Some Thoughts Regarding The Archdiocese's Disgusting Treatment Of Father Guarnizo

I think it most significant that today's Gospel is the account of Jesus forcibly evicting from the temple the sellers of sacrificial animals and the money changers.  Mind you, He did not take what so many post-modern clergy would call a "pastoral approach".  Read John 2:13-25.  He drove them out with a whip and overturned all the tables, shouting "Stop making My Father's house into a market place."  I dare to speculate that the chief priests and those in charge of the temple might have had their noses put out of joint over the whole incident - and I dare to speculate that Our Lord cared not one whit.

Now just for review, I'm going to quote Canon 915.  It's very brief and very simple.  Here it is.  "Those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted to holy communion."  How can it possibly be more clear in its intent?    This canon binds upon ministers of Holy Communion - such as Father Guarnizo at that Feb 25th funeral.  Notice that it says that people in mortal sin "are not to be admitted" - period.  There is no provision for "pastoral options".  If a minister of Holy Communion knowingly admits such a person to Holy Communion, he/she has disobeyed Canon 915.  Moreover, he/she will have cooperated with that recipient's commission of another mortal sin of sacrilegious Holy Communion.  Such cooperation, being formal and material, would then constitute mortal sin for the minister him/herself.  That's it - pure and simple.  To understand this, one only need have a grasp of grammar and the ability to read a sentence.  No advanced theology or canon law degree is required here, for there is absolutely no nuance about Canon 915.

Five years ago, my Catholic Media Coalition colleague, Allyson Smith of the California Catholic Daily, interviewed then-Archbishop Wuerl when the latter made a trip to California.  She queried him on his refusal to obey Canon 915 in relation to Nancy Pelosi, who was using her high position to advance both abortion and same-sex marriage.  It seems that Canon 915 doesn't fit in with his "style of pastoral ministry".  The account of the interview is on the CalCatholic website for your review.

At the funeral on February 25th, Father Guarnizo obeyed Canon 915.  His obedience puts to shame the disobedience of Cardinal Wuerl.  Is this one of the unspoken reasons why Father Guarnizo is being punished?  And yes, it is a punishment.

Last month, when Chris Matthews sullied Blessed Sacrament Church by peddling his book there, we had petitioned the DC chancery to have that book-signing event cancelled.  Mind you, Matthews is an individual who has showcased his dissidence from Church teaching on abortion and gay marriage many times on his Hardball show.  He went so far as to invite Bishop Tobin to speak with him and then proceeded to revile him to his face.  I posted the youtube of that.  The chancery's response to this profanation of Blessed Sacrament was to say that they wouldn't bother to involve themselves with it.

Now contrast that indifference with their attitude towards a priest who had the courage to obey Canon 915 in the face of flak that he knew he would receive.  Certainly the chancery did not assume their patrician, hands-off indifferent attitude in this matter.  After the funeral, Barbara Johnson wrote a letter to Fr Guarnizo stating that "I will pray for your soul, but first I will do everything in my power to see that you are removed from parish life.."

Well, it looks like she got the chancery to play along with her game of vengeance and to do her bidding like good little lap-dogs.  Did it occur to Cardinal Wuerl that in so doing, that he is confirming Ms Johnson in her mortally sinful lifestyle?  How does that fit in with any legitimate "style of pastoral ministry"?  Is he that afraid of the gay community's profanity-laced emails that he'll do anything to get them to stop?  Or could it be that niggling contrast between his disobedience of, and Father's obedience to, Canon 915?

By the way - the Abbey Roads blog has a copy of the letter read at today's Masses.

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.

Pfleger Throws A Tantrum

Remember Father Michael Pfleger, "Obama's other pastor"?  You'll recall that several weeks ago, Cardinal George (finally!) suspended his priestly faculties.  Well, now Pfleger's having a hissy-snit-fit.  He has threatend to preach at other churches if the suspension isn't lifted by this weekend.

Yawn!  Big deal!  Fr. Pfleger, try not to let the door hit you on your way out.  Meanwhile, we'll pray that you'll come to your senses and repent before it's too late.

Good Riddance To Father Pfleger!

Finally!  Cardinal George has suspended the faculties of Father Michael Pfleger, pastor of St Sabina.  Fr Pfleger has earned his dubious distinction of being "Obama's other pastor".  Apparently the straw that broke the camel's back was Pfleger's refusal of the Cardinal's transfer of him to a local Catholic high school.  Because Pfleger threatened to leave the Church, the Cardinal informed him, "if that truly is your attitude, you have already left the Catholic Church, and therefore are not able to pastor a Catholic church", and, "this conflict is not between you and me ... You are not a victim of anyone or anything other than your own statements."

Time and space prohibit me from detailing all of Pfleger's antics throughout the years.  I will highlight a few of them with links to previous posts:
http://restore-dc-catholicism.blogspot.com/2010/04/cardinal-george-to-honor-race-baiting.html
http://restore-dc-catholicism.blogspot.com/2010/04/real-catholic-tv-on-father-pfleger.html
http://restore-dc-catholicism.blogspot.com/2011/01/father-pfleger-joins-disarm-citizens.html

One lady did bemoan his suspension; she said that Pfleger "has done important work such as trying to stop gun violence."    Hmmm...  Important work!  Does that "important work" include threatening to "snuff out" the owner of Chuck's Gun Shop?

Let us hope and pray that this suspension of priestly faculties will be a wake-up call to Father Pfleger.  In so many ways he has insulted the God to whom he is vowed to serve.  His immortal soul is in grave danger of eternal damnation.  Pray for him and his misguided adulators, that they will repent and return whole-heartedly to Mother Church.

UPDATE - The full text of Cardinal George's letter to Father Pfleger is available online.