Monday 9 September 2013

FATHER HUGH KENNEDY - REMORSEFUL OR ARROGANT?

FATHER HUGH KENNEDY REMORSEFUL OR ARROGANT?
HUGH KENNEDY (ON LEFT)
ANYONE WHO HAD ACCESS TO THE INTERNET COULD HAVE WATCHED FATHER HUGH KENNEDY OF ST PETER'S CATHEDRAL, BELFAST CELEBRATE THE CATHEDRAL'S SOLEMN MASS AT 11AM YESTERDAY MORNING. 

I TUNED IN TO SEE HOW HUGH WOULD HANDLE HIS FIRST SUNDAY MASS SINCE BEING REINSTATED LAST SUNDAY BY BISHOP NOEL TREANOR AFTER A 2 YEARS ABSENCE WHILE HE WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE POLICE AND THE CHURCH AUTHORITIES. 

BOTH INVESTIGATIONS CLEARED HIM OF ANY CRIMINAL WRONG DOING - SO IN JUSTICE HUGH MUST NOW BE REGARDED AS 100% INNOCENT BEFORE THE LAW. 

BUT HE HAS BEEN MISSING FROM HIS PARISH FOR 2 YEARS AND WILD RUMOURS HAVE BEEN SWIRLING AROUND BELFAST ABOUT HUGH'S SEXUALITY AND HIS BEHAVIOUR. 

SO AS A PRIEST - A SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE - YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT AT HIS FIRST SUNDAY HOMILY HE WOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THE PEOPLE ABOUT HIS ABSENCE AND HIS HOPES FOR HIM AND THEM FOR THE FUTURE.

INSTEAD HUGH CAME OUT ON TO THE ALTAR, FLANKED BY 2 YOUNG ITALIAN PRIESTS AND ENGAGED IN HIGH RITUAL WHICH INCLUDED INCENSE AND THE SINGING OF HIS BELOVED SCHOLA CANTORUM.

THEN IT CAME TO THE SERMON. I WONDERED IF HUGH WAS GOING TO BE REAL AND HONEST AND OFFER THE PEOPLE OF GOD AN INSIGHT / EXPLANATION INTO HIS TWO YEARS ABSENCE. BUT NO. INSTEAD DR HUGH LECTURED THE POOR PEOPLE OF THE LOWER FALLS ON NOT BEING CONFORMED TO THE WORLD AND HOW THEY SHOULD LIVE THEIR CHRISTIAN LIVES.

WAS THIS THE WEALTHY HUGH BEING ARROGANT AND CONDESCENDING. AFTER ALL WHY SHOULD THE UNINTELLIGENT, UNSOPHISTICATED, UNCIVILISED, UNEDUCATED AND UNIMPORTANT PEOPLE OF THE LOWER FALLS ROAD BE ENTITLED TO ANY EXPLANATION FROM THE INTELLIGENT, SOPHISTICATED, CIVILISED, EDUCATED AND IMPORTANT VERY REVEREND DR HUGH KENNEDY ADM., VF?


HAD I BEEN IN HUGH'S POSITION I WOULD HAVE PREACHED THE FOLLOWING SERMON:

MY DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST:

AFTER AN ABSENCE OF TWO YEARS I AM NOW BACK AMONG YOU. I AM HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL TO BE BACK AMONG YOU - PEOPLE OF FAITH AND PEOPLE OF PERSEVERANCE THAT YOU ARE - A FAITH AND PERSEVERANCE THAT YOU HAVE COURAGEOUSLY SHOWN OVER MANY DECADES.

I APPEAR YOU TODAY AS A NERVOUS AND APPREHENSIVE MAN - A VULNERABLE MAN - AND LET ME ASSURE YOU I FEEL MOST VULNERABLE. I AM FINDING IT PAINFUL TO STAND HERE BEFORE YOU.

YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN MISSING FOR 2 YEARS. YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED BY BOTH THE STATE AND THE CHURCH AUTHORITIES. AND YOU KNOW FROM BISHOP NOEL LAST SUNDAY THAT I HAVE NO BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF ANY CRIME.

BUT MY DEAR PEOPLE - I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE HEARD MANY RUMOURS. I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN MUCH GOSSIP. UNDERSTANDABLY YOU ARE CURIOUS. UNDERSTANDABLE YOU MUST BE WONDERING IF I CAN BE TRUSTED - IF I CAN BE A GOOD PRIEST TO YOU AND FOR YOU. LET US NOT LEAVE THIS ELEPHANT STANDING IN THE ROOM. IN A SPIRIT OF HONESTY LET US PUT THIS ELEPHANT BACK TO BED - UP IN BELFAST ZOO WHERE ELEPHANTS BELONG.

OUR CHURCH DOES NOT REQUIRE THE PUBLIC CONFESSION OF SINS FROM ANY OF ITS MEMBERS - BE THEY THE THE LAITY OR THE CLERGY. THANK GOD OUR CHURCH ALLOWS US TO WHISPER OUR SINS, IN SHAME, IN THE CONFESSIONAL - THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION. 

I DO NOT PROPOSE TODAY TO INFLICT UPON YOU A PUBLIC CONFESSION OF ALL MY SINS. SUCH A PROSPECT WOULD MAKE ME WANT TO DIE. AND SUCH A HAPPENING WOULD BE OF NO BENEFIT TO YOU AND THE WELFARE OF YOUR LIVES AND YOUR SOULS.

BUT LET ME MAKE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR TO YOU TODAY - I HAVE SINNED. I HAVE SINNED THROUGH MY OWN FAULT AND THROUGH MY OWN MOST GRIEVOUS FAULT. I HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF WHAT GOD EXPECTED OF ME AS A CHRISTIAN AND A PRIEST. I HAVE BROKEN SOME COMMANDMENTS - MAYBE ALL THE COMMANDMENTS.

BUT I HAVE CONFESSED MY SINS TO GOD IN CONFESSION AND HAVE RECEIVED GOD'S ABSOLUTION. FURTHERMORE I HAVE RECEIVED A PENANCE FOR MY SINS WHICH I AM IN THE PROCESS OF CARRYING OUT. 

I HAVE CONFESSED MY WRONG-DOING TO THE BISHOP THAT GOD HAS PLACED OVER ME IN THIS DIOCESE AND IN HIS COMPASSION THAT BISHOP IS GIVING ME A SECOND CHANCE.

TODAY - WITHOUT GOING INTO ALL THE SORDID DETAIL - I AM CONFESSING TO YOU HERE - IN THE EUCHARISTIC PRESENCE OF OUR LORD - THAT I HAVE SINNED. AND I AM ASKING YOU TO FORGIVE ME TOO AND GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE. 


I UNDERSTAND THAT IT MAY BE A WHILE BEFORE YOU CAN FULLY TRUST ME AGAIN. I ACCEPT THAT REALITY AS A SMALL PART OF THE PRICE I MUST PAY FOR HAVING LET YOU AND MY LORD DOWN.

IN THE COMING WEEKS I WILL BE VISITING YOUR HOMES. I WILL BE CELEBRATING THE SACRAMENTS FOR YOU. I WILL BE AVAILABLE TO YOU IN ANY KIND OF NEED.  


I HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THE MINISTRY OF A PRIEST WHO HAS PROVEN HIMSELF TO YOU THAT HE IS A SINNER. IF ANY OF YOU CANNOT NOT ALLOW ME TO MINISTER TO YOU YOU HAVE FATHER DALLAT TO MINISTER TO YOU AND INDEED ALL THE OTHER PRIESTS AROUND US IN BELFAST. 

SOMEONE ONCE DESCRIBED PRIESTS AS "WOUNDED HEALERS". YOU CAN NOW KNOW THAT YOUR PARISH PRIEST IS A WOUNDED HEALER. YOU
SHOULD HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT. BUT NOW GOD HAS REMINDED YOU OF THAT MOST FORCEFULLY THROUGH THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THESE PAST 2 YEARS.

AND AS A PRIEST AND A WOUNDED HEALER I AM GOING TO NEED YOU TO MINISTER TO ME. ON OCCASIONS LIKE THIS THE POOR SHEEP CAN BE CALLED UPON TO MINISTER TO THE SHEPHERD. 


I NEED YOUR FORGIVENESS - YOUR ACCEPTANCE - YOUR TRUST - YOUR LOVE - YOUR COMPASSION. I HAVE NO ENTITLEMENT TO THESE THINGS. I CAN ONLY ASK FOR THEM AND HOPE THAT YOU WILL SAY YOUR "YES".

I APOLOGISE UNRESERVEDLY FOR ALL THE HURT, CONFUSION, SCANDAL, PUBLICITY, ETC THAT I HAVE CAUSED.

AS THE GREAT POET, ALEXANDER POPE SAID:

"TO ERR IS HUMAN; TO FORGIVE IS DIVINE"

HAD HUGH KENNEDY PREACHED SUCH A SERMON THE SOUND OF THE APPLAUSE OF THE CONGREGATION WOULD HAVE REACHED THE VERY HEAVENS.

INSTEAD HUGH PRETENDED THAT NOTHING HAD HAPPENED - AND AS A RESULT THERE IS A NEW STATUE IN ST PETER'S CATHEDRAL BELFAST - THE STATUE TO 

THE PERPETUAL PINK ELEPHANT


HOW SAD" HOW VERY, VERY SAD" !

HUGH - WHAT'S WRONG MATE ? CAN YOU NOT SAY "SORRY"?




34 comments:

  1. Hugh is back smells bells & chasuble blowing in the breeze like Superman coming out of an antique phone box. If I were Hugh I would not have preached a massive "Me" sermon-I have dreamed about preaching back in Sligo but can never rember what I said when I wake up-. I would however given a few short sentences on the subject & directed the congregation to a reputable paper whom I would have contacted with the true facts & took it from there. Hugh being allegedly "detrousered" and found innocent in civil law I would expect him to step down from his current post, approach another reputable denomination in N Ireland-or yourself-also reputable and request to be to carry on ministrry under a chosen Standard-I avoid the word flag -. Subject to acceptance and appropriate future conduct. If he is not prepared to do that I believe he should take the advice of the fictional Fr Jack in the iconic Channel 4 series & Fek OFF! Sean

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  2. I have had my say on this matter and thank you Bishop Pat for allowing me. The fact is this, we are a socially deprived area and parish. Someone like HK, a rich cleric would not be anywhere near our place or people - only because it is their cathedral and fancy choir. We are working class people who have put up with a lot over the years. We have been blessed and had our share of headers as well.

    Fact is, the people have been kept in the dark, they have been told nothing, we do not know if this is serious or minor, can we trust this man or not? Of course we do not need to know, but this man is entering our family homes!!! OUR FAMILY HOMES!!

    But I suppose we can give the benefit of the doubt as we did in the case of the 'beast Kerr', no we will NOT. We will protect ourselves and our young people from any grooming of any kind. Be careful Somerton Rd.

    St Joseph's needs a PP!!!

    Loney

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    1. If people feel as you do loney. Send a letter to the bishop requesting that HK does not officiate at any services involving uz or your families. In saying this I am putting HK in a horrible position but is only so the bollix in the beretta will come to realise that ordinary folk are not to be pissed upon from on high. The Wee north has had so much political hurt over the years with leaders refusing to give an inch. Can it be that the church leaders are even more unreasonable? Is there such a thing as a holywater bomb! I believe it is time to let a few off if you get my drift. Sean

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  3. Hello all, I currently work in a Church rectory here in Manhattan, and it is run by a new VERY authoritarian NEW religious Institue. The Pastor is great: a little stoic but a patient and kind man: very considerate of his employees.
    Things have changed though since a NEW assistant to the pastor was named (priest of the SAME Institute: about 31-32 years old). He is very beligerant and arrogant: he even told the poor woman who cleans that he wants his shirts hand washed. He GIVES orders like a Marine seargent and does not tolerate ONE mistake on the parish bulletin, etc. Many people of the parish have been taliking about his pompous attitude(and he is a RELIGIOUS priest) and he treats lay people as if they are WAY below him and stupid. Today I reminded him that the bulletin needed to be re-viewed by him (i prepare half of the bulletin) and he said: "I know!!! You don't have to tell me!! In a very nasty way as an adult would speak to a child who just did something bad. I really am getting very frustrated at this priest, and God knows I am holding my temper BECAUSE I need the job at this time. But God knows I don't know how long before I stand up and get in his face too.
    The institute/order seems to train their priests(most) that we LAY MEN AND WOMEN are WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY below them.

    I pray for you that this arrogant man will get off your back also. Makes me wonder, if only we had NO priests in our church, we could do it all!! Imagine nice people in the church - NO I can't.

    Alice

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    1. Alice the situation you speak of also exists on civvy street. (I know for I am/havebeen that soldier)I'm only GUESSING but might that conservative order start?with an L? Heres what I would do. I would arrange for someone independent from a local radio station or newspaper to visit Fr Stukup on a pre arranged reason. Visitor would have a small audio recorder. Recording could be then evaluated for empathy, courtesy, professional accuracy etc & the findings made public. I'm getting too old for this james bond stuff but I must say I enjoy seeing the buggers knocked down a peg or too when there IS JUST REASON sean

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  4. The cover-up in the Catholic church seems to me to reflect a basic human instinct to protect members of the tribe. It is extremely rare for doctors or nurses to give up their colleagues, and it is the same for other professionals such as lawyers, policemen and others. I wish we understood this impulse or instinct better, perhaps then we could get at the root of the problem which "curses" virtually all the professions.

    You will not get an answer, because they do not have to give one. Your people will give their pennies over every week!! True or False?

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    1. They do give pennies & more fool they-Hold back on the pennies for a month or too that should raise a rimble. Sean

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  5. When an institution is directed by a powerful in-group, as the Church is, it tends to become primarily concerned with the preservation and growth of the in-group. The virtue of loyalty becomes the vice of cronyism; and the defense of the in-group supplants the good of the institution.

    We've seen that in politics, certainly; cronies were (and are) protected and cosseted, sometimes at great cost to the institutions of government and the people. And our corporate leaders and heirs are in in-group, too, and have come to see the rest of us only in terms of how we serve or impede their self-interest.

    But it is especially hard to see such corruption in the Church, which might have stood against it, and should have. And for it to take the garish nature of defending sexual abusers and permitting sexual abuse deepens the horror.

    Until the cliques and cronies who control the Church (and other institutions) are made responsible to the people whom they serve--or replaced by those who will-- there will be no remedy for the deeper maladies of this sick situation.

    I suppose being a rich cleric also helps!

    JP

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  6. The problem with all inflexible systems, of which the C.C. is one of the worst, is their failure and inability to evolve. They are as static and unchanging as a stagnant bog. A failure to adapt to a modern environment must ultimately signal their demise. Roman Catholicism has a choice, evolve or perish.

    Of course, it should go without saying that all pedophiles and child molesters, regardless of what holy garb they happen to be wearing, need to be punished as the common criminals they are.

    Thomas Field

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  7. No organisation should have the power to police itself. That is a structure that is guaranteed to produce corruption.

    It is basic human nature to trust your friends over an anonymous accuser. Hence, the supervising bishop (or substitute any corporate manager) is very tempted to believe that Father Joe whom he has known for years could not possibly be guilty of the accusations levied against him. It must all be a misunderstanding that can be corrected by discipline/penance/counseling/reassignment. There's no need for the embarrassment of a public legal process.

    Investigations of serious crimes must always be done by an independent authority that remains carefully distinct from the main authority. In simple terms, the accusations must be investigated by the police or a similar outside group in order to avoid these inherent biases.

    Seems that this has happened but the people should be fully informed of course!

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  8. Bishop Pat ofter speaks eloquently for me and I suspect many other disenfranchised and disillusioned Catholics. While I still hold to some tenets of the Catholic faith, I can no longer align myself with the institutional Church, with its intractable arrogance and hubris.

    There are many priests and nuns who work tirelessly and selflessly for the betterment of the world. Sadly, the institution they represent is not worthy of them.

    Brian

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  9. "For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them." Matthew 18:20.

    There is no mention of a priest here. The most appalling hubris is in the hierarchy's belief and sanctimonious profession that they are, in and of themselves, the Church. In fact, the Church, our Church is within each of us and in the community we create when we come together to celebrate Christ's life and legacy. No one can take that away from us. No one can ex-communicate us from our faith!

    So I say take over St Peter's, own it, minister in it and tell these rich clerics to go away and do you usual business in the dark and secrecy of your double, hypocritical lifestyle.

    G

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  10. I was brought up very Catholic (now ex). I've seen the Church swing from Latin masses to post-Vatican II "modern" mass, and back to its current ultra-conservative fundamentalism (full-immersion baptisms for adults!). What I can tell you is that as the average Catholic parishioner has drifted away, the more ardent "Blue Army"-type contingent has grown stonger. The future of the Church -- the growth market for the Vatican -- lies in the same kind of militant and exclusionist Fundamentalism that drives the "Christian" movement in the Ireland.

    I believe the Vatican recognises that, and has deliberately moved in that regressive direction.

    Have nothing to do with their lies, the poor people must be looking at this man and thinking - he preaches to me - WISE UP.

    Jane

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  11. We don't know if Jesus had female disciples or not. We only know what the church has allowed to be remembered.
    St. Augustine, in the City of God said that the Church was not the city of God, but only a reflection of it in the mundane world and as such was as corruptible as any other human institution.

    What has changed Bishop Pat?

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  12. We only know that Christ's 12 apostles were all men because that is what men wrote 2,000 years ago which has survived through the centuries, that is all. We also know that Christ told Mary Magdalene to, "go, tell them I am risen." This is the very heart of Christian beliefs, the Resurrection of Christ. Christ obviously trusted her to carry this news forth -- isn't that the work of an apostle? How do we know that women weren't ordained priests in ancient times? Throughout time, women hae been stripped of their history, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if Christian religions did the same thing.
    But even if Christ didn't have the strength -- or time -- to raise women to the status of full human beings, isn't it time that we, living in the 21st century, do so? There is absolutely no reason why women can't serve to spread the word of God and lead people in prayer. Not permitting women to be ordained as priests is sinful. Until women are accepted as priests, we will never be seen as full human beings.

    Mary Carmela

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  13. Catholicism is one of the world's great mystery religions. The Eucharist is the liturgy that centers on the radical, incomprehensible incarnation of Love. This stuff about cultic priests will pass. And many of us Catholics have been ignoring most of those guys for decades.

    Ignore the hypocritical stuff and stay well clear of the clerics, they are not NORMAL, ok for small talk in the parish hall, outside of this arena - dangerous.

    Emily

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  14. I think a lot of Catholics grow up and classify tea substantiation with fairy tales. Anti-Catholicism is particularly virulent when so much of it comes from Catholics within the Church!

    Kevin

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    1. Eucharist! Transubstantiation vs consubstantiation the argument of centuries. The bottom line with Eucharist is this: Is their table fellowship at the celebration of Eucharist? Are people welcome members-like the knights of the round table? Do those who partake believe they are nourished in mind & body? I do. At this stage I would leave the metaphysical connundrums to the folks that make programmes for the Discovery Channel. (What about trhis..in church we reverence the reserved eucharist with a sanctuary candle; why not have a similar candle to reverence the bible? That might throw some light on the subject. If I were in charge of a church I would consider having a sanctuary light both for word & sacrament. Sean

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  15. The pastor of my parish is certainly of that bent. The man is incapable of consultation (being quoted as saying “there are too many people here with opinions they are not entitled to), apology or avoiding being the star of the parade; he also has big problems dealing with laywomen. He’s ruining the parish community, the regional auxiliary bishop is aware of it (saying the complaint file on him is the thickest in the region) but admits nothing can be done because to do something would cause a loss of face. That’s not an insinuation but a frank admission.

    The dread of the brutta figura among prelates and clergy is one of the biggest cultural divides between Catholic laity and their clerics and bishops. The institution will continue to pay a heavy price for it; but for all the pains of the past decade, it remains mired in denial and refuses to care.


    I think we need to seperate ourselves from the priestly classes before they destroy all that is good.

    Liam

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  16. There is a great disconnect that I have found in talking with hundreds of people over the years who have left the Church. Many have gone to Evangelical and Pentecostal churches with the laundry list of complaints listed above. These same people become extremely active church members, tithe 10% of their GROSS salary, plus give gifts and offerings on top of the tithe, while they might have put in the $1 or $5 bill as Catholics.

    These same people who rebelled against “dogma” end up buying in to ten times more dogmatic pronouncements that their pastors preach. Along the way, I’ve identified a few issues that are common threads in these folks:

    1. Contraception. While the Evangelicals and Pentecostals share our thoughts on abortion, they embrace artificial contraception and do not see the connection with abortion and cannot be persuaded regarding the abortifacient properties of several contraceptives.

    2. Community. Though I love the Catholic Church with all my might, the simple truth is that these other Churches look, feel, and act as families. There is much more of a personal connection, much more personal outreach in Protestant churches. Perhaps that’s because they are much smaller than the average Catholic parish. Perhaps that’s because in most of these churches the membership tends to come from a much narrower bandwith of socioeconomic status than the typical Catholic parish. For whatever reason, there is an aliveness that’s palpable.

    3. Scripture. These churches preach and teach it with authority. Pastors don’t read homilies, but preach with zeal and fervor. They make connections to everyday living that transforms the Bible into an authoritative guide for living that just doesn’t come across the same way in most Catholic parishes. The downside to that is every pastor is his own magisterium, and many miss the contextual critical understanding of the scriptures and can go off the rails easily, and many do. However, the sense of community and family are the glue that binds and also blinds people to theological error.

    PLEASE WAKE UP IN IRELAND OR YOU WILL END UP LIKE US IN THE USA!

    Gerard Nadal

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  17. I think the community issue you raise is a huge factor, yes. There is a chilliness to parish life in St Peter's, clealrly that has grown colder over the last 2 years in my experience. I don’t know why this (the reasons you mention are probably accurate) is but it’s real. It’s definitely a low tide period in terms of community feeling.

    But who cares??

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  18. Our current PP is like that. Many people have left our parish, for other Catholic Churches and other churches since our current pastor arrived. We have heard bad stories from others who were in previous parishes he was at.

    The stories of his late night orgies have been confirmed by police files etc. Why is our Chruch so confused, missed up and in complete denial?

    I am on the brink of leaving behind generations of chruch attendance because I can no longer stand the double standards and the preaching after. Is is a mental illness??

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  19. I have a close relative who received exactly the same religious education I did, and was a very devout Catholic, who stunned me recently by writing to say that she has left the Church, and joined a megachurch. One reason was that she learned that people in her husband’s family had been sexually abused by a priest, and that other family members had sided with the priest. Another was the issue of community — her family had experienced a tragic accident, and the people who helped them were evangelicals in their community. At a difficult time in her life, the megachurch has given her a home and a refuge. I told her I could not leave the sacraments, but other than that, I found it impossible to argue with her. I could cite similar stories (e.g., a neighbor who was raised Catholic, and who, when her husband died tragically, made her first call to her husband’s evangelical pastor, who came right over with his wife). I’ve also lived in more than one parish where the pastor treated the lay people in the parish like dirt. We got a few things we need to fix in our Church.

    Catherine

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  20. When my mother lay dying, I called our pastor. He came as soon as he got the message, despite the fact that he had come many times before. It was past many folks’ bedtime. He would have come if it were in the middle of the night. And, I know he does this for all. Not all priests are like those you’ve encountered. Yes, there are a number of them who make the rest look bad. But, there are many who are dedicated, and if not the holiest men on earth, are working hard to become so and are working hard for the Church and for its people. There are many who take their vocation very, very seriously. And, they should. They are the vehicle through which Jesus comes to us through the Eucharist and through which He is with us always. I hope you soon meet some of these guys! They are a blessing to all.


    Mary

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  21. “The sharpness of the vocation crisis has softened somewhat…” ?????
    This is only if massive numbers of parish closures, elimination of catholic schools, transferring Catholic colleges and universities to non-Catholic boards, selling Catholic hospitals is acceptable.

    Also, what about women’s vocations ? The “vocation crisis” would disappear overnight if we had a clergy that included married cradle Catholic men AND women. We already have married episcopalians who are now serving as Catholic priests. This is definitely a rule that can be changed, and needs much discussion. Vatican dictats to the contrary, there is no reason why these actions are not occurring.

    Drake

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  22. As a priest of the Oratory Society I say to the people on the blog - look for the alternative! There are many Catholic Christian groups who exist only to minister to all those who see through everything else in the Church.

    Seek the alternative and I pray that you will all find communion in Jesus through service of each other.

    Society Priest

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    1. AND SO SAY I. One will not go to hell for such a move. People of my generation & before were brought up with a religion with little or no emphasis on relationship. We could learn allot from the proddies I am learning more & more every day.

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  23. It's the keep it simple man again. Don't need priests, vicars, sacraments, bible study classes, don't need to dole out money each week to megarich institutions who have little or no accountability as to where my hard earned money is spent, don't need lessons in how to be good. I can be good without religion.
    So I'm off now to bed and to have a wee word of thanks to God for my day and while others work themselves into a frenzy over matters ecclesiastical and religious or the various tenets of their beliefs I'll just have a good old snooze in the confident knowledge that tomorrow is another day to be enjoyed. Good night all.......don't stay up too late arguing 'cos the pope is so concerned about the rightness or wrongness of your arguments that he will probably be fast asleep as well lol

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  24. "Judas was a traitor who sold his Lord and his soul for a bag of money then went out and hung himself."
    Yes, but nobody venerates Judas for this.

    "Peter was a loud mouthed coward, Thomas a timorous doubter..."
    But we can give excuses for them - the stories about them do explain that they were facing intimidating forces.

    "Paul a violent and ignorant man and an accessory to murder."
    Who repented and made amends for his sins.

    None of these are comparable to what the Catholic Church is accused of. It is not accused of doing wrong things which they then tried to make right. It is accused of doing wrong things and not even realising that they need to be made right. Oh but they do, hence why we are silenced, because we speak!

    It would be a better comparison if Judas was admired for his treachery, rather than condemned for it; if Peter and Thomas belligerently defended their cowardice and nobody criticised them for it; if Paul spread the gospel by violence and was held up as a model of how a Christian should act.
    If you can't understand the kind of criticisms being levelled at the Catholic Church, how can you argue against them?

    We should all go to the alternative!

    Fr. Dwight Longenecker

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  25. The Catholic Church is corrupt...not at all what Jesus intended. Saying we are all sinners is a cop-out. Get real Catholic Church....the stench is sickening.

    I do not understand priests or people who stay in it - crazy!

    Anthony

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  26. We don't rationalise, we just love to be TOTALLY LOVED ! No human relationship can achieve that! You only find this in God's love. My love to Him activates His love to me, simple as that.

    John

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  27. My Catholic relatives are evasive and would tend to counter with a cast of aspersions in other directions. But came you blame them? This organisation has brainwashed them since early childhood. We look with disbelief at the acts of martyrdom of those hard-line Muslims similarly in thrall to a childhood indoctrination. Further, Richard Sipe reports that cardinals take a solemn vow to keep secret all those things which would tarnish the image of the church; so to paint this organisation as no better than other organisations is to ask questions about any claims it makes to being &#039The one true Church&#039 as drummed by repetition into the receptive ears of children. Also your saint/sinner dichotomy is wrong. Marriage, and baptism, are not the only words to have suffered a loss in meaning. In the early church ALL members were addressed as saints, as a cursory reading of Paul&#039s letters will reveal; saints were sinners being. sanctified

    I ask all clergy with courage to do something please.

    Brendan S.

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  28. Agreed. People aren't angry with the Catholic Church for saying "We know we made mistakes but we are trying to get better." They're angry with the Catholic Church for saying, "We haven't made any mistakes and have nothing to apologise about."

    John

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  29. Two principal reasons why I admire those who are silenced and those who are brave enough to stand up SHOUT & SCREAM about the church they love being destroyed by pure evil, and there are many -obviously - points to come after those two reasons.

    But essentially, number one: Wherever power and authority are abused, children and more (gay & divorced etc) will be abused, and all other people will be abused. So the Catholic Church is a very closed, insular society with one leader, and everyone is answerable to that leader. When that leader can then have ultimate authority over everyone in the organisation - well, that's abuse of power.

    When power is not shared, when authority is not delineated to various people in the organisation, you're going to have serious, serious issues. And the pedestalisation of the priesthood as a result of that - in other words, priests are other Christs. Anybody who develops an ego or a narcissism that is centered around, I'm as - almost as good as God; and he must practice, then, mandatory celibacy; and he has sexual urges - well, you add God and urges and boy, that little altar boy at 7 o'clock in the morning starts to look pretty good, in terms of outlets for sexual pleasures and gratifications.

    If a priest can do this to me when I was 10 years old, an organisation call me a liar and whisper to the community that I am mentally ill oh it was very cold at 7 in the morning then, really they can do what they want on this planet at any time. They really have little of no values - I have the scars Bishop Pat.

    Your invite is so so powerful and if only my parents belonged to a safe and alternative catholic ministry. NEVER EVER be silenced please, we need you.

    Ryan

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