Gay priests of Diocese A-J in revolt; demand Bishop conceal molesters, sue Catholic activists

Written press release mailed to diocesan bishop, priests, media outlets of Diocese of Altoona-Johnst | 5/15/03 | Priests Federation of Altoona-Johnstown

[Polycarp]

[bold emphasis in original document]

Priests Federation of Altoona-Johnstown

Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Dear Sisters and Brothers in the Lord:

Whereas the rights and dignity of priests in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown are threatened by forces both external to the community of believers and internally by our bishop and his staff.

Whereas, in response to this threat, the Priests Federation of Altoona-Johnstown was secretly formed by 26 clrgy of this Diocese to demand the rights and dignity of all priests be respected and protected by our bishop.

Therefore, we, the Priests Federation of Altoona-Johnstown, joined with our fellow clergy, ask the following from our bishop:

Whereas our bishop insists on publicly defending lawsuits against this diocese and thus increasing the threat that more names of our priests be exposed in the media, we demand that our bishop cease and desist his public defense of any and all lawsuits concerning alleged priestly misconduct and instead settle these cases out of court so as to protect the reputation and well being of those priests so named and others that may be revealed in the course of any trial.

Whereas our bishop threatens and harasses homosexual priests into fearing for their office, we demand that our bishop cease and desist any and all harassment of homosexual clergy and instead work to protect the reputation and well being of clergy of all sexual orientations.

Whereas our bishop placates those who attack our diocese and its priests, we demand that our bishop turn the attention of his legal representation towards stopping the hateful and homophobic actions of George Foster, Brian Barcaro, Dr. Brian Kopp [FReeper "Polycarp"], et. al., who are set upon destroying the reputations of homosexuals priests and this diocese.

Whereas our bishop ignores the actions of certain priests who consistently act against the unity of this diocese, we demand our bishop suspend Fr. James Foster and Fr. John Nesbella immediately, for repeated and constant acts which threaten the unity of our community of faith.

Whereas our bishop removed Dr. David Brown [of "GoodBye, Good Men" book fame] from his position as intake psychologist and from candidacy for the permanent diaconate program due to the incessant demands of several Talibanic conservative clergy and laity, we demand our bishop reinstate Dr. Brown both to his position as intake psychologist and to the permanent dioconate program.

Whereas our bishop has ordained several men to the priesthood over the last several year who are unfit to serve the modern, post-concilular (sic) church, we demand our bishop conduct a complete review and overhaul of the priestly recruitment program:

I. Review the psychological reports of the men ordained since 1995 and order to counseling all those who are deemed to have serious mental deficiencies or proven inability to serve in the church of Vatican II.

II. Cease and desist sending seminarians to the present rigid seminaries used by our diocese and begin to use more pastoral seminaries for formation.

III. Deny orders to the present candidate for ordination to the priesthood because of a very negative psychological report and his inability to serve the present day church.

IV. Examine all present and future seminarians in greater psychological depth to determine their fitness and desire to serve the modern church.

We believe that it is better to have fewer clergy and more lay involvement than to have many rigid and juridical priests who drive women and men away from the community of believers.

Whereas the present staff our (sic) diocesan finance office (Larry Sutton, et. al.) shows no respect for our clergy and little if any knowledge of the day to day life of our clergy and our parishes, we demand that our bishop retrain or replace the staff of the finance office so as to respect the dignity of our clergy and their office.

Whereas our chancery shows little care or concern for our retired priests at Dimitri Manor or elsewhere, we demand that our bishop review and overhaul the priests retirement program so as to provide them with the comfortable retirement due to them after many years of thankless service:

I. Immediately increase the present monthly retirement benefit payment to $1,500.00.

II. Fully fund all future retirement needs 20 years into the future in a pension trust fund so as to guarantee monthly payments regardless of the future financial state of the diocese.

III. Separate all retirement monies from diocesan funds so as to protect them from being taken in lawsuits.

IV. Immediately form a committee to examine the deplorable living conditions at the Dimitri Manor priests retirement home.

Whereas the compensation of our priests under the present formula is inherently unjust as priests whose workload is heavy due to parish size are paid the same as priests in small parishes, we demand that our bishop install a new payscale to reflect a more appropriate and just salary based on workload and parish size.

We believe this list of demands is the same list Jesus himself would ask for if he were a priest of this diocese.

If our requests are not met, we ask our fellow clergy to prayerfully consider ways of peaceful protest. Ech should follow his or her conscience in discerning ways to show civil disobedience to our hierarchy until our voice of change is heard.

Sincerely in Christ,

Priests Federation of Altoona-Johnstown

N.B.: The PFAJ is a group of priests of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown united in a pursuit of justice and sworn to complete secrecy to avert the very real threat of retaliation by our diocesan bishop.

CC:
Brother Priests & Deacons
Concerned Laity
National Catholic Reporter
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat
Altoona Mirror
Centre Daily Times
WTAJ TV
WJAC TV
WWCP TV
WRTA Radio
WNTJ Radio
WRSC Radio

[Polycarp]

You know it's starting to hurt when they're ripping you by name and mentioning your FReeper handle. No doubt, these sodomite priests are monitoring everything you write here at FR.

Just a clarification:

I added the comments in brackets, [ ], they were not in the original.

Yes, there definitely are a few priests/nuns/deacons of my diocese, both on the left and on the right, that track my posts here, but no, they did not mention me by my FReeper handle.

Sorry for causing that confusion.

[TradicalRC]

Homophobia is a bogus word born out of homosexual political activism. The fact that a so-called conservative tries to use it legitimately, shows how successful the radical left is at framing the terms of the dedate.

The term homophobe implies a mental illness, a phobia, when no such term was ever coined by the psychological community. It is a term used to stigmatize any Christian who is rightly appalled at a society that seems hell-bent on making homosexuality acceptable. I have children to raise. That requires a culture that places more value on a Christian ethos than on hedonistic self-indulgence.

[headsonpikes]

Black Elk speaks many fine words. ;^)

[Polycarp]

may we assume that Fr. James Foster and Fr. John Nesbella ought to be on the list of those to be consecrated bishops in the ongoing effort to cleanse the AmChurch dioceses?

YES!!! They are both orthodox, faithful, outspoken priests who still have a fire in the belly for Christ, His Church, and its moral theology teachings, esp re abortion, contraception, and homosexuality.

[TradicalRC]

Your etymology is a bit off. The homo in homosexuality is a reference to sameness, think homogenized. The term homophobia is merely leftist agitprop nonsense that apparently some so-called conservatives feel compeled to use.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

To which your friendly neighborhood sodomist would reply:

Shut up, you homophobe. :-/ </s a r c a s m>

[GigaDittos]

Is this the group from the other article that were exhorted to use Christ as a model. I think they misunderstood and are fantasizing about Christ as a "model". They probably get excited reading the verses discribing the clothes found laying in Christ's Tomb.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Texas: You didn't offend me. I had to go back and re-read your comments, and I found them blistering and heartfelt. Normally I AM offended by gross language, but in this case it was justified.

Poly: Keep up the good work.The good priests need the support of the faithful, and they especially need the cloud of suspicion lifted from their shoulders. It breaks my heart to watch them trying to keep things together when they are short handed and on tight budgets. The added burden of trying to explain to the faithful why their Arch Bishop (ex Arch Bishop, that is) squandered half a million $$$ of church funds trying to buy off a black-mailer is more than they should have to bear.

[COBOL2Java]

Congratulations on scratching at the beast and getting its attention! As you said in another post, it's a badge of honor to be singled out by these types. You and your diocese are in my prayers.

[Polycarp]

Congratulations on scratching at the beast and getting its attention!

Yeah, now that I have its attention, how do we slay it? ;-)

This disorder is a mystery because, under a false appearance of good, it hides irremediable and infinite evil. Every wicked man, who, from the time of Cain, up to the present moment, has declared war against God, has outwardly been great and powerful, making a great stir in the world, and being worshiped by all. But this outward semblance is a mystery. In reality they are beasts which have ascended from the pit one after another to overthrow the order of God. But this order, which is another mystery, has always opposed to them really great and powerful men who have dealt these monsters a mortal wound. As fast as hell vomits them forth, Heaven at the same time creates fresh heroes to combat them. Ancient history, sacred and profane, is but a record of this war. The order of God has ever remained victorious and those who have ranged themselves on the side of God have shared His triumph, and are happy for all eternity. Injustice has never been able to protect deserters. It can reward them only by death, an eternal death.

Those who practise iniquity imagine themselves invincible. O God! who can resist You? If a single soul has the whole world and all hell against it, it need have no fear if, by abandonment, it takes its stand on the side of God and His order.

The monstrous spectacle of wickedness armed with so much power, the head of gold, the body of silver, brass, and iron, is nothing more than the image of clay; a small stone cast at it will scatter it to the four winds of Heaven.

How wonderfully has the Holy Spirit illustrated the centuries of the world! So many startling revelations! so many renowned heroes following each other like so many brilliant stars! So many wonderful events!

All this is like the dream of Nabuchodonosor, forgotten on awaking, however terrible the impression it made at the time.

All these monsters only come into the world to exercise the courage of the children of God, and if these are well trained, God gives them the pleasure of slaying the monsters, and sends fresh athletes into the arena.

And this life is a spectacle to angels, causing continual joy in Heaven, work for saints on earth, and confusion to the devils in hell.

So all that is opposed to the order of God renders it only the more to be adored. All workers of iniquity are slaves of justice, and the divine action builds the heavenly Jerusalem on the ruins of Babylon.

--From "Abandonment TO Divine Providence" by BY THE REV. J. P. DE CAUSSADE, S.J. Section XII. The Triumph of Humility.

[ninenot]

Proud to know you. You and your colleagues have dealt a mighty blow and the dam is beginning to burst. Prayers and kudos.

[ninenot]

PFAJ:

Priest Fags and Jackasses

[Polycarp]

All these monsters only come into the world to exercise the courage of the children of God, and if these are well trained, God gives them the pleasure of slaying the monsters, and sends fresh athletes into the arena.

And this life is a spectacle to angels, causing continual joy in Heaven, work for saints on earth, and confusion to the devils in hell.

So all that is opposed to the order of God renders it only the more to be adored. All workers of iniquity are slaves of justice, and the divine action builds the heavenly Jerusalem on the ruins of Babylon.

--From "Abandonment TO Divine Providence" by BY THE REV. J. P. DE CAUSSADE, S.J. Section XII. The Triumph of Humility.

[Polycarp]

Thanks ninenot.

[maryz]

Whereas our bishop removed Dr. David Brown [of "GoodBye, Good Men" book fame] from his position as intake psychologist

Don't recall the details, but believe he was an "intake psychologist" for a seminary who rejected straight, orthodox applicants or recommended extensive counseling for them (for being straight and orthodox).

[ninenot]

If you're not a Catholic, it's hard to understand--but in essence, the Church is NOT "beyond repair."

Some of its MEMBERS (priests, Bishops, Cardinals, and lotsa laypeople) are "in serious NEED of repair."

That's the great thing about the Sacraments. You can get spiritually repaired through Confession.

But that's the very short answer.

Condensed: Church: indefectible. Members: sinners.

[ninenot]

For what it's worth: I have found that if the priest actually says the Mass AS WRITTEN with no extra foofoodust, gestures, editorials, etc.: you're OK.

If they can't do the above, move on.

This method is 90+% accurate.

[RaceBannon]

Would Sodomite be more appealing to the masses? :)

Regards...

[ninenot]

Au Contraire, Good Doctor.

If you bring a small weapon to a gunfight, take Jeff Cooper's advice and SHOOT FIRST!!!

Generally, even a .22LR from a half-decent handgun will make a large impression on your opponent--disorientation follows, and the fight is over.

I'll stick with my mucho quick H&K 9mm, 147g's of JHP.

[ThomasMore]

You gotta be kiddin' me?

Do these effeminates want a little "french cheese" with their "french WHINE"?

Tell these nasties to come to southern RI, Doc. We'll give'em a lesson in orthodoxy they'll never forget. (They're runnin' scared)