Posted on 11/14/2005 6:14:17 AM PST by NYer
Some years ago -- at least 10, I think -- two of our diocesan priests told me that they are homosexual. They came in separately and, as far as I know, neither of them was aware of the other’s visit. I do recall that each said his decision to come out to me was prompted, at least in part, by something I had written in “Along the Way.”
In that particular column, I had referred to a priest from another diocese who told me he had finally told his parents that he was gay. He was elated that his parents took that occasion, so sensitive to him, to reaffirm their love and support of him. I wrote that this man -- whom I had known for years -- had never told me before that he was gay. Telling me that he had told his parents was the man’s way of telling me!
In any case, the two priests of our diocese told me that they are homosexual, and I am glad that they did. It seemed a great relief to them that their bishop -- to whom they are so closely bound in priestly identity and ministry -- should be aware of this important aspect of their personal reality. I know that I was deeply gratified that they entrusted me with that information. I had come to know and admire them through years of shared ministry. Their simplicity and honesty with me only deepened my regard for them.
In the years since, a few other priests -- religious and diocesan priests, here and elsewhere -- have chosen to tell me the same thing. In each case, I have admired their honesty and felt enriched by their trust and confidence.
Lately, I have thought a lot about these friends and prayed for them in a particular way. I have also prayed for priests who are gay but who are not ready or feel no need to tell me about their sexual orientation.
I have thought about and prayed for these men because I know that two recent developments have caused them a lot of pain. One is the Vatican-sponsored Seminary Visitation program now in progress. The other is a long-rumored document from the Congregation for Catholic Education about the admission of gay men as candidates for the priesthood.
Allow me to offer observations about some of the themes and concerns the confluence of these related but distinct elements have raised. My intent is not to deal with all of the questions that could be addressed. That would be impossible here. I wish only to encourage all to be patient with the process of the visitation and fair in the reading of the rumored document, if and when it is published.
1) The priests to whom I referred above love Christ, the church, their ministry and the people they serve. They take seriously their priestly obligations including that of celibate chastity. To read reports in the press, however unsubstantiated those reports may be, that homosexuals will be declared unacceptable as candidates for priesthood is a source of great pain for them and for all of us who know and love them.
2) The Instrumentum Laboris or guiding paper from the Seminary Visitation speaks about the role each bishop has vis-à-vis his seminarians: The bishop will ensure that the seminarians form mature and balanced personalities, are capable of establishing and maintaining sound human and pastoral relationships, are knowledgeable in theology and the living tradition of the church, have a solid spiritual life, and are in love with the church.
3) This wide range of goals or challenges for priestly formation applies to any candidate for priesthood, whether homosexual or heterosexual. The fundamental concern of formation for a life of celibate chastity is for sexual maturity, not sexual orientation. Good seminary formation needs to provide an environment in which both heterosexual and homosexual candidates can grow to commit themselves wholeheartedly, even joyfully, to chaste and faithful celibacy.
4) Critically important as it is, we should remember that formation for a life of celibacy is not the only, or even the primary, issue here. The task of seminaries is much wider than that. Their task is to form candidates toward intellectual, emotional, psychosexual, spiritual and pastoral maturity, regardless of the sexual orientation of the candidate.
I hope that these comments will be helpful to:
* homosexual priests who spend themselves each day in faithful, loving ministry to God’s holy people. We deeply value your ministry.
* to gay young men who are considering a vocation to priesthood. We try to treat all inquiries fairly. You will be no exception.
* to all who may have been confused or misled by premature and narrow reporting of the visitation and rumored document. It is always better to deal with fact than with rumor and half-truths.
Peace to all.
Jadot is still proud of some of his most notorious picks, such as Bishop Walter Sullivan of Richmond, Va., Archbishop Rembert Weakiand of Milwaukee, and Roger Cardinal Mahony of Los Angeles - to name but a few, many of whom are known more for their advocacy of homosexual rights, their protection of pederast priests, and their conunitment to modernism than to their commitment to the Church's doctrines.
Other men who became bishops during Jadot's tenure in the United States include Rochester Bishop Matthew Clark; Albany's Howard Hubbard; former Santa Fe Archbishop Roberto Sanchez, who resigned in a sex scandal; former San Jose Bishop Pierre DuMaine; former Honolulu Bishop Joseph Ferrario; San Antonio Archbishop Patrick Flores; former Newark Archbishop Peter Gerety; Joliet, Ill., Bishop Joseph Imesch; Louisille Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly, O.P., a former staffer at the apostolic nuncio under Jadot; Bernard Cardinal Law of Boston (whom Jadot selected as bishop for Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Mo.), Cincinnati Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk; Saginaw, Mich., Bishop Kenneth Untener - to name a few more - all of whom, supposedly, mirrored his own progressive image as a "man of the people."
Still Proud Of Bishops He Gave U.S. - Full Text.
How can this father be so naive???? If the Church lets avowed homosexuals become priests........
I hope it's simply naivete.....
What if they were, by sexual orientation, child molesters? Would he be refreshed by that revelation?
"Business" as usual. "Homosexuals welcome here" (wink, wink).
No mention of the Church's position that the homosexual orientation is fundamentally disordered. No mention of the lop-sided stats showing the vast majority of priestly abuse cases were homosexual encounters. No mention of giving loyal submission to the Church's up-coming document.
Just this; "Their task is to form candidates toward intellectual, emotional, psychosexual, spiritual and pastoral maturity, regardless of the sexual orientation of the candidate."
In other words, homosexuality is not an issue.
I'll bet my next paycheck that this guy is a shirtlifter. A card-carrying member of the lavender mafia. Heck, this letter sounds like he prefers homos as priests. After all that's happened, he's still laying out the welcome mat for the gays. Defiant to the end.
So it sounds like they entrusted him because they knew he was "one of them," and/or he would do nothing about it. This Bishop is truly a wolf in sheep clothing. Calling homosexuality an important aspect of their personal reality is not helping them in any way Bishop. Their personal reality is disordered and will lead to sin. This whole statement by this wolf is a load of crap.
That's unfortunate, but it's the only prudent course of action. "Whoever leads one of these little ones to sin..."
Um, click on the link. The next story is by Richard McBrien.
Clearly this is a Catholic-Lite publication
Read the information at link #2 above!
In 2001, Bishop Clark reckovated several churches in his diocese. Here are pictures from the dedication of one such church, posted by a devout catholic and his trusty camera.
Director Mathew Clark admiring the "Vestal girls" as they prepare the altar of sacrifice. St. Ambrose, recently reconfiguered. Renovated to seduce and inspire joy in the "worship space" of Pastor Michael Schrammel.
Having spread the "gleeful news" up and down the aisles, the "vestal girls" gathered in the center aisle and "joyfully" twirled their way to the baptismal font. where they deposited their incense at the font, which was a "focal point" of this "rededication"
The altar table cloth was then danced down the aisle by two "vestal girls".
The rededicated "many a buck" baptismal font, where the babbling brook of chlorinated water flows. NBC reported cost of $800,000 to move tabernacle, remove relics, round pews, and build "daily Mass chapel" where baptistry was. Somebody said we could have spent that on scholarships for inner city kids to attend Catholic schools. She was told to "lighten up".
Ooooh...and I thought I woke up sick to my tummy....
Jesus Christ, son of the living God, have mercy on us, especially for what happens because of the foolishness of men who should be teaching and leading us better.
"How can this father be so naive????
I hope it's simply naivete"
Unfortunately it appears it is not simple naivete.
Clark is a smooth operator...he has been called on the carpet before (by then Cardinal Ratzinger) - and he knows how to push the envelope without fully stepping over the line.
Fr. Callhan was a priest acting out the true teachings of the Rochester Diocese - until he went so far that even Clark could not keep covering for him.
St. Bernard's seminary regularly churns out folks (many well intentioned in the beginning) who are more "enlightened" than Rome.
Make no mistake about it...Clark thinks he knows better than the pope.
When Benedict 16 was elected, Clark congratulated him and prayed that the office of the papacy would change him (he's a master at the back handed compliment)
This guy only has 5 to 7 yrs. left...hopefully the pope won't allow the agony to go on that long...but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Same for his good friend from seminary, Bishop Hubbard, who has shut down and closed up nearly half the parishes in this diocese.
Memo from Virginia to "bishop" Clark, "father" Clark....whatever:
Zip it you trash-talin' carpetbagger! If you don't like the program, there's the door! We've had too much tragedy and destruction of innocent lives in the Church with that kind of fool-*** thinking already! Tell your sorry shuck and jive to the families of the young men who were molested as boys who either killed themselves or left the Church and shut God out of their lives!
These type of "catholics" wear on my last nerve like a rusty hinge!
Something tells me we have a major league violation of Rule One going on in the Diocese of Rochester.
Really! We should send a care package of hickory switches to Pope Benedict and tell him we can send more if he runs out!
Must be bluntly ask this bishop: Do you subscribe to the teaching of the Church as explicated in the new Catechism? Do you understand that homsexual priests are ublikely to do so, if only to preserve their self image.
I don't recall Bishop Clark being so liberal back when I lived in Rochester. Wha hoppen?
He must know he has a whole raft of gay priests.
"Bishop" Clark is either stark raving mad, or he knows exactly what he's doing.
I hope for his sake it's the former.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.