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.''
``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.
In other words, it isn't a handful of seriously mentally ill priests, it's gay chickenhawks, and a LOT of them.
This is a great example of how the power of the network news in this country has been broken. The leftist newsies are in a position of having to deny a reality every other literate person knows to be true. This puts them in a position of spending down their credibility every time they pass over this story.
The real test will come if the Roman Catholics can actually purge the gay mafia that has taken hold in their ranks.
This guy hits the nail on the head. Will the RC Church do anything about it? I fear the answer is yes, he will be drummed out the minute this truth starts to get out.
Who in the world are you talking about? Names please and how many and what proof to substantiate your accusation.
I believe there is a shortage of nuns too. The church simply has to end the celibacy requirement, period. If it doesn't, it's finished. So, eventually they will permit priests and nuns to get married. The demographics are against celibacy. Look at the average age of a priest or a nun. Look at where it was 10, 20, 30, etc years ago. Eventually the church will have to face reality. It has to. Or it will die.
It's also NOT Biblical to require celibacy. God knows what He is doing by NOT requiring this to serve Him. It's man that insists on rejecting His word. When ever man rebels against God and His teachings, there is ALWAYS a negative consequence. Still, people will fight His word and label you a "basher" and a "hate monger" since they too, reject Him and look to foolish men for what to believe.
FYI, I found a related article on the EWTN web site.
13-Mar-2002 -- EWTNews Brief HOMOSEXUAL GROUP DEFIES VATICAN ORDERS LOUISVILLE
Kentucky, (CWNews.com) -- Despite objections from the Vatican, a conference of Catholic activists seeking changes in Church teaching regarding homosexuality opened in Kentucky this past weekend, with a retired bishop presiding at the opening liturgy.
The convention in Louisville was sponsored by New Ways Ministry, a group which has clashed with Rome because of its statements on homosexuality. In 1999, the Vatican ordered Father Robert Nugent and Sister Jeannine Gramick, the founders of the organization, to cease their public advocacy for homosexuals. Although the two are no longer officially active in New Ways Ministry, the group's public statements remain at odds with Church teachings.
Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, the secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, had written to Louisville's Archbishop Thomas Kelly, pointing out that New Ways Ministry "does not promote the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church." But the Kentucky archbishop did not discourage participation in the conference.
Archbishop Kelly did tell the conference organizers that they should not celebrate the Eucharist at their conference, because of--as Archbishop Bertone had put it--"the confusion and scandal which will inevitably arise from this event." But New Ways Ministry ignored that directive. And Bishop Leroy Matthiesen, the retired bishop of Amarillo, Texas, presided at the Mass.
Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, a Detroit auxiliary who has been outspoken in his support for homosexuals, also took part in the New Ways Ministry conference.
Questioned about the group's defiance of the order not to celebrate Mass, Archbishop Kelly told the Louisville Courier-Journal that "New Ways Ministry is trying to do good work, but it has to do that work within the context of the Church's teaching." He added: "That is not always easily achieved."
The gay clergy must go. Period. The psychological issues are too profound.
Try to find an Opus Dei priest and get into spiritual direction to discern your vocation. Opus Dei screens its candidates for ordination very, very well. I have yet to meet a weirdo among the Opus Dei clergy.
If your not better put your thinking cap on and revisit the issues.
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