Posted on 05/15/2003 2:02:36 PM PDT by 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
Everybody else is offering their criticisms of the Catholic Church regarding the pedophile priest controversy. Why can't I?
IMHO you are much too sensitive about this issue.
The idea that the Catholic Church should be immune to any criticism when it comes to how they deal with priests who molest children..is really a bit too much to ask.
But I don't blame you...I wouldn't want to be stuck with defending the Catholic Church on this issue either.
Our bishop has told several individuals that this letter was indeed written by priests, but only 6 of them. He named 2 of them at one point, and they are exactly the suspects we thought were responsible.
So it is a real letter written by priests pushing the homosexual agenda, according to private conversations with Bishop Adamec.
What does your claim that everybody outside the Church should shut-up.... while child molesting homosexual priest are shuffled around and protected..have to do with any "moral guideline"?
Are you kidding?
You post your opinions on a PUBLIC MESSAGE BOARD and then tell those who challenge you to mind their own business.
This is too funny for words.
My opinion as a Catholic is what it is including the precious right to be rude as hell to the lavender set which is a lot nicer fate than that which awaits after an unrepentant death. You believe that Catholics (who are none of your non-Catholic business) ought to be kissing rather than kicking lavender backsides. Go tell it to your pastor if you have one.
The article, however, deals with a subject within the jurisdiction of Roman Catholics and NO ONE else, which evidently means you, Bub. You are not, whatever it may please your vanity to think, in a position to instruct Catholics as to the internal governance of their own Church just because you could afford a Bible to misinterpret any more than Catholics should be sticking their noses into the Assembly of God over Jimmy Swaggert or James Bakker. That would be none of OUR business. We have manners and you ought to work at getting some.
Buttinsky is not a term of flattery much less of endearment.
Buh-bye!
What on earth are you talking about?
I'm the one criticizing the Catholic Church for PROTECTING these homosexaul priests who were molesting kids..rather then KICKING them OUT.
You should try actually reading posts before you respond to them. You're posts are becoming increasingly incoherant.
You want to schmooze and make nice to Fr. Fudgepacker? Feel free but don't expect Catholics to do so. AND don't expect Catholics to accept rebukes from you at all, much less for accurately calling faggots what they are: faggots. You also use the homosexual codeword "homophobia" which is almost always inappropriate. No real men FEAR homosexuals and few use the favorite codeword of the homosexualist propaganda set: homophobia.
In any event, if lavenders show up among your clergy, if you have a clergy, then we will mind our own business and leave that problemn to you. Meanwhile, mind YOUR own business.
I have read your posts. I am responding to them. If you don't think so, remedial reading classes are in order. If you can't understand what I post, that's your problem and not mine. I have a Jesuit prep school education (so long ago that they were still Catholic) that I will bet was superior to your secondary education given your admitted reading difficulty and it was a prelude to a college degree and a law degree. If you don't find me coherent, ask me if I care! I don't care. You are insisting on calling repeated attention to yourself.
Conservatives have a right to be rude and ought to exercise it a lot more regularly whenever they have any business being in the conversation. If it is your ambition to be a "tame" and not hurt lavender "feelings" by calling them what they are (faggots) when it is your business, fine.
So do you also claim to speak for the Catholic Church and their accepted terminology for homosexual as "faggot"?
You are truly becoming an embarrassment to the Church you claim to defend.
You want to schmooze and make nice to Fr. Fudgepacker? Feel free but don't expect Catholics to do so.
Uh...I am the one who objected to YOUR Church moving around and covering up the activities of YOUR pedophile priests..and you are the one who got all offended..whining about how I should mind my own business.
Now..because you got caught defending the indefensible...you are trying to rehabilitate your tarnished image by pretending you were debating against someone defending homosexual priests.
Your incoherant disconnected responses are becoming more laughable by the minute.
ROFL! What pious bag of wind!
You are too funny.
I have already shown where your responses had absolutely NOTHING to do with anything I've posted...but rather with your desperate attempts to assign me those positions you feel the most comfortable attacking.
You sit here and brag about your "superior education"....
I wonder why it has left you so unable to articulate a consistent position in this debate?
Conservatives should be MORE "rude"?
And should resort to base rhetoric like calling people "faggots"?
It is unbelievable that you presented yourself as some sort of spokes-person for the Catholic Church.
The sort of inflamatory nonsense you post does more to help the homosexual agenda than anything else.
I believe homosexuality is a sin just like adultery and other sexual immorality.
But I would prefer almost anybody as a neighbor over some kook who thinks that being conservative means the right to be a rude SOB who shrieks "faggot" at homosexuals.
You should spend your time at tea parties, gently nibbling watercress sandwiches, pinky riased above your teacup. We'll handle the heavy lifting.
AND what we do in OUR Roman Catholic Church is OUR business and none of yours. If you think so much of cuddling the feelings of the faggots, take them into your own church if you have one or form the Church of Folks who want to be niiiiiiice to lavender queens (the Metropolitan Community Church????).
You can keep posting in response but you will NEVER get me to care in the slightest about your opinion based on your posts to this point.
You also don't answer questions very well, but, of course, you admit you have a problem with written English.
Jorge, MYOB!
The Roman Catholic Church is the church of ROMAN CATHOLICS and not your Church, your impertinence. It is the business of ROMAN CATHOLICS and NONE of your business, Jorge. You are invited to substantiate your stupid claim that I am defending the indefensible.
You are invited to substantiate that I have "tarnished" my image.
You are defending the poor lavenders from the flamethrowers of those who are called upon to pay for their misdeeds, the Catholics in the pews, Jorge, which does NOT include you. When you start paying the bills, it will start being your business. Until then, you are an outside buttinsky whose opinions are utterly irrelevevant. We have a First Amendment that confirms that Church governance whether Catholic or yours (if any) is the business of the churches themselves and not of government. If you, in your capacity as citizen, Catholic or not, have evidence as to crimes or have been victimized by one or have a civil suit, have a party in government courts, whacking the offending Fr. Fudgepacker. Coincidentally, that will assist our internal efforts to purge the faggots and their protectors from the ranks of our clergy and hierarchy. Other than that, Jorge, it is none of your business. You don't pay the bills. We do.
YOU cannot begin to be as angry as Catholics are at lavender queens in Roman collars so don't pretend that your purposes are to help the Church to which you do not belong and which you likely despise. You can tell the quality of an institution by the enemies it keeps. This is one Catholic who is proud to have you as an enemy of the Church. You cannot begin to imagine just how angry Catholics really are at the lavenders and their schmoozers (Ohhhh, pooooor Fr. Lance, those mean Catholics called him names!!!!! What beasts!).
BTW, I speak as a Catholic and have no position to speak for the Church. You can bet your bottom dollar, however, that my opinions are not rare in the Catholic pews. Also, BTW, we Catholics will decide whether we are embarassed and by what we are embarassed without any incompetent help from the likes of you, thank you very much!
Don't quit your day job for a career in literary criticism or logic either. In either case, you would be overmatched.
Are you trying to make me laugh on purpose or what?
You don't know what "heavy lifting" is.
You're the one defending the Church protecting and moving around homosexual pedophile priests....I'm the one who says they should be kicked out out the Church.
AND what we do in OUR Roman Catholic Church is OUR business and none of yours.
You are obviously very sensitive to criticism of the Catholic Church on this subject...and I don't blame you.
I wouldn't want to be stuck with defending Bishops protecting and hiding their pedophile priests for years either.
But guess what? These sorts of crimes are not just YOUR business...they are the business of ALL of us.
I'm sorry if this bothers your pro-homosexual pedophile sensitivities...but get used to it.
Good times, noodle salad... [Reference]
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