Wonder where this priest got his affirmation?
Posted on 09/19/2003 12:55:15 PM PDT by american colleen
Body to be independent of Catholic hierarchy
A gathering of about 80 priests from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee voted Thursday to form an alliance that could be both a support network and an independent voice as they strive to meet the needs of the faithful amid a priest shortage and a changing church.
Details of the alliance's structure, purpose, and activities remained to be worked out, but its formation would place Milwaukee among a handful of dioceses around the nation that have such formal organizations. The organizers will meet Tuesday to begin that process.
"There was an overwhelming yes and show of hands to the idea of some kind of alliance, some kind of structure, some kind of organization," said Father Kenneth Mich, one of 14 organizers who had invited more than 400 diocesan priests in the archdiocese to come to a sharing session led by a professional facilitator.
Mich and others said the group narrowed its concerns to several general issues before breaking into small groups: representation and advocacy for priests; dialogue about optional celibacy; the impact on priests of parish planning to cope with the priest shortage; better communication among themselves; nurturing lay leaders and lay ministries; not letting the priest shortage affect ministries to minorities and small groups; and maintaining Catholic education, especially religious instruction for parishioners who attend public schools.
Many priests were upbeat Thursday afternoon as they left the hall in St. Matthias Church on the city's southwest side, where the four-hour meeting was held. Father Frederick Roensch, a retiree, termed the gathering "inspiring." Others said it was helpful to meet in an unstructured setting where they could share ideas and concerns.
They were quick not to characterize it as a gripe session or rebellion against Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan.
"It was just a very positive experience of mutual support," said Father Charles Wester, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Mayville and St. Andrew Parish in Leroy.
Most seen as moderate
Mich, pastor of Good Shepherd Church in Menomonee Falls, said the 80 priests at the meeting were predominantly moderate and representative of the priests as a whole. There were liberal and conservative priests, but few if any who were seen by their peers as being on the extremes to the left or right.
He said many priests could not make the meeting because of schedule conflicts.
The gathering included some priests in significant administrative positions within the archdiocese.
Father Joseph Hornacek, archdiocesan vicar for clergy, favored forming an alliance because "currently there is no other forum for priests in our diocese to adequately express their deepest concerns for the church's future.
"What was very energizing was priests not whining about personal issues, but very deeply, faithfully concerned about the church. How to continue to remain a Eucharistic community, a sacramental community. How we continue to support priests who are very exhausted, tired, who don't feel supported, who don't feel affirmed. And while they are getting this obviously from their parishioners, they don't feel that from the church's (national) leadership, the hierarchy."
Father Mike Erwin, pastor of St. John Evangelist Church in Twin Lakes and one of the organizers, said among the topics discussed was how the new policies adopted by the U.S. bishops for handling allegations of sexual abuse of minors by priests has changed the pastoral relationship between a bishop and his priests.
"Whether the issue is big or small, the question is, 'Who is advocating for the priest?' " Erwin said.
One overriding concern is the priest shortage, said Hornacek, who was not one of the meeting's organizers.
"We are fewer in number," he said. "We are older. When we look at the number of priests that will retire in the next 15 years what gives our younger priests hope? Our seminarians hope?"
Concerns about liturgy
Mandatory liturgical changes by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were symbolic of the feeling that priests are not being consulted or listened to, Hornacek said.
There was also concern by some priests, he said, that the church is moving away from the changes brought by Vatican II.
"That was expressed in one person saying there is a felt or perceived need to ask 'Are we moving in a different direction than we were as the result of Vatican II, and what is that direction?' " Hornacek said. "No one is stating that there has been a change in direction, and yet it feels that way. Has there been a change in the Vatican II vision in which we were brought up? It seems like there is this erosion in that vision."
He said the emphasis on "rubrics" such as at what points people should kneel during the Mass, rather than broader issues, were of concern to some of the priests in attendance.
An association will empower priests to work through these issues, Hornacek said.
"It's an independent voice that gives the members additional confidence and affirmation that what they are thinking and feeling is good, and they don't have to be apologetic or embarrassed to vocalize those concerns."
Not exactly a ringing endorsement of Dolan, which surprises me, given his background.
What is the hierarchy doing to help these overworked priests? Not much, that I can see, except slap them down every time they suggest some alternatives.
Happy priests encourage other men to be priests; unhappy priests don't.
The priests of Milwaukee knew what they wre buying off on when they took their vows. There is no civil right of priests to be disobedient, unchaste, heretical, schismatic, defiant, disruptive, married, mouthy toward a legitimate authority or "organizing" anything. If they are so overworked, I can think of one obvious and very new extracurricular activity that ought to go. No one asked them to vote. No one should.
Left AmChurch priests in misery over vows of charity and obedience, in misery over the orthodoxy of Rome, in absolute despair over a coming papal conclave that promises to make the last one look like a gathering of the Kumbaya tribes, gagging over the coming document to make them say Mass reverently and to adhere to DOCTRINE whether they like it or not, and behave publicly and privately as though they had actually received Holy Orders, have difficulty recruiting more of their kind to the priesthood and a good thing too! We need Catholics not termites.
The Catholic Church is unchangeable. So if your Church has changed beyond what you're familiar with, it's time to find an orthodox one,(if that's possible in these times). Somebody has an antique book titled "The Unchangeable Church" on auction Yahoo. See the link below.
http://page.auctions.shopping.yahoo.com/auction/67661822?aucview=0x13
It is a good thing that you're not in a position to have to deal with overworked priests.
With all due respect, with this kind of answer, you'd be no help at all.
Priests are not, and will be treated as, children, Elk. You ought to know better than that.
And although "we aren't about whining" the paragraph goes on to complain about overworked, tired, unsupported and unaffirmed (barf!) poor us.
They have plenty of time to compose letters, form unions, and look at the parish website for Fr. Kenneth Mich - he has the hugest parish bureaucracy I've ever seen and only 3 Masses per weekend plus three during the week. No Confession times - it's only by appointment.
I am sorry, but any priest who needs "affirmation" is a crybaby.
Maybe they did. Maybe they complained to him, or he did a better job of reaching out to them. Who knows?
I am sorry, but any priest who needs "affirmation" is a crybaby.
Well, don't complain, then, if your husband never tells you he loves you.
You'd be a crybaby in that case, too.
These priests get lots of support from their people, apparently, but very little from the hierarchy.
I see nothing has changed in 30 years from my time in the seminary. Bishops care about keeping the money coming in, and little else.
What would you expect the priests to say about their parishioners? That the parishioners demand too much from them? That the parishioners don't appreciate them?
The Boston Priest's Forum is compromised of the priests who attend lots of meetings (VOTF type), gently remind the media every chance they get of the "crisis of vocations", complain about how busy they are, complain that the hierarchy doesn't understand them, etc., etc. I don't see the Milwaukee crew as being much different.
I know a priest out of this archdiocese who is a sort of "circuit" priest, he ministers to the inner city kids, will hear a Confession at the drop of a hat, says Masses all over the place in English and Spanish - he is busy all of the time. I've only ever seen him happy. He's the kind of priest who is an inspiration to boys contemplating the priesthood. And he writes a nice homily, too.
It is a good thing that you're not in a position to have to deal with overworked priests.Sinkspur, you've now mentioned twice in this thread "overworked"; would you mind indulging me and explain, or reconcile this perspective with what you've stated in the past?
Time Managment doesn't seem to be an issue with the priests I know. They've got plenty of it on their hands.
link
Wonder where this priest got his affirmation?
Lay people practically run the parishes around here - looks the same in Milwaukee. *Some* of these guys just have way too much time on their hands.
But this affirmation stuff just kills me. What a bunch of frickin babies. The head honcho mentioned in this story sent two representatives to two different functions honoring Rembert "how can we miss you when you won't go away?" Weakland and also donated money in Weakland's name to a couple of different charities. Weakland is the one (along with these faithless priests) who were responsible for ordaining exactly ONE priest in 1999. And I bet you never will hear a word of praise from them for Dolan when the ordinations in that diocese go up under the current bishop.
Gotta go - Bill "attack dog" Donahue is on World Over Live. I love that guy! No bs from him, that's for sure!
'Are we moving in a different direction than we were as the result of Vatican II, and what is that direction?'
Are they part of the Roman Catholic Church or the Spirit of Vatican II Church?
Dunno. Priests who feel appreciated (as ours are, since our bishop goes out of his way to give each of them his individual attention) tend not to gripe.
Dolan needs to spend more time with his priests.
How long has Dolan been there? In that short span of time these priests all of a sudden feel overworked and "unaffirmed"?!?
I did a google search earlier and found no complaints to/about Weakland - or in general - from any of the priests mentioned in this story. Looks like they are putting the screws to Dolan because he is perceived very differently than they perceived Weakland.
Dolan needs to spend more time with his priests... maybe he does? Cardinal Law spent a lot of time with his priests and the libs hated him - way before the scandal.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Entry: affirmed
Function: adjective
Definition: certain
Synonyms: affirmed, approved, ascertained, assured, attested, bonded, certified, confirmed, endorsed, for sure, insured, on ice, pledged, plighted, protected, sealed, secured, sure, sure enough, sure-fire, warranted
Concept: promise
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.