Posted on 03/16/2002 7:48:41 AM PST by marshmallow
He'd just completed a funeral Mass at the bustling parish over which he presides, and now, moments later, removing his collar, that pastoral demeanor quickly vanished, giving way to a bristling anger he made no effort to conceal.
The priesthood hadn't been his first vocational choice, but it continued tugging at his heart in the corporate world until he finally yielded, entering seminary a few years older than most of his colleagues.
To look at him today, well-established in his calling, riding a wave of personal popularity, few would guess how close he came to missing it all, to almost throwing in the towel prior to his ordination.
``Thanks for returning my call,'' he said. ``I have a take on what's happening now, something no one else seems anxious to get into, including the people in your business whom I'm angry at, too.
``The papers keep talking about pedophilia. That's the wrong word. The real issue here is homosexuality. It's usually heterosexuals who are pedophiles, which is a psychological disorder that has something to do with arrested development, sending them back to an age where they last felt comfortable, identifying with someone who reminds them of themselves.''
``Where are you getting this from?'' he was asked.
``From friends who are psychologists. John Geoghan? Sure, he was a pedophile. But of all the guys whose names we're reading now, no more than a couple were pedophiles, a percentage probably consistent with the general population.
``The majority of these victims were not prepubescent; they were young teens, so it had nothing to do with pedophilia. It's technically called ephebophilia, which is almost exclusively homosexual, and it isn't about comfort; it's about sex.
``The media don't like talking about this because, by and large, they have come down on the side of gay rights, the advancement of the gay agenda, so there would be an uncomfortability because, again and again, gays are saying, `We're no threat to children; that's why we should be Boy Scout leaders, why we should be teachers, why we should be able to adopt.' That's always their justification for interactions with young people.''
``Father,'' he was assured, ``you'll be branded a hater.''
``I know, so please make sure I'm well-disguised, though if I said all of this in a homily I think people in this parish would be pretty cool with it.
``But Lake Street wouldn't be too happy. The problem is, there's a subculture of gay priests and everyone knows it. I went through seminary with a lot of them and got hit on. And when I reported it, I was harassed to a point where, emotionally, it was very difficult to get ordained. I'm not the only one who had to fight to get through it; I know guys who left because of it.
``It was clear there was a cabal tacitly saying, `Don't bother reporting this stuff.' You wouldn't believe the self-justifications, like, `Well, celibacy only applies to not getting married, so since we're not getting married we can do whatever we want.' It was horrible, with a lot of intimidation, but I stayed because I felt this was what God was calling me to do; besides, if I'd walked, they'd have won.''
``Why are you telling me all this?'' he was asked.
``Because somebody has to talk about the elephant in the middle of our room. But mostly because I'm angry, not just for myself, but for friends of mine who are feeling besmirched, too. Believe me, there are wonderful priests throughout this archdiocese, celibate, faithful, loving the Church and loving God's people.
``The Church is embarrassed by this, and also concerned that if too many are weeded out there'll be a crisis in our work force because we're due to lose 70 to 80 guys through retirement in the next few years.
``My personal feeling is, I don't care; we should stand up and be counted, reaffirming the authentic faith. If this element isn't rooted out, we're going to see reoccurrences. Vocations will come back; God will take care of that.''
Fearing recrimination, he was asked why he doesn't rally those colleagues he claims to represent, perhaps issuing a joint statement, since there's strength in numbers?
``That may happen,'' he replied. ``I'm touching base with many of them because we know what needs to be said. But right now I just don't know what to do.''
What they've been trying to do isn't good. They have been pressuring everybody they can to keep the lid on this problem. Not only have they failed to inform the authorities about problems, they have been witholding information and twisting every arm they can to sweep the problems under the run.They've put pressure on the media, politicians, and law enforcement agencies. They are not the good holy men I thought they were.
Until you respond to my request for evidence I can only consider your comments intentionally aimed at dividing the Body of Christ,no matter what you think it is.
If you can answer,I will apologise but remain unconvinced but at least I will believe your position is based on an unusual interpretation of what I believe to be clear Biblically based direction.
I suspect this is a lie, like everything else you post about the Catholic Church.
Back it up, or take it back.
God knows what He is doing by NOT requiring this to serve Him. It's man that insists on rejecting His word.
I thought you read the Bible?
Matthew 19:12 "For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mother's womb: and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take, let him take it."
Matthew 19:29 "And every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting."
1 Corinthians 7:32-33 "But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife, is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God. But he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the things of the world, how he may please his wife: and he is divided."
In the history of the Catholic Church how many men and women have been forced against their own free will to take a vow of celibacy? Were Melchisedech, Elias, John the Baptist, Paul and Jesus abnormal because they were celibate? Just because you are unable to make a sacrifice of sexual behavior and think that engaging in intercourse defines a person, does not mean that others are not capable of making said sacrifice. Using your flawed logic if your genitals were amputated or you were impotent then you would have no need to continue living.
Think twice about nuns. Years ago in the Philadelphia area, NUNS were arrested. By DAY they were sweet, loving "Christians". By night they were prostitutes. You see, from the perspective of ANY gender what Catholicism is requiring is unnatrual and will cause the problems you see.
Source and names of those nuns. Why do pedophilia and sexual misconduct have higher incidence rates in Protestant denominations that do not require celibacy? Again using your flawed logic, there should be no sexual problems amongst the clergy outside of the Catholic Church. However, the facts once again prove you wrong.
Jesus and St. Paul both encouraged celibacy, but neither mandated it.
The Eastern Rite of the Catholic Church has married priests, and there are married converts from the Episcopal and Lutheran Churches serving as priests today in the Western Church; well over 100 of them.
Celibacy is a discipline, not a doctrine, and the Church won't crumble if the discipline is changed.
In fact, I maintain the Church will have many men willing to serve; many ex-priests would return. An added benefit would be to allow the Church to rid itself of the openly gay priests and seminarians.
Good that you mentioned the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church. They are often forgotten entirely in the US, but in reality there are 21 other rites besides the Latin Rite, and to my knowledge virtually ALL of them allow married men to be ordained.
Further, the Eastern Orthodox (who WERE in union with Rome until the early 11th century) have *always* allowed for the ordination of married men for the parish priesthood. (Monks and bishops are celibates.)
Consider this point. Those who wish to argue against women as priests use arguments from history to point out that Christ didn't ordain women, etc. Fine - except when the arguments from history *support* ordination of married men, they are discarded!
No, changing the discipline on celibacy will NOT "destroy" the Catholic Church - it certainly hasn't destroyed 21 out of the 22 rites, OR destroyed the Eastern Orthodox (whom Pope John Paul II has worked hard to reunify with the Catholic Church. If the Eastern Orthodox WERE reunified, they certainly would not give up their married priests.)
Besides, the Latin Rite *already* ordains married men, when they convert from Anglicanism or Lutheranism, and want to be Catholic priests. In fact, there are more married Latin Rite priests in the USA than there are Byzantine Catholic married priests! Why not just make it possible in general?
There are a couple of dioceses here in Texas that are reduced to taking back men who left the priesthood, married outside the Church, then divorced their wives.
These men are welcomed back with open arms because the Church is desperate for priests. But if a man (like me) was laicized (which was the only way I could get married in the Church), forget it. I can't even serve as a deacon (I left after being ordained a deacon).
Screwy.
For those who are angry because Rome is not acting let me offer two examples of why Rome frequently cannot act. The ex-bishoop of Palm Beach said"I guess I should have mentioned (past proven dalliance with a teen-ager)when they caled me for this position". Can you imagine that one would be called to replace a bishop,who had resigned solely because of perversions and not mention that one had the same problem. Beam me up,Scottie.
Then the departing bishop of Tucson in explaining his actions concerning a pedophile priest. "I lied to the Vatican about this priest because I did not intend to be blackmailed". The fact is,a lie is a lie.And,furthermore besides his good intent not to be blackmailed,he was.
But back to my point,how can the Vatican act when they cannot trust the words of their bishoops. I say we need to watch carefully what they say and hold them to the truth. As I see it,a lie is the first step into the culture of death because it gives death to reality,and pretty soon nothing makes sense. Jesus said "Satan is the father of lies". And it is easy to see why he uses that tool to lead men from God.Lies lead to confusion,crises,chaos and death.
Currently, if a married Anglican priest converts to Roman Catholicism, he may be both married and a practicing priest.
No,the answer is clear out the homosexuals priests,live with a Church that is purer and poorer and stronger and maybe even smaller,for a while.Then in an atmosphere of serenity study the scriptures and pray and seek to discern what Christ really wants of his "consecreted followers".
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