in this parish want to be Catholic. I’m straightforward, and the people know what they’re getting — and a lot of this is due to the previous pastor, who was a wonderful priest."
Fr. Mullen also described himself as "definitely a John Paul II priest."
"We love the Holy Father. We consider him John Paul II the Great."
Parish Profile
The current issue of St. Brendan’s Parish bulletin provides a good insight into what kind of parish Fr. Mullen runs.
In addition to the usual notices — Mass intentions (several are for the Pope’s health, his 25th anniversary, and for the Pope generally), altar server schedules, raffles, the Fall Fair — the parish also informs parishioners of:
• a pro-life video showing on local cable channel eight by the Texas-based Life Dynamics on the link between abortion and breast cancer.
• a "Do You Know Anyone Who Wants To Be a Catholic?" notice for the weekly Catholic doctrine class. "This class is appropriate for all those adults who want to be baptized, enter the Church, or be confirmed. It is conducted by Fr. Mullen, with the help of others from time to time, in a seminar style. Hence there are plenty of opportunities for questions, answers, and discussion. Our main reference book will be The Catechism of the Catholic Church. All are welcome."
• an adult education class on morality.
• the importance of opposing the "Talking about Touching" program. "I would like to thank all those who wrote to Archbishop O’Malley regarding ‘TAT.’ It is still possible to write if you have not done so. It would also be good to send a copy to [Boston Auxiliary] Bishop [Walter] Edyvean, and if it is not too inconvenient, to forward a copy to me. The parish web site has a copy of my letter to Archbishop O’Malley, as well as David Vise’s. Our web site also has a link included in the ‘TAT’ section that brings you to catholicschoolparents.org, which is a very good and informative site on ‘TAT.’ I thank David Vise for his presentation at most of the Masses last weekend."
• pro-life support: "Massachusetts Citizens for Life will be having their annual dinner on Saturday, October 25 at the Lantana in Randolph. Much camaraderie is celebrated during the dinner and inspiring speakers are heard. St. Brendan’s will have a table at this positive pro-life event. If you would like a seat at the table then please call the parish office. Tickets are $35.00 per person."
The parish bulletin also educates parishioners on the Church’s liturgy, with excerpts from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, citing nn. 1145-1150.
Asked about his ambitious adult education program, Fr. Mullen said, "Look: a Catholic priest is supposed to be a rabbi, a teacher. Priests are supposed to teach."
He said about 150 parishioners have attended his various classes, which have covered the Catechism, various books of the Bible, the fathers of the Church, St. Augustine, and that most of those who attend his classes also attend daily Mass.
Fr. Mullen also credits Pope John Paul II for the zeal of many of his parishioners.
"Those who have paid attention to his writings tend to be very inspired," he said.
I'm a (maybe not for very much longer) Episcopalian, and Christian Education in our parish has always been long on New Age touchy-feely nonsense, and short on real meat and potatoes like Bible study, Doctors of the Church, church history, and lives of the saints.
So I teach my own kids, we've been through the old catechism frontwards and backwards. It was actually very funny when the bishop asked the confirmands a few questions, and my daughter was the only one who knew that the dove on his stole represented the Holy Spirit. (Bless me, what DO they teach them in these schools?)
I am not convinced the this rests with Deacon Rizzuto. Bishop Lennon (apostolic administrator between Law & O'Malley) was aware of this program as is Bishop O'Malley. Unless they live in a vacuum. The buck stops with them.
And I'll believe this when I see it in writing in parish bulletins.
But my husband (who is the practical one in this marriage) advises waiting and seeing what options we have in a faithful Anglican remnant. And he's right (while I'm right on matters of historical fact, he's right so often on common sense and judgment call matters that I've given up disagreeing with him. It just doesn't pay.)
The bishop of Atlanta is apparently very conservative, and there is a Latin rite parish down the road from us. I'm the only one in the family who reads Latin, though, so that may be a tough sell. There is also a big family-oriented suburban parish a little farther away. But we haven't gotten into the Sunday Morning Espionage mode yet.
I just don't understand Bishop O'Malley. What are ya gonna do?
I understand that there's some sort of lay group in Atlanta supporting the establishment of AUR here. You'd think there were enough folks in Atlanta to support at least ONE parish!
As I've mentioned before, if the Vatican and the American bishops aren't jumping on establishing the AUR nationwide like white on rice, they are missing a significant opportunity.
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