Posted on 09/27/2008 9:12:12 PM PDT by Publius804
Man Sues Marital Counselor Priest For Stealing Wife
September 27, 2008 11:29 a.m. EST
Amy Beeman - AHN
Joliet, IL (AHN) -- An Illinois man is suing a priest for stealing his wife.
Stephen Crane is suing on the grounds that he and his wife, Maureen, went to see the priest, Christopher Floss, at their church for marital counseling.
According to reports, after many one-on-one sessions between the priest and Maureen in 2006, the Cranes broke up in January 2007, Floss left the priesthood, and Mrs. Crane moved in with the former priest in February.
Crane is suing Floss and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet for professional negligence, infliction of emotional distress and alienation of affection. The church is charged with negligent supervision and retention of the priest.
Reports say that Crane claims he has lost wages because of only being able to work part-time now that he has the sole responsibility of taking care of the couple's children, and has had to spend money on therapy for the broken family.
Sounds like the plot of a typical BBC sitcom.
I’m thinking he should be shot, but then he’s already excommunicated himself effectively.
Floss is an absolute disgrace who should be publicly humiliated along with this mans wife. People like this should be held up to community scorn. She should lose visitation with her kids immediately until she straightens her head out.
He seemed the perfect priest. Young, energetic and orthodox, Fr. Chris was fresh from Rome—one of those on-fire, John-Paul-II-inspired young seminary students. And now, Visitation Parish, who just lost a saintly pastor in Fr. Michael Lane to reassignment, was blessed to have a newly ordained priest who shared his vision. And then came the news . . .
"This past week," began the official statement that was both read from the pulpit and written in the bulletin, "Bishop Sartain granted Fr. Chris Floss a leave from parish ministry . . . Respecting Fr. Chris' privacy but to provide some perspective, I can share that over the past several months, Fr. Chris has become increasingly aware of some important personal and vocational issues he needs to address . . . To do this effectively, he will be entering a several month program of pastoral counseling and spiritual direction. . . ."
"Why does the devil always go after the really holy priests and lay people?" asked Fr. Kelleher, a veteran priest with a healing ministry and a Brooklyn accent, repeating a question he had often been asked himself. "Why doesn't Satan go after the drug dealers and prostitutes on 42nd Street? The answer is that he doesn't have to. He already HAS them!"
Indeed since the issues with which Father Chris is struggling with would remain "private" (except for the assurance "that this is not a case of clergy sexual abuse"), the only thing we know for sure that Fr. Chris is struggling with is the devil. In Elmhurst's other two Catholic parishes reigns a pastor who prefers group absolution and people standing at the consecration (yes, they have kneelers!) and a woman (yes although a priest is allowed in to say Mass there on Sundays, a woman runs the parish) who on Saturdays leads a communion service that is either scary or Episcopalian depending on your opinion. Thus, Visitation, with its 24/7 Eucharistic Adoration and orthodox teachings was the O'Tooles' last refuge. But now even this is threatened, as Fr. Floss, whose diminutive stature but passionate Masses (and compassionate penances) reminded me of a young John of the Cross, wrestles with demons we can only imagine. Certainly we miss Fr. Chris, but that is not the point. The fact is, we need him back in battle if we are to win this apocalyptic fight for the town's soul.
He seemed the perfect priest. But now that we know that even Fr. Chris is human, we must appeal more than ever to He who Is; God the Father, Son and Spirit, as well as to the intercession of His mother, whose perfect obedience magnifies all prayer. Although Fr. Chris may be temporarily missing in action, pray that Fr. Floss is not lost for good—that although the fire burns all around him, he, like the prophet Daniel, is not consumed by it.
Chris (I won’t address this tool as father) abused the trust and authority placed in his hands, he’s a disgrace and a predator. As a Catholic this makes me VERY VERY angry.
Well, I guess we now know why there are so many Episcopalians. ;O)
If you ever think there are not demons in this world, you only need look at the young vocation of Fr Floss. My husband and I would go out of our way (there is a closer parish) to attend his daily Masses. He was an extraordinary priest. There was something so spiritual about him, that there were few who didn’t see it. The woman he is now with (we were told by the parish pastor that Floss is married, however the articles written regarding the lawsuit do not mention that) attended daily Mass as well. She would oftentimes be with one of her children too. While this story still somewhat baffles me, it is proof positive that the devil attacks the very strongest spiritually. While it might make some angry at the (former) priest and woman involved, I am mostly angry with Satan, and have a new awareness, through this very, very sad story, of just how powerful He is.
You really think that as they “grow up” they are going to be less human then the older priests so easily condemned in these posts?
There are deeper problems that must be addressed and until the laity face reality they will continue.
You use one bad apple to dismiss them all? Ever heard of the fallacy of false generalization?
The plural of "anecdote" is not "data," and you can bet the singular of "anecdote" is not "data," either.
With all due respect I’m angry at the parties involved who used their FREE WILL to break up a family and disgrace a parish. Chris Floss is a predator and a disgrace to the Church - period. He should be held accountabler under both cival and if possible criminal law.
Maybe there’s something to that scripture in first corinthians that if you are feeling passion find a wife.
It should generate offense and anger. I never argued that only priests commit sins, however this behavior should not be tolerated - especially when a predator with a pulpit commits the offense.
Interesting observation - and from St. Paul too.
Does it have application today?
I always find it funny when Catholics simultaneously claim that a) their priest-abuse problems are the result of Satan targeting their church for being the correct one, b) Protestants have more abuse problems in their churches than Catholics do, and c) press coverage of abuse cases is unfairly skewed against the Catholic church, when in fact the public school system has an even worse record for abuse problems than Catholic or Protestant churches.
So is it fair to say that public school teachers are the holiest of them all?
For starters they refer to Fr Floss as a “ former” priest. He is still a priest - just refer to the old Baltimore Catechism wherein it is quite clear “once a priest -always a priest”
Such rigid thinking, so sure that they are right, hinders dialog and sincere attempts to face problems. Remember that while the Church is a divine institution, it is a very human organization. We humans must be more willing to talk and a little slower to condemn.
Just look at Bud McFarland, it is true that we need to be ever vigilant.
Yes, Bud, another troubling case. And the words “ever vigilant,” are very good.:)
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.