Priest "Union" Mulled in Milwaukee

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ^ | 8/21/03 | Tom Heinen

[ninenot]

Meeting here could lead to priest 'union'

Organizers have met with key founder of Chicago association

By TOM HEINEN and MARY ZAHN
theinen@journalsentinel.com

Last Updated: Aug. 21, 2003

Concerned about the priest shortage and other issues, 14 Milwaukee-area Catholic priests have invited their fellow priests to a meeting that could result in the creation of what essentially is a union.

Organizers of New Priest Initiative

Richard Aiken, pastor, St. Alphonsus Church, Greendale.
Joseph Aufdermauer, associate pastor, St. Matthias Church, Milwaukee.
William Burkert, pastor, St. Roman Church, Milwaukee.
David Cooper, pastor, St. Matthias Church, Milwaukee.
James Dammeir, pastor, Prince of Peace Church, Milwaukee.
Steven Dunn, associate pastor, St. Gregory the Great, Milwaukee.
John Endejan, retired.
Michael Erwin, pastor, St. John Evangelist Church, Twin Lakes.
Alan Jurkus, pastor, St. Monica Church, Whitefish Bay.
Dennis Lewis, pastor, St. Michael Church and St. Rose Church, Milwaukee.
Richard Liska, pastor, St. Stephen Church, Oak Creek.
John Lukaszewicz, retired.
Kenneth Mich, pastor, Good Shepherd Church, Menomonee Falls.
Lawrence Sepich, pastor, St. Bernadette Church, Milwaukee.

The leaders stress that they have no goals other than to provide a one-day forum for the airing of issues affecting the lives of priests and their ministries. However, they acknowledge that they have met with Father Patrick O'Malley, a retired priest who was instrumental in forming the Association of Chicago Priests 35 years ago.

Support for independent priest associations like the one that could result in Milwaukee has increased since the church sex scandals surfaced, said Father Larry Dowling, a 12-year member of the Chicago association and editor of its bimonthly magazine.

"Every cardinal has asked, 'What's the reason for the organization when there is a priest council?' " said Dowling, who said his association is often referred to informally as a "priests union."

"We are independent of the bishop. We can raise issues without his permission," Dowling said.

Father William Burkert, one of the organizers and pastor of St. Roman Church in Milwaukee, said that the meeting was not being called in opposition to Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan. Invitations were sent to more than 400 archdiocesan priests.

Both Dolan and Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Sklba also have been invited, and Dolan has told the group that he wants it to proceed and keep him informed, the organizers said. Dolan couldn't be reached for comment.

"We've got to take responsibility for us being priests today, and we can't expect someone else to do it for us," Burkert said. "Let's get together and talk, and if there are issues, let's work together. We are pretty much individualistic, and we are saying, 'Hey, we've got to start pulling together.' "

Active and retired diocesan priests throughout the 10-county archdiocese were invited earlier this month to meet from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sept. 18 at St. Matthias Church, 9306 W. Beloit Road.

The letter notes that a number of priests have been discussing issues that affect them and their ministry and that they are concerned about the future. It says that Brother Paul Michalenko, a skilled facilitator, has been hired to lead the meeting.

"The purpose is to draw from us issues and ideas around which we might gather, organize and work in a mutually supportive way," the letter says. "The meeting will also help us determine if we should move forward with an organized 'Alliance of Archdiocesan Priests.' The process requires a commitment on the part of those who attend for the full four hours."

'We need a voice'

Among the issues for some priests is a feeling that bishops are making decisions without consulting their priests, said Father Steven Dunn, associate pastor of St. Gregory the Great Church in Milwaukee, and one of the organizers.

"I feel we need a voice for ourselves to bring up issues and discuss them in a forum where we can be open and honest," Dunn said.

Dunn, who said his comment was not directed at Dolan, cited as an example the new liturgical rules issued by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that require more kneeling during Mass and restrict laypeople who assist with communion from standing at the altar.

One of the reasons formation of the association is being discussed now may be because Dolan - unlike retired Archbishop Rembert Weakland - "is more sensitive to strict adherence to directives coming from Rome," said Father Andrew Nelson, former rector of St. Francis Seminary. However, Nelson stressed that the association was not being set up in opposition to the archbishop.

He said an association would be in juxtaposition to the priest council, where Archbishop Dolan is president and the ultimate decision maker.

Priests to set agenda

Burkert and other organizers who were contacted were reluctant to cite issues or goals other than that some priests feel overworked, lonely or isolated. They wanted priests at the meeting to determine what is discussed. The organizers hope to include a wide range of priests, young and old, conservatives and liberals.

Nelson said he supports the formation of a priest association because it would provide "a freer opportunity to discuss controversial issues."

"It's another avenue for priests to raise concerns and to talk about things together," said Nelson, who is not one of the organizers. "They can choose their own agenda and pursue their goals in the best interests of the church but not under the direct scrutiny of the bishop."

Dunn and another organizer, Father Joseph Aufdermauer, associate pastor of St. Matthias Church in Milwaukee, were also two of the organizers of a letter signed by more than 160 priests in the archdiocese urging that the priesthood be open to married men. The letter was sent to the U.S. Conference of Bishops this week.

Leaders of the priests' meeting said that they did not expect the gathering to deal with celibacy and other issues they cannot control.

From the Aug. 21, 2003 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

[ninenot]

A few of the priests are ALSO signatories to the "optional celibacy" statement of a couple of days ago. Both issues were discussed at a meeting of the Priest Senate back in March of this year.

[maryz]

One of the reasons formation of the association is being discussed now may be because Dolan - unlike retired Archbishop Rembert Weakland - "is more sensitive to strict adherence to directives coming from Rome," said Father Andrew Nelson

I really would like to comment on this, but I find I'm speechless!

[RaginCajunTrad]

This is just another example of how the error of Americanism is making mischief with Catholicism.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Hey one of these priests is my pastor.

[ninenot]

Nelson is, far and away, one of the most dangerous priests in Milwaukee. Your old buddy, Bp. Banks, tossed him out of Green Bay--and of course, Rembert took him here. He's articulate, slick, and well-educated. He is also coarse and crude when he wants to be.

[dsc]

If the Vatican doesn't excommunicate every one of them...

What?

According to canon law, you can't even interfere with them as they go about their business of trying to destroy the Church.

[dsc]

If the Vatican doesn't excommunicate every one of them...

What?

According to canon law, you can't even interfere with them as they go about their business of trying to destroy the Church.

[american colleen]

This sounds exactly like the "unionlike" Boston Priest's Forum which was formed in the Boston area a couple of years ago. I believe I remember reading about the Arch of NY priests forming a "union" as well... I'll have to look it up, but I believe Rod Dreher wrote about them a while ago.

A couple of years ago my own parish priest mentioned that we in American should pull away from Rome because Rome doesn't understand us Americans. It floored me at the time, but seeing all this activity made public, I now understand where the priest is coming from.

Dark days ahead, much prayer and fasting for us.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Reading your comments I am certainly conflicted. I think The Church would be better off without this liberal modernists (though one of the priests, my pastor, is actually pretty conservative). At the same time, the unity of The Church must be maintained. Such confliction, time for prayer. Why is the American wing of the Roman Catholic Church so screwed up?

[ninenot]

Frs. Cooper, Manneir, Dunn, Endejan, Jurkus, Liska, and Sepich have all had "controversy" in their backgrounds over the years.

Let me make this CLEAR: I use the word "controversy" to indicate a range of things all the way from silly left-wing political statements through serious liturgical foodadderie. This does NOT include sexual impropriety, to my knowledge.

[ninenot]

At least partially because of the Papal Legate who recommended a number of whacky Bishops and who actively co-operated with the whacky Bishops already in place when he arrived.

That Legate would be Pio Laghi.

[As you well know...]

One of the reasons formation of the association is being discussed now may be because Dolan - unlike retired Archbishop Rembert Weakland - "is more sensitive to strict adherence to directives coming from Rome," said Father Andrew Nelson, former rector of St. Francis Seminary

Ha Ha Ha...funny as heck. Adherence to Liturgical Law is reframed as an emotive state.

Typical Liberal gobbledygook and further evidence of the corrosive nature of contemporary psychology.

[fortunecookie]

retired Archbishop Rembert Weakland

The stench of the 'work' done by the so-called Catholic Archbishop lingers and pollutes long after his retirement. Now the pollution spreads from his one vision to 160 so-called Catholic priests and who knows how many loyal supporters. He must be so proud. Actually, I'm sure he is. Sounds like his successor is just a less openly offensive version of himself.

[fortunecookie]

Then you should be very careful and guard your faith and be alert to little 'variations' in Catholicism that may be presented to your parish but are not in line with Rome or are just plain anti-Catholic.

[american colleen]

Why is the American wing of the Roman Catholic Church so screwed up?

Do you think it is just in America? I tend to think this is widespread - look at Canada and France and the rest of Europe.

My own retired parish pastor (not the one I referred to above - that one is the pastor) is pretty conservative in most things, but reads St. Anthony Messenger, NCReporter and Commonweal for his news, for what it's worth. I don't know if any of this stuff is totally conservative/progressive litmus test as much as it is a test of fidelity to the Chair of Peter.

[TheCrusader]

"A few of the priests are ALSO signatories to the "optional celibacy" statement of a couple of days ago. Both issues were discussed at a meeting of the Priest Senate back in March of this year."

Fifty thousand priests in America, and the media find it 'newsworthy' to tell us that a handful of them from Milwaukee want to get married.

Married priests is just what the media would love, can you just see them blitzing us with stories of the sons and daughters of Catholic priests being arrested on drug charges, and stories of priests getting divorced, etc? It would open up a whole new avenue of sordid "news" for the salivating media to bombard us with.

[Domestic Church]

" Why is the American wing of the Roman Catholic Church so screwed up?"

Because there are those who want to use it for one agenda or another:

http://www.FreeRepublic.com/forum/a3b555c262d74.htm

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b69d0df724b.htm

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3926ba0b3bfa.htm

[ninenot]

We haven't written off Abp. Dolan yet.

Dolan is not stupid. He came into an Archdiocese absolutely loaded with minefields, and knows that his predecessor laid them.

When "optional celibacy" and "priests' union" papers are presented, he has a limited range of actions from which he may choose.

It seems as though his choice is to allow the petitions to proceed and play out. At this point, there has been no open defiance (although there are hints of same) and, after all, a "study" could take a few years to implement.

Another option would be to swat the ringleaders. This would cause a few problems--not the least of which would be an unpredictable response from the affected clergy as well as some laity. When you don't know who the enemies may be, it's better to wait for them to show face...and allow them to play out a few cards from their tactics deck...before you begin the counter-offensive.

So far, so good.

[fortunecookie]

We haven't written off Abp. Dolan yet. Dolan is not stupid. He came into an Archdiocese absolutely loaded with minefields, and knows that his predecessor laid them.

Well, I'm glad to hear it. Weakland's legacy is most insidious. How to re-educate the laity after years of Weakland re-education? Sadly, that applies to so many dioceses, including my own.