On February 25th, at a funeral Mass at St John Neumann Church in Gaithersburg, Father Marcel Guarnizo (then assigned to that parish) quietly withheld Holy Communion from the daughter of the deceased. The daughter was at the time (most likely still is) actively engaged in a homosexual relationship.
From that day onward, through March and beyond, I posted very extensively on this matter. There's no need to rehash the particulars here; anyone unfamiliar with this matter can go back and examine the posts and related links.
Today the Archdiocese of Washington confirmed that Father Guarnizo will no more serve in the Archdiocese of Washington. You can read the accounts of MSNBC and the Washington Post. The loss is that of the Archdiocese of Washington. The shame is that of the chancery - right up to Cardinal Wuerl himself.
At the bottom of the Post article, you'll read that Fr Guarnizo gave an address a week ago Saturday during a symposium on "Religious Freedom and Democracy" at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, VA. I was in attendance and recorded Father's address. It was an excellent address and I urge you to listen here.
Monday, July 9, 2012
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I loved the snarky little aside at the end of the WaPo article, to the effect that Father Marcel is still considered a good speaker in some circles. Quite typical, and regrettably so, of the level to which the Post has fallen.
ReplyDeleteHow fortunate you were to be able to hear Father Marcel in Purcellville.
It is not particularly dismaying to me to note how far the Washington Compost has fallen. What is dismaying- no, demoralizing- is how far the Archdiocese of Washington continues to fall.
ReplyDeleteMay Father Guarnizo continue to be deeply consoled under the protection of Our Lady.
Whatever the dueling canon law judgement on this, if any soul overheard the word " lover" besides the priest then just on the level of scandal alone, the priest acted perfectly. Christ spent 10% of John's gospel overriding the pharisee
ReplyDelete"canons" on the Sabbath work exclusions....and here we are seeing a priest disrespected for essentially getting epikeia correct. Epikeia as Aquinas notes is the virtue whereby a man keeps the intention of justice while operating above what is written in law by man ( whether by Church or government) ( not applicable to natural law unless God orders a man...Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Samson to kill himself with the enemy). If the diocese thinks this will now be the last demand from the gay world, Ha....is all I can say. As Rumsfeld once said...."weakness is provocative". Or Hosea...."you have sown the wind, you will reap the whirlwind."
Whether Father Guarnizo was right or wrong in his decision to refuse Ms Johnson, the punishment seems out of all proportion to his offence (if it was an offence).
ReplyDeleteFr Levi:
DeleteI don't think there's really any question that Father Guarnizo was acting properly. The facts are all out now, and there is no doubt whatever who was right and who was wrong. Wuerl is a disgrace to his cloth, to his Church, I dare say even to his manhood (if he has any).
Would you allow me a minor quibble? Since we are in a rather vicious war of words I would recommend we not give the Enemy a single inch, not a single centimeter of ground. Therefore I recommend that we NEVER use the ridiculous appellation "Ms" when referring to a lady. if she is known to be married use "Mrs"; if there is any doubt, use "Miss", which has been the proper rule for centuries. Using the correct terms will also drive the Enemy nuts, and there is much to be said for that.
Aged Parent, with regard to the "Ms" matter, I fail to see how usage of that "gives to the Enemy". Many women would rather not have their marital status advertised in their titles. Yes it is a change, but not all change is inherently bad.
DeleteSo tell me once more how gay "marriage" won't affect our freedom of religion.
ReplyDeleteAmen Bill. Amen.
ReplyDeleteMay Father continue to lead the flock of Jesus Christ into the fulness of truth by his witness and teaching. Thank you so very much for this post and audio...extremely educating and vitally important today.
ReplyDelete"...if any one part of Catholic truth be given up, another, and another, and another will thenceforward be given up as a matter of course, and the several individual portions having been rejected, what will follow in the end but the rejection of the whole? On the other hand, if what is new begins to be mingled with what is old, foreign with domestic, profane with sacred, the custom will of necessity creep on universally, till at last the Church will have nothing left untampered with, nothing unadulterated, nothing sound, nothing pure; but where formerly there was a sanctuary of chaste and undefiled truth, thenceforward there will be a brothel of impious and base errors. May God's mercy avert this wickedness from the minds of his servants; be it rather the frenzy of the ungodly."----St. Vincent of Lerins
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