I hadn’t intended to weigh in on the Fr. Cutie incident. When anybody falls into sin it is very sad, especially if they are a priest. Normally the response to a situation like this would be to mainly pray for the person. Yesterday I saw the video of him on one of the morning shows and then later read Fr. Richsteig’s reaction.

His interviews gives an insight into how his involvement with a divorcee happened. He offered more of a defense than an apology. It seemed more of a regret for causing pain than that he had committed an objectively grave sin and caused scandal. I do wonder if his bishop had allowed him to show up on national television? It is hard to believe that he would. It really shows bad judgment on Fr. Cutie’s part to do this in the first place since he has caused even more scandal by trying to justify his “falling in love.” To go on national television and to say that celibacy should be optional is pretty self-serving. As Fr. Richsteig commented.

He is so unrepentant that he went on national TV where he said that celibacy is good, but it should be optional for priest. (And the man caught in adultery said, “Marital fidelity is a beautiful thing, but it should be optional.”).

“Under the cassock are a pair of pants.” is one of the lines he used. Last I checked this was true for all diocesan priests who are faithful to their promises. A married man that commits adultery because he “loves” his mistress I guess can not be blamed because he is a man and wears pants. You can almost see the process of justification he used to become involved with this women in the first place. He said that he had been under spiritual direction since he was tempted against celibacy and that this is something he struggled with. Too bad he did not take this temptation more seriously and worked to avoid situations where he would be tempted. Becoming a minor celebrity and media personality and being nicknamed “Father Oprah” was probably not the most prudent course if you are particularly tempted in this manner. We should flee from those situations where we know we are easily tempted.

I do pray that he fully repents and that he comes to the full realization of what his sin really is. In the meantime I hope he stays away from any media outlets.

received an e-mail recently from a lay pastoral associate, whose ministerial focus is on adult education and who possesses a graduate degree from a Catholic university. I have his permission to cite a portion of our exchange in this week’s column.
I have suppressed some of the details lest his pastor identify the source and seek to jeopardize the pastoral associate’s job.

The e-mail came from a large suburban parish in which the pastor has apparently done everything that he can to remove most traces of the reforms initiated by the Second Vatican Council, promulgated by the late Pope Paul VI, and approved by the late Pope John Paul II and the current Pope, Benedict XVI.

The pastor has done away with all contemporary music at Mass, and has restored pre-conciliar devotions along with auricular confession. He even gives the impression that confession is the greatest of the sacraments.[reference]

I must of missed that part of the Vatican II documents that mandated contemporary music along with removal of pre-conciliar devotions and auricular confession. Though I wonder why he even pointed out the auricular aspect? Pretty hard for a priest to forgive yours sins if you don’t tell them what they are.

Perhaps there is some misunderstanding here because the Council of Trent, back in the 16th century, made clear that the greatest of the seven sacraments is the Eucharist.

Of course we have no idea what the pastor actually said to give this apparently disgruntled pastoral associate an “impression”. Though it is rather funny to see Fr. McBrien quote the Council of Trent. Isn’t Trent pre-conciliar or something?

Under the pastor’s control, the parish has no youth ministry, no parish council, nor any other consultative body. According to my correspondent, “consultative is not in his vocabulary.” He also gave vocal support to the minority of U.S. Catholic bishops who proclaimed in effect that “Catholics could burn in hell” if they voted Democratic in the recent presidential election.

Again hard to know what the pastor actually said and how he said it. But certainly if someone voted for Obama supporting his abortion agenda they are in objectively grave sin and could indeed go to Hell if they fully met the conditions of moratl sin.

My correspondent reported that other members of the parish staff are hurting “terribly.” Indeed, they share the feelings of the woman who darted out of church recently during the homily — in tears.
She informed the pastoral associate that she could no longer handle the situation, and that she had to leave the parish. She said that all that she ever hears from the pulpit is what sinners the parishioners are, and why it is so necessary for them to “go to confession.”

Gee you would think they would pass on what the homily was about?Rather an important detail needed to judge the situation. I have heard that one of the priests at my parish had people walk out on homilies at his previous parish. In the homilies I have heard from him he certainly did not shy away from bringing up contraception as a grave sin and other topics. Though certainly done in a pastoral way and not trying to beat people over the head. People don’t mind most homilies as long as they focus on somebody’s else’s sin.

That particular Sunday, with the old-fashioned church music, all the statues covered in purple as they were before Vatican II, and the usual severe words in the homily, the pressure was simply too much for her to bear.

Yes covering statues is harsh! Rather odd complaint considering how many more progressive parishes have simply removed statues and devotional art in the first place. Putting sand in the Holy Water font is the way to go don’t you know. Now how could severe words bring pressure? I guess if you have unrepented sins, hearing that they are sins is rather annoying.

The woman poured out her frustrations, saying that the pastor had taken the parish back to a Church that she knows nothing about and in a manner that showed no understanding of others’ feelings.

At the end of his first e-mail, my correspondent asked, “Are we expected just to get used to it?”
In my reply, I wrote: “No, you are not simply to ‘get used to it.’ Parishioners need to go elsewhere, like the woman who left Mass in tears.”
I continued: “If there are no parishes or other worshipping communities in the vicinity where the pastoral leadership is healthy rather than driven by a narrow ideology, then one simply has to ‘take a vacation’ from the Church until the skies finally clear and we are bathed in sunlight once again.”

Yes telling people to miss Mass and commit an objectively grave sin until a pastor that suits you comes along is great advice from a priest. Funny when we complain about liturgical abuses they basically tell us to “suck it up” and don’t complain.

At the end of his first e-mail, my correspondent asked, “Are we expected just to get used to it?”

Well if the priest is actually going against Church teaching or any Church documents than they can bring it up with him or end up taking it to the Bishop. These would be the proper steps and not winning to a dissident like Fr. McBrien.

I continued: “If there are no parishes or other worshipping communities in the vicinity where the pastoral leadership is healthy rather than driven by a narrow ideology, then one simply has to ‘take a vacation’ from the Church until the skies finally clear and we are bathed in sunlight once again.”

It is interesting how progressives see orthodoxy as being narrow. Though living the faith in an orthodox way can lead you on the narrow road defined in the Gospel. It is the progressive view that is so narrow with sharp edges defined by culture and not the Gospel. Disagree with a progressive and you easily find where their dogmas lie and that are more binding than anything the pharisees came up with.

The lead article in America magazine’s 100th anniversary issue (April 13) is by a Dominican who is justly admired the world over (by Progressives). It is Timothy Radcliffe’s “The Shape of the Church to Come.”

However, he does identify this polarization as consisting of self-defined “traditionalist” Catholics in open conflict with self-defined “progressive” Catholics.

Because it is only “traditionalists” who cause polarization. Playing games with the liturgy never causes polarization. Playing fast and loose with the theology of the Church never causes polarization.

The pastor in the true story above surely would regard himself as “orthodox,” but the woman who left the church in tears would never have defined herself as a “progressive” Catholic. That adjective would mean nothing to her.

It is not polarization but the pastor of the story and many like him who are responsible for the grieving Church.

He has passed sentence on a fellow priest he has never met and knows nothing about except for this report of hearsay. You would think that he might have made some caveat about this in his article. Though this might be an ironic charge coming from a blogger. It is often quite hard knowing what the actual facts are, but this article was extremely low on actual facts such as what the pastor actually did wrong except for maybe being too blunt. If the pastor actually did something wrong besides violating the phony Spirit of Vatican II then it could be addressed.

We need another petition to have Notre Dame professor’s Fr. McBrien columns removed. His columns serve no useful purpose other than undermining the Church at every opportunity. Telling people to take a vacation from Mass if the parish doesn’t agree with them is evil. You sometimes hear traditionalists calling into Catholic radio asking whether than can not go to Mass because some parish angers them so. They of course don’t tell them to take a vacation, but to address it via the proper steps and to pray. Fr. McBrien didn’t ask anyone to pray for this priest that he has condemned as responsible for a grieving Church. I will pray for Fr. McBrien and I hope you do to.