On April 5th, I reported on the maltreatment meted out to Father Gerhard Swierzek of the Archdiocese of Vienna (Austria). In a manner similar to the way Father Guarnizo was maltreated by the Archdiocese of Washington, Father Swierzek was run over by his bishop when he tried to prevent an openly gay man from sitting on his parish's council. I closed that post by asking for Rome's intervention, saying that "there would be more".
Not one month later, that prediction rang true. This latest incident is also from Austria. Father Stefan Muller refused Holy Communion to a woman, Karina Rudolf, who is living with a man outside the bonds of Holy Matrimony. As you read this account, you'll see this woman is acting in a way that's very, very similar to how Barbara Johnson reacted when she was refused Communion by Father Guarnizo. In fact, I'd say the similarities are just too close to be coincidental.
As that other blogger wrote, "wherever old liberal bishops abound, it's open season on faithful priests". Unless Rome acts, we'll see more such accounts.
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It's very difficult for the faithful to understand how this particular Pope can be silent when such things are going on. It will do little good if Rome issues a firmly-worded statement ten years from now. I am naive in these matters, so I ask: why does the Holy Father not speak in the face of such wicked injustice?
ReplyDeletethe priest at my parish showed me a blog yesterday that shows that Father Guarnizo has been placed on leave not for denying communion to a lesbian but because they are investigating some shady financial deals with this foundaiton he started
ReplyDelete"Shady financial deals"!! Really? Any details? What was the blog? Why did you not name it or cite any facts therein? Could it be that there are none and that all we have here is innuendo?
DeleteActually I took a "google" look myself. All that I could find remotely resembling your claim is this http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/2012/03/12/lesbian-communion-priest-suspended/ However, even that cites no facts, just idle speculation.
There's yet another priest who's gotten criticism from his superiors, but managed to discourage all of the adults at his parish from coming up to Holy Communion with the children.
ReplyDeleteThe only ones presenting themselves for Communion, were the children.
http://eponymousflower.blogspot.com/2012/04/correction-tyrolean-priest-doesnt.html
I read that. At least those adults had enough integrity not to present themselves for Holy Communion. I pray that they took the next steps to repentance and the Sacrament of Confession.
Deletehere's the link to the blog about Father Guarnizo and questions about his finances I called the office and the it was like the blogger wrote. I also checked out the blog sites. I think there is something funny here too
ReplyDeletehttp://churchhistorysurprise.blogspot.com/2012/04/oh-what-tangled-web-we-weave-more-on.html
I read it. All I see is more speculation and innuendo - no evidence of anything "funny". I read other posts in that blog - like the one where the moral authority of Humanae Vitae is called into question. That gives me an idea as to that blogger's perspective.
DeleteIt dawns on me that if there truly were some merit to the allegations of financial impropriety, that the mainstream media and gay community would have glommed onto that immediately and milked it for everything they could get. But they haven't, have they? To me that's an indication that these speculations are precisely that and nothing more.