Read the comments after Msgr's post. You will notice some "Pollyannas" peppered throughout; they are set aright by other commenters.
One comment wasn't published, although it was submitted this afternoon. Here it is.
Although he submitted it, he knew it wouldn't be published. However, the violation of Canon 915 is the practice of Cardinal Wuerl. Moreover, as we saw in the case of Father Guarnizo last Lent, he and his chancery have in fact joined the secular forces in persecution of good priests such as Father Guarnizo. He and Bishop Knestout did not stop at allowing the venom to be heaped upon Father, they were active and willing accomplices to this persecution. Barbara Johnson wanted Father's vocation quashed. Because Father is not incardinated in this diocese, the chancery couldn't accomplish it but they did bar his priestly ministry within the Archdiocese.
In the face of the persecution that is in progress, our bishops must act as shepherds and not as wolves. In the meantime, we laity must stand against the wolves regardless of their guises.
I am still amazed at the number of people that think Father Guarnizo was "persecuted". The letter from Bishop Knestout explaining why Father Guarnizo was let go is based on fact. The incident with Ms. Johnson was only one of several offensive incidents involving Father Guarnizo. Bishop Knestout and Cardinal Wuerl held back detailing the reasons Father Guarnizo was removed to save Father Guarnizo from further embarrassment and ridicule. Personally I wish the facts of his short one year in the Archiocese of Washington had been made known ending this nonsense about his persucution. Father Guarnizo weakness is his pride and too often it reared its ugly head in his dealings with people. His skills are far better suited in an academic setting than as a parish priest.
ReplyDelete"Based on fact"? What fact? There was no investigation, no asking Father for his side. The dismissal letter was on Knestout's desk when Father arrived for the interview; his dismissal was a done deal.
DeleteTo what "facts of his short year" do you allude? I know Father. St John Neumann is my parish. State these facts (not innuendos) for all to see - if they exist!
Of course the comment wasn’t allowed. It represents the view of “smug self-righteousness of certain Catholics who just don’t like authority and children of 1960s in their attitudes. Stop comparing yourself to the great Athanasius and others. You don’t deserve to be in the same company with people who fought a real and good fight. Most of the modern griping is about a narrow-casted version of the faith that some Catholics think of as the only things that matter. There is actually more to the faith than some modern Catholics like to admit and, as Cardinal George articulates, too many Catholics get angry if the bishop doesn’t follow their agenda to that last detail, and use the exact words they want or use the disciplinary tools they want him to use and have all their priorities, then he is a zero and total loser and they feel they can reject him with impunity.“
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.adw.org/2012/01/is-being-a-bishop-like-herding-cats-it-shouldnt-be/
This commenter is obviously a “conservative Catholic” who Msgr. Pope stereotyped, vilified and marginalized last year in his blog likening shepherding critical conservatives to “herding cats”. No doubt if he had the authority Msgr. Pope would criminalize and persecute these Catholics the same way his bishop and the Pope do (priests like Fr. G are destroyed) while heretical homosexuals like Cardinal McCarrick who are million dollar donors to the papal foundation are “anointed” to rape and pillage the flock.
In contrast to his vilification of “conservative Catholics,” here Msgr. Pope is careful to never identify the persecutors of religious liberty. You would never know that it was the VCII generation of LIBERAL Catholics (Sebellius, Biden, Pelosi, Mikulski, Brown, O’Malley, Cuomo ad nauseam) who supposedly subscribe to the idea of religious liberty at the vanguard of those persecuting the Church and destroying religious liberty for the entire country (even as the orthodox Jews & Protestants rush to prop up the Catholic church). These liberal Catholics “Bork” conservative Catholics, run commercials calling themselves “faithful” Catholics even as they dissent from Church teaching, and sue prolife organizations that enlighten the electorate on their pro-abortion voting records, but not to hear Msgr. Pope tell it (dissent happened back in the 70s and 80s like all the pedophile sex abuse). Georgetown University student, Sandra Fluke, travels the country demanding tax-payer funded contraception and Georgetown freshmen are required to attend LGTBQ orientation where they are instructed that, “two women [having sex] are hot, why not two men?” but Msgr. Pope never says a word that would hurt his career.
http://blog.cardinalnewmansociety.org/2012/08/03/gtown-lgbtq-training-on-video/
What has the whole country reeling in disgust is that (1) The Catholic priesthood is a homosexual joke; (2) (n)0bama care is being pressed for by the Catholic bishops to ‘save’ their nursing home and hospital industry; (3) Religious persecution is being led by Catholic politicians and the vast majority of Catholics DO use contraception; (4) Cardinal Dolan invited Persecutor in Chief Obama to the Al Smith dinner where he hailed him as honorable & God loving; (5) Over 50 percent of Catholics voted for Obama; and (6) Cardinal Dolan & the Vatican congratulated PICO on his win as Catholic Boehner called to make a deal to raise taxes on “the rich” and the Catholic packed Supreme Court led by Catholic (it’s a tax) Roberts stands ready to declare gay marriage constitutional. Persecution? If I were a “conservative” Catholic like Fr. G, I might be worried; if I were a fat rat like Msgr. Pope or Cardinal Dolan--not so much.