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

[Alex Murphy]

Baltimore's new Roman Catholic archbishop removed a priest who was pastor of three South Baltimore parishes for offenses that include officiating at a funeral Mass with an Episcopal priest, which violates canon law.

Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien personally ordered the Rev. Ray Martin, who has led the Catholic Community of South Baltimore for five years, to resign from the three churches and sign a statement yesterday apologizing for "bringing scandal to the church."

Martin led the funeral Mass on Oct. 15 for Locust Point activist Ann Shirley Doda at Our Lady of Good Counsel with several clergy, including the Rev. Annette Chappell, the pastor of the Episcopal Church of the Redemption in Locust Point, Martin said.

Doda's son, Victor, who had invited Chappell to participate in the service, was stunned and outraged by the action taken against Martin.

"I am sickened that they would treat our pastor this way," he said. "It doesn't sound possible that the church would take such a petty thing and ruin a man's career."

Sean Caine, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, said this was one example of repeated administrative and liturgical offenses Martin had committed in more than a year.

"Father Martin's received advice and counsel on numerous occasions from the archdiocese, and he has repeatedly violated church teaching," Caine said. His major offense was not complying with hiring and screening policies, but he also allowed dogs in the sanctuary and did not show up for a baptism, Caine said.

Shirley Doda, who owned the Charles L. Stevens funeral home and was known for fighting to change the path of Interstate 95, was a lifelong Good Counsel parishioner but supported churches in Locust Point, including Redemption.

"I wasn't there for Annette Chappell," Martin said. "I was there for Shirley Doda....

[Ransomed]

I think you are right about those who can read the gospel during the Mass, but Catholics allow members of the Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East, and Polish National Catholic Churches to receive Communion, although it is urged that members of those Churches respect the discipline of their particular faith. To my understanding the Orthodox do not allow their members to take Catholic Communion, and I’m not sure about the other two Churches.

Freegards

[Suzy Quzy]

The Epesp. priest was a WOMAN....

[Suzy Quzy]

The Episcp. priest was a PRIESTESS...THAT should have nixed it.

[DarkSavant]

This is a fairly stiff penalty for letting her read the Gospel

Have a church at my town that has a woman read the gospel AND say the homily during Sunday Evening Mass. Suffice to say I don't go there anymore.

[muawiyah]

I put in a reference to that in my very first version of the post but it made the priest look like a nut case ~ both priests BTW.

That's because so terribly many Episcopals don't really think the guys with the woman priests, or the homosexual bishops, are really Christians ~ actually, the Pope doesn't think they are either.