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

[VOA]

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.

I guess these fellers don't subscribe to the openess of that radical concept of
"ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make ye free".

Recently the Los Angeles Times carried a news report from some meeting of
priests...I think it was headed up by some priest named Silva from Fresno, CA.

There was a LOT of talk of not handing accussed pervert priest over to the
civil authorities and keeping them "in house" so they could be "cured" of their
pedophilia/ephebophilia with lots of counseling.

Too bad a lot of prominent priests haven't said to their errant brothers:
"Fix your problem...or we'll make sure your fellow inmates in prison will fix you...
forever."

[judicial meanz]

Good job Polycarp. My hat is off to you!

If you need legal defense funds or any help otherwise, feel free to ask me.

Looks like the old tried and true liberal lawsuit plague is about to be instituted in order to maintain status quo amng the gay priests.

[RaceBannon]

That is one of the best reasons for Catholics to get their pitchforks and torches and burn down your churches I ever heard.

There is absolutely no excuse for that kind of demand from anyone who 'claims' to represent a Biblical faith.

None.

[sinkspur]

What a mess! If you've got priests turning against each other, you've got a major problem. Now, they want different pay scales depending on "work load"?

I've never heard of anything like this.

[VOA]

Is this letter from the Onion?

Probably not.
It sounds like the true, innermost feeling of some priests.
They are either the ones loath to give up living in the candy shop (where they
have access to a multi-generational stream of sexual victims) or those who are
sympathetic to these libertine priests.

All that noise from that conference in Dallas a year or so ago about cleaning up
the mess...
Most priest probably support that...but there is a generation of priest with
too many bad apples that won't support a real house cleaning.

[RaceBannon]

Amen. I was attending an IFCA type church for 10 years, then left because of what I still call a valid reason, but went through 4 years of Baptist Churches, and I was shocked to see what were supposed to be Funndamentalist type churches that were nothing more than recreation centers and softball teams and if you dont send your kid to Bob Jones you must be apostate leadership.

I felt I had no place to turn, backslid for a year and a half, then went back to the last Baptist church, they promised me it was all fixed, and realized too soon how it will never be.

I am back at the IFCA type church, and am grateful for the teaching and the genuine Christian fellowship based onthe Bible, not a team or group or club or whatever...

[SoothingDave]

I've never heard of anything like this.

No? After all, it's what Jesus would want. ;-)

SD

[netmilsmom]

like the "Honolulu Five"?

---

I must be living under a Catholic rock. Who are they?

[joesnuffy]

Saddam wasnt destroyed for eatin peanuts.........

But to practice sodomy on youngsters while pretending to speak for Jesus
probably really really makes the Lord angry

Ps 111:10 (NEB) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and they who live by it grow in understanding...

Prov 9:10 (NEB) The first step to wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.


Jer 5:22 (NIV) "Should you not fear me?" declares the Lord. "Should you not tremble in my presence?"



2 Cor 10:4-5 (TEB) The weapons we use in our fight... destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments; we pull down every proud
obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ. [Isa 11:2-3]

2 Tim 3:16-17 (TEB) All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving
instructions for right living, so that the man who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good work.

2 Cor 5:11 (NIV) Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men...

Ps 34:11 (NEB) Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

Ps 89:7 (NIV) In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared.
Ps 76:4,7 (NIV) You [O God] are resplendent with light... You alone are to be feared.
Isa 8:12-13 (NIV) ...Do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is
the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread.

Mat 10:28 (NIV) [Jesus] "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can
destroy both soul and body in hell."

Luke 12:4-5 (Jer) "To you my friends I say: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. I will tell you
whom to fear; fear him who, after he has killed, has the power to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him."



John 15:2 (TEB) "He breaks off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it
will be clean and bear more fruit."

2 Cor 7:1 (Jer) With promises like these made to us, dear brothers, let us wash off all that can soil either body or spirit, to reach
perfection of holiness in the fear of God.

Prov 8:13 (NIV) To fear the Lord is to hate evil.

Prov 16:6 (NEB) ...the fear of the Lord makes men turn from evil.

Job 28:28 (NEB) ..."The fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to turn from evil is understanding."



Ps 25:12-14 (NEB) If there is any man who fears the Lord, he shall be shown the path that he should choose; he shall enjoy lasting
prosperity, and his children after him shall inherit the land. The Lord confides his purposes to those who fear him, and his covenant
is theirs to know.

Prov 14:26-27 (NIV) He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a
fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

Ps 34:9 (NEB) Fear the Lord, all you his holy people; for those who fear him lack nothing.

Prov 19:23 (NEB) The fear of the Lord is life; he who is full of it will rest untouched by evil.

[SoothingDave]

I must be living under a Catholic rock.

Subscribe to the Wanderer.

Who are they?

Same kind of situation, about 10 years ago. The bishop was mad at his critics and had them excommunicated. The Vatican overturned it and the bishop and his cronies are embroiled in scandal.

Roughly.

SD

[sitetest]

Dear Polycarp,

I suppose that this is not a (very bad) joke. I kept looking for "The Onion" somewhere.

It would be impossible to satirize or parody these folks.


sitetest

[netmilsmom]

But to practice sodomy on youngsters while pretending to speak for Jesus
probably really really makes the Lord angry

---

I love your "probably"!
And that you back that probability with facts. Some of these people should be smacked with the Lord's words.

[Jeff Head]

Brian, you have 'em running from the light of truth and the light of day. Keep it up. I was particularly interested in this unbelievable comment ...

"who are set upon destroying the reputations of homosexuals priests "

Brazen aren;t they ... but, sorry, they have already destroyed their reputations completely themselves. The very notion is an abomination and a wresting of truth and the gospel.

[netmilsmom]

Could someone please tell me how these men can put Homosexual and priest together without being excommunicated? How is it that committing a sexual sin is just all ok? Am I missing something?

[netmilsmom]

ping

[Polycarp]

They have a secret group but have CC'd all these news outlets? Or did you do that?

They sent it out anonymously to the diocese and media outlets. George Foster, one of the other laymen mentioned above that these idiots are asking the diocese to sue, first heard about this letter when a reporter from the Altoona Mirror newspaper called him for a comment. I got my copy by fax this AM from the second priest named above who they are demanding the bishop suspend.

[Jeff Head]

Well I am not Catholic, so I cannot say. But many good friends of mine who are indicate that this aboration and abomination has been growing here in America within the church for a long time at the various schools.

Hopefully, the current set of circumstances, which I view as an inevitable result of the former, will allow the American church to seriously clean up the priesthood. Even though I am not a member of the church, yet I pray it is so. We are all benefited by strong adherance to Christian principle and Christ's and His apostle's teachings, wherever it occurs.

Similarly, we are all impacted for the worse when things like this happen.

[rick111]

For those who don't know this issue has never been about child abuse.Child abuse is the emotional trigger to get people to listen and then to extort money from the catholic church.Since 1989 the ACLU in conjunction with NOW and PLANNED PARENTHOOD have been in court trying to strip the Catholic church of its tax exempt status because of their stand on abortion.The proof is in the pudding.This was a huge media issue until these liberals got what they wanted.Lawsuit after lawsuit against the church.The ACLU and company could not break the church by itself so they enlisted a little help from the sheeple.Notice once the lawsuits were started the media moved on and the issue quickly fell from view.
So,everything is not always as it seems.

[AmericaUnited]

I know it's not. I was making fun of how absurd it is for the molestors to be crying as the "victims".

[headsonpikes]

"We believe this list of demands is the same list Jesus himself would ask for..."

And this isn't from the Onion....

Frankly, the public release of their own manifesto should do them in.

What b*stards!