Funeral prompts firing of priest: S. Baltimore pastor joined by Episcopal priest during Mass

The Baltimore Sun ^ | November 9, 2007 | Liz F. Kay and Kelly Brewington

[muawiyah]

Now this is the sort of thing that scandalizes Protestants and makes them highly suspicious of all Catholics.

Just who came up with the idea of bringing in an Episcopal priest to a funeral?

[Suzy Quzy]

The Bishop did the right thing!! Hey, VICTOR baby...you can’t INVITE someone to do the MASS.

[PeterPrinciple]

My first reaction is the media has an agenda to create division.

[Suzy Quzy]

Why do you say what you said? SUSPICIOUS??

[wideawake]

did not show up for a baptism

That's crazy.

That is the absolute bare minimum of his job.

[marshmallow]

A historical note:

Bishop Edwin O'Brien, current bishop of Baltimore, was previously Catholic Archbishop of the US Armed Forces and prior to that was a military chaplain and served in Vietnam.

I'm guessing he doesn't particularly appreciate those who flout orders or thumb their nose at authority, be it military or ecclesiastical.

[Suzy Quzy]

WHAT?????

[Suzy Quzy]

He allowed DOGS in the Sancuary and we don’t know what the circumstances...and just MAYBE the parents didn’t WANT him at their child’s Baptism. This priest is a LIBERAL NUTCASE!

[wideawake]

If a priest can be expected to do anything at all, it would be to show up in order to baptize a new member of his flock.

The most basic responsibilities of a priest are to provide the faithful with the sacraments.

Abandoning a baptizand shows that this priest could even get his most basic responsibilities right.

[wideawake]

I’m not sure how you misread my post, but it’s clear you’ve severely misread it.

[Faraday]

From the Sun article:

Martin, who has not been defrocked, said he has been barred from celebrating Mass publicly. He will go on an extended retreat and counseling at a monastery in Latrobe, Pa., he said.

Though he gave a statement demonstrating he doesn't understand why his actions gave scandal, he signed the letter and is being obedient to his bishop. Good for Father Martin. Hopefully, reflection will bring enlightenment as to the difference between ecumenism and liturgical profanation. And good for Bishop O'Brien. He has hit the ground running. Maybe the archdiocese of Baltimore can become a beacon of truth for the confused American Church.

[Suzy Quzy]

I am NOT sticking up for this priest...he sounds horrible. Sorry for any confusion.

[frtom]

It would be nice to hear the whole story. As an Orthodox priest I have attended many Catholic funerals as a guest “sitting” at the altar. Once sitting next to the Catholic Bishop. While this priest may have done wrong in the past, I didn’t read if the Episcopal ‘priest’ did anything during the Mass or just sat there as I have done.

(FYI: I was there as I was friends of the families and was at the altar as a ‘guest’ of the Catholic clergy.)

[Alex Murphy]

I didn’t read if the Episcopal ‘priest’ did anything during the Mass or just sat there as I have done.

It's a bit later in the article, down below the excerpt. Here's the relevant passage:

[Rev. Annette Chappell, the pastor of the Episcopal Church of the Redemption in Locust Point] did not participate in the consecration of the Eucharist but read the Gospel at the service, Martin said. Someone at the service reported to the archdiocese that Martin gestured to Chappell to take Communion, though Martin said he did not recall doing so.

Only ordained priests and deacons may read the Gospel at Mass, and non-Catholics may not receive Communion.

[wideawake]

There is also the distinction that Orthodox priests are validly ordained in the apostolic succession and male, unlike the priestess in this tale.

[Campion]

I thought the article meant that she attempted to concelebrate (assist at the consecration of the Eucharist).

This is a fairly stiff penalty for letting her read the Gospel, IMO, but that was obviously only the latest in a series of issues.

Good to see a bishop with backbone. It will be interesting to see what he does with, e.g., Barbara Mikulski.

[Antoninus]

Good work by the new Archbishop. Having a phony priestess on the altar is scandalous. I’m guessing she also participated in the consecration, etc. Were I a member of that parish, I would have complained to the bishop, too.

[Antoninus]

I thought the article meant that she attempted to concelebrate (assist at the consecration of the Eucharist). This is a fairly stiff penalty for letting her read the Gospel, IMO, but that was obviously only the latest in a series of issues.

That's what I thought too. Regardless, I'm glad the archbishop is taking a hard line. We've been WAY too soft on allowing this stuff to creep into our parishes.

[muawiyah]

Best you grok the entire statement first before focusing on single words. That way you will come to a realization that there's an overabundance of irony in this one.

Gee whiz, is this a busy day for religious funny stuff. Now we have a snakehandler family whose mother died when the rattler bit her on the cheek at church suing the hospital for letting her die.

A Catholic priest letting an Episcopal priest do a portion of a Mass is equally strange don't you think?

Just what is this world coming to? Certainly the hard-core should be expected to adhere to their own standards.