Sunday, March 11, 2012

Father Guarnizo's Faculties Suspended - Time To Take Action

Today, at the 9:30 Mass at St John Neumann parish, Father LaHood read a letter from Bishop Barry Knestout announcing the suspension of Father Marcel Guarnizo's priestly faculties.  Did I say the letter was penned by Bishop Knestout?  Let's not kid ourselves!  This letter came straight from the top - Cardinal Wuerl.  I'll bet my bottom dollar that all Bishop Knestout did was change the wording slightly (so that he could call the letter "his" with a straight face) and sign the thing.  I really don't think he's to blame, as he is vowed to obedience, as is Father LaHood bound to obedience in reading this thing with the introductory comments.  I recorded it so you can listen to the entire thing right here.

You'll hear towards the middle of the clip that "the issue discussed did not have to do with the distribution of Communion two weeks ago.  The issue pertains to actions over the past week or so."  Then Father proceeds to read the letter from Cardinal Wuerl Bishop Knestout whoever.   He announced the suspension and that it was taken after he "received credible allegations that Father Guarnizo has engaged in intimidating behavior towards parish staff and others that is incompatible with proper priestly ministry."

Why, isn't it just the most peculiar of coincidences that these "credible allegations" are coming out of the woodwork on the heels of the Holy Communion issue two weeks ago?  Father Guarnizo has been at the parish a year now - so these "intimidating behaviors" are now just beginning to surface?   Just what is the nature of these "intimidating behaviors"?  Who are the offended parties?  Unless we see some real basis of these allegations, I'm willing to bet that - none exist!

I think we bloggers did too good of a job in revealing Ms. Johnson's utter lack of credibility.  It certainly did her no good that there were other eye witnesses at the funeral Mass that contradicted her account of the events there.  Thus the Archdiocese cannot act upon Ms. Johnson's complaints without being tainted with her lack of credibility.  In other words, Plan A is shot, so they come up with Plan B.

So where are all these offended parish staff?  Let's hear from them!  If you post, don't do so anonymously for I will ascribe to it no credibility whatsoever.  But I don't think there will be any such posts, for I believe there is really no such subject matter.

In the title of this post I said it's time to take action - perhaps it's way past that time.  What do I suggest?  Well, if you read the blog posts of A Washington DC Catholic, you'll see he suggested it first.  I'm talking of suspension of your Cardinal's Appeal pledges.  I agree with the other blogger when he says that's the only language that the bureaucrats in the chancery seem to understand from us.  Of course let the chancery know precisely why they should not expect one more penny from you.  Contact information is here.

So what to do with that money?  Recalling that we are bound, under the Precepts of the Church, to support its work financially, I'd suggest taking that money and giving it directly to a Catholic and/or prolife cause that you know to be worthy of your donations: a crisis pregnancy center, a solid seminary, soup kitchen - there are numerous worthy candidates for your donations.  Clearly "the work of the Church" does not mean throwing good priests under the bus when they uphold Canon 915 and I for one will not support that.

21 comments:

  1. How do we reach Fr. Guanizo? I would like to offer him the assistance of our fund for priests.

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  2. Oh my God, have mercy upon us.
    I wrote Wuerl a month ago saying I usually thought Pelosi looked like she was drunk or on drugs, and of course what she says is inane. Last month, after what she said about the Mandate, and the look in her eyes, the word, "Demonic" came to my mind.
    I think if bishops are to be truly "pastoral," and true shepherds, they need to think of the persons SOUL. Eternity in Hell sounds like her destiny unless she gets true pastoral care.
    Unless there is some very good evidence, I think the case of this good priest needs to go to the Papal Nuncio adn the vatican.
    Pray . Intercede.

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  3. I stopped giving to the Archdiocese in 2009 when it was revealed that the Catholic Campaign for Human development, under the auspices of the Archdiocese, had given $7 Million to ACORN... money that ACORN used to help Barrack Obama's 2008 presidential election campaign. This new action by the Archdiocese only cements my earlier decision. I am not fooled by their statement that this action has nothing to do with the denial of communion to Barbara Johnson. It has everything to do with it.

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  4. Give no more money until wuerl and his demonic lot are out.

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  5. One would like to see some sort of prayer vigil for Father G held before the chancery. The faithful have done that for a similarly beleaguered Father Rodriguez, in El Paso (you can see the event on Youtube).

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  6. Mary Ann, Father's email is mguamizo@saintjohnneurmann.org hope this helps!

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    Replies
    1. At this point, elle, I'm sure the email is at least monitored, if not disabled.

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  7. What does Restore DC Catholicism think of this paragraph from an article on this topic?

    "According to the Post, the suspension has resulted in an angry backlash from some local Catholic bloggers who have called for a boycott of donations to the archdiocese."

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2113731/Father-Marcel-Guarnizo-denied-communion-lesbian-mothers-funeral-suspended-intimidating-behaviour.html
    (last paragraph)

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    1. I've explained the reasons for my call for a boycott. It's not "supporting the work of the Church" to toss money to those who toss good priests under the bus.

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  8. I don't buy there explanation. Look at their explanations for fr. Corapi and fr. Pavone. All bs. You are right, withhold the money. The US bishops are still scared because of the priest abuse thing,and are willing to throw ANY priest under the bus that makes for bad press, in their opinion

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  9. From your own text "So where are all these offended parish staff? Let's hear from them! If you post, don't do so anonymously for I will ascribe to it no credibility whatsoever. But I don't think there will be any such posts, for I believe there is really no such subject matter." I was unable to locate your name anywhere on your blog site. So what is your name? Are you afraid to let your fellow parishioners at St. John Neumann know who you are? Father LaHood and the parish do not need conjecture and hearsay to make this matter worse.

    As for suggesting people not honor their Cardinal's Appeal pledges ask yourself who you are punishing. Is what the money will be used for suddenly less valid or important? NO! Don't mix legitimate charitable concerns with a wholly different matter.

    Sincerely,
    ANONYMOUS

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    Replies
    1. Actually, many of the parishioners do know who I am, as if that should matter. Unable to locate my name, you say? Well, you weren't looking hard enough! It really isn't that difficult to learn - you just have to stretch your brain a bit. I'm not inclined to serve my identity to you on a silver platter, given your own "signature"!

      Speaking of reading skills, you obviously didn't read carefully what I wrote when I suggested the boycott of the Cardinal's Appeal. I strongly suggested that those choosing to boycott take those monies and direct them to another worthy charity. I think it quite likely that more of those funds will go to useful endeavors, if only because the "middleman" (the Appeal itself) is no longer in the loop.

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  10. I don't buy the explanation that this is about respecting the rights granted to Catholics by Church law. His Excellency didn't hesitate to deny traditionalists their right--granted by the Holy Father's Motu proprio--to a Pontifical TLM in the National Shrine. Yet he's hyper-sensitive about the supposed right of an aggressive, anti-Catholic, lesbian agitator to turn the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass into a political spectacle. Prelates like this have done enormous harm to the Church over the past half century.

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  11. As for reading skills I understand exactly what you were saying as far donating money to another charity. My point is that making a pledge to the Cardinal's Appeal is exactly that, a pledge. You have made a committment and the Archdiocese makes budgets and plans based on those pledges. Finish paying your pledge and next year when the pledge cards are placed in the pews feel free not to make a pledge and if so inclined write on the pledge card why you chose not to make a pledge.

    Perhaps you name is somewhere and I just don't see it but why have the link "VIEW MY COMPLETE PROFILE" if all it does it lead to another screen with little information about yourself?

    You recorded Father LaHood reading the letter from Bishop Nestout and after he concluded reading it he clearly stated that the issue is a "personnel" issue. The staff employees have been instructed to not comment on this unfortunate event. To do so would risk their employment and the confidentiality of all concerned. Notice in Father Guarnizo's own statement of these recent events he does not identify by name the staff member or the funeral home employee.

    From what you and I have written it is obvious we disagree on quite a few things but I know you will agree with me on this. There are too many good ministries, cathecists, volunteers etc. at the parish, plus 24 hour adoration, a weekly Latin Mass to risk tearing the parish apart. I again urge all those commenting to refrain from conjecture, hearsay and inuendo. Father LaHood has enough to deal with. He doesn't need parishioners to make matters worse.

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    1. Andrew, the info is out there, somewhere, if you really want it. I'm not spoon-feeding to you my identity. You'll just have to deal with it.

      As far as the Appeal goes, we expect - no, demand - that our money be used worthily. I don't trust an institution to use my donation dollars wisely when it throws its priests under the bus as they did to Father Guarnizo. To be honest, I learned that sad lesson years ago and haven't floated a penny towards any archdiocesan collection since then. I hope others learn similarly, as this does seem to be the only language that some in the chancery understand.

      I agree that there are many good things happening in the parish. Should they be harmed, the moral responsibility will lie on the shoulders who choose appeasement to gay-coddling political correctness over the truth and the integrity of good priests.

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  12. A personnel issue? Intimidating behavior?? Really? Who are they kidding?

    If intimidating behavior is a reason for suspension then I have a question for Cardinal Wuerl and Bishop Knestout: Why didn't you remove the former pastor from Mother Seton Parish with his intimidating behavior toward his fellow priests, the deacons, staff, and parishioners? Instead, the other two priests and a deacon were transferred to other parishes -- and it took a couple of years before that pastor was transferred -- certainly a bigger personnel issue than Fr. Marcel refusing to give Holy Communion to a Buddhist lesbian!

    I do not think that the Archdiocese is aware of how tired the faithful are of their behavior, or lack thereof.

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  13. I am also a parishioner at St. John Neumann Catholic Church. I heard the same message from the pulpit at the 8am Mass.

    I must say that I found the actions of the Archdiocese to be unsatisfactory. I do not claim to speak for my fellow parishioners, but to say that that the letter and the actions of the Archdiocese are confusing and unsatisfactory is an understatement.

    Fr. LaHood keeps saying that this is all about love. Is it? It certainly does not appear to be. It seems to me that this is another case of a good priest being thrown under the bus.

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  14. For those who wish to call this matter to the attention of the Apostolic Nuncio--

    His Eminence Carlo Maria Vigano
    Apostolic Nuncio to the United States
    3339 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
    Washington, D. C. 20008-3610


    or contact Fr. Guarnizo--

    Fr. Marcel Guarnizo
    St. John Neuman
    8900 Lochaven Dr.
    Gaithersburg MD 20882-4460

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  15. Is there any update as to Fr. Guarnizo's whereabouts?

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