Another Faithful Priest Heaved Under The Bus

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.

Father Swierzek Resigns His Post

Eight days ago I posted about the situation in the Archdiocese of Vienna and Father Gerhard Swierzek, the pastor who refused to do deference to an openly gay parishioner of his.  He was overruled by the local ordinary, Cardinal Schonborn.  Catholic Culture brings us the news that Father Swierzek has resigned from that parish, saying he could not stay where people wanted their "right" at any price.  That price of course is the integrity of the Catholic moral teachings.  Father's decision was quite understandable, given the lamentable treatment he received from his Cardinal Bishop.

Speaking of faithful, orthodox priests thrown under the bus by ordinaries (who might be a little too "ordinary", if you get my drift), I have heard no recent news regarding Father Guarnizo.  I ask you to keep him in your prayers.  If any of you have contact with Cardinal Wuerl or Bishop Knestout, why not ask them?  Let them know that Father Guarnizo is NOT going to fade from your thoughts and memories.

Good Priests And Their Lord At Calvary

Michael Sean Winters of the Not-So Catholic Reporter offered two articles yesterday that I think are supposed to have Good-Friday-related themes.  The first is entitled Wuerl's Cross.  On the Cardinal's behalf, he whines and snivels about the well-deserved reactions that the Cardinal has received owing to his despicable treatment of Father Marcel Guarnizo.  I remind one and all (even some canon lawyers) that Father Guarnizo acted correctly when he tried to prevent Barbara Johnson from incurring the guilt of the mortal sin of sacrilegious Holy Communion.  Winters calls that "Taliban Catholicism".  Faithful Catholics call that Catholicism - plain and simple.

His strange conception of the Cross is even more evident from another post of his from yesterday entitled Good Friday.  In it he states that "HIV/AIDS was the Calvary of the gay community", as he describes how AIDS decimated the work force of a Dupont Circle cafe (word to the wise - don't dine in Dupont Circle).  I'll be the last to doubt that AIDS is a horrific disease wrecking havoc upon its victims and their grieving families.  However, it is NOT analogous to the Passion and Death of Our Lord.  Let's be real - the bulk of AIDS cases come about through gay sexual relationships - always sinful.  If an alcoholic were to die from cirrhosis of the liver, would anyone have trouble linking that disease to his/her drinking?  Of course not - so let's drop the politically-correct blinders when it comes to gay folks falling prey to AIDS, who are reaping a tragic but very preventable consequence of sinful behavior.  What we commemorated yesterday was the sinless Son of God offering Himself as a sacrifice for our sins (including gay behavior).

It is when one suffers unjustly for doing good that we liken that suffering to that which Jesus endured (and even that suffering pales to the Crucifixion).  Such is the case with Father Guarnizo (yes George Neumayer and the rest of us "Taliban Catholics" have it right).  It is also the case with Father Michael Rodriguez, Father Gerhard Swierzek and many others who've been punished precisely because they are faithful.

For those who either:

• Think that a post during Triduum should be more "spiritual" or
• Think that I should stop bringing up Father Guarnizo's situation

There are other blogs offering excellent meditations on Easter; I'd suggest you read them.  However, there is a danger in letting our consciousness about Father Guarnizo's situation just fade - a danger to us as well as to him.  To my fellow St John Neumann parishioners, will we allow ourselves to be so shallow, will we allow our memories to be so little, that we won't recall the harm, the injustice that occurred in front of our faces just last month?  If so, what kind of people are we?  Will we be the ten disciples who cowed, or will we be the Marys, the Johns, the Magdalenes who at least stood by His Cross?  Of course we can and must continue to raise our voices as well as our prayers for him and for all unjustly-treated priests.

Holy Thursday - Institution Of The Sacrament Of Holy Orders

When Our Lord, at the Last Supper, uttered the words "Do this in remembrance of Me", He conferred priesthood upon the Apostles.  It might do us well to consider how the priesthood is under attack - from within.

I spent at least one month keeping before our eyes the despicable way that Father Marcel Guarnizo has (and I think, continues to be) maltreated by the Archdiocese of Washington.  I mentioned that Father Guarnizo was not the first and that he wouldn't be the last so despised.  And indeed he is not the last.

Within the past week or so we've been hearing about the situation in the Archdiocese of Vienna (Austria).  Christoph Cardinal Schonborn, the archbishop there, overruled one of his parish priests, Father Gerhard Swierzek when the latter blocked an openly gay man, Florian Stangl from sitting on the parish council.  Mind you, the Cardinal was fully aware that Stangl was gay.  Initially, the Cardinal supported his priest.  But then he back-peddled big time.  Note that he did so after he met with Stangl and his sin-partner.

As one reads this article from Renew America, they cannot help but notice the parallels between the situation in Gaithersburg and the more recent situation in Vienna.  Is it possible that Schonborn was influenced by the doings of the Washington chancery?  I know for a fact that Father Guarnizo's situation was watched from all over the world.  During the past month or so, I had many views from all over the world.  We can surmise that all the other internet sources were likewise watched.

There will be more.  Pray for Rome's swift intervention.