We need to talk about priests

By Michael Kelly

The death by suicide of Belfast-based Fr Matt Wallace has stunned many people. He is the third Irish priest to take his own life in the last 18 months. People are understandably shocked by the particular circumstances of each tragedy. But when the dust settles around the death of Fr Wallace, and his brother-priests and parishioners begin to pick up the pieces, it’s vital that some good can be brought out of this tragedy. There is a danger that when the shock dies down, we all get back to business as usual and there is no discussion about the wider questions.

For a start, we need to talk about the pressures facing priests in ministry today. Parishioners and bishops need to think seriously about expectations. Many priests are at breaking-point simply keeping the show on the road and there is little or no thought about realistic reform of parish life. While the number of priests serving in many parishes has fallen sharply in recent years, the expectations largely remain the same. In most dioceses, the (usually unsaid) advice is simply to keep one’s head down and get on with things. A culture of deference means that most priests won’t tell the bishop when they’re in trouble and need more support. There’s also a culture of not wanting to bother those in authority. Where problems arise, the solution is often short-term or little more than a sticking-plaster.crisis

Priests are used to biting their lips. They often proceed without complaining. Interactions with their bishops rarely go beyond superficial chit-chat about football matches. There’s usually little room for real talk about pressures in ministry.

Loneliness

Many priests are lonely. Loneliness, of course, is part of the human condition. But do priests have someone to turn to? Do they have friends with whom they can experience the human need for intimacy and to know oneself to be loved?

Fr Thomas McGlynn put it well at Fr Wallace’s funeral when he observed that more priests face burnout and struggle with loneliness and the realisation “that we belong to everyone and to no one, even though we have the positive and affirming love of families, friends and parishioners”.

Fr McGlynn went on to point out that a “life of service in a bruised and wounded Church can be challenging and is both physically and mentally demanding. It is a hard truth and one that cannot be denied or dismissed and for some it has become intolerable or very difficult to bear”.

Some Catholics have tended to see their priests as Superman-like figures without the same feelings and emotional needs of others. It’s as if the grace of the Sacrament of Holy Orders overrides all human issues. But it doesn’t.

Too many priests are over-extending themselves. Catholics need to question the notions of priesthood that we have created. Is it really healthy that that the men who spend every waking moment running from pillar to post attending meetings, functions and calling bingo numbers are the people we admire as model priests?

Are we forgetting that unless a priest is himself nourished in body and soul, then he will have nothing to give? Sadly, we can all think of examples of priests who appear bitter and resentful, or are simply weary and running on empty having long-since spent themselves in the service of the Lord with little else to give other than a round of constant busyness. How many Irish Catholics are unwilling to approach their parish priest about anything because they don’t want to overburden a man whose life is marked by an almost frantic desire to keep everything going? At the same time, there are many parishioners who keep a vigil-like eye on their priests: “He has a nice sun tan” or “he likes his golf” which are generally offered as stinging critiques rather than casual comments.

Many priests are also over-burdened by expectations of nominal Catholics who no longer attend Mass or practise their faith. While not regular Massgoers, most Catholics in Ireland still want their children baptised, want to get married in the Catholic Church and want a Catholic funeral. Most of these people have little or no awareness of the challenges facing the local priest since they rarely – if ever – darken the door of the church. Yet, the sense of expectation that a priest will be available at a moment’s notice is palpable. Many parishes are also under financial pressure since many of those who avail of the services on an infrequent basis don’t contribute to the parish.

Criticism

We need to be realistic and name the fact that the last number of years have been very demanding and demoralising on priests. Many are subject to constant carping and criticism: there are not enough Masses, there is not enough home visits, there needs to be something more for young people…and it goes on.

Since Vatican II we have increasingly talked about co-responsibility between people and priests for the future of the Church. While it’s true that some priests are resistant to this, too many parishioners are also content to be passive. They look on at the increasing workload of priests and the declining numbers as if they are mere observers rather than people empowered by Baptism to take responsibility for the Church.

The issue of clerical sexual abuse and the disastrous handling of allegations by bishops and religious superiors has also had a devastating effect on priests. Many feel subjects of public suspicion and a sense of being sitting ducks vulnerable to false allegations and rumours. Research shows that the general public vastly overestimates the number of priests who have abused children. This is very wearing. Many priests feel demoralised by the fact that they were not responsible for any mishandling of abuse, but live now in the knowledge that bishops are so keen to be seen as squeaky clean on the issue, the last place they will get support from in dealing with a false allegation is their bishop.

Ridicule

Priests have also become constant subjects of ridicule for comedians and commentators. It is taken for granted in many so-called ‘enlightened’ circles that priestly celibacy automatically produces weirdoes. Earlier this year, best-selling author Marian Keyes proposed a “National Throw A Stone At A Priest Day”. Can you imagine the absolutely correct furore if, say for example, she used ‘Jew’ or ‘gay’ instead of priest?

Ms Keyes then posted a message to social networking site Twitter stating: “no matter how ‘nice’ a priest is, no matter how many raffles he runs, he is still a foot soldier for a f*cked-up misogynistic regime”.

And so it goes on.

Many priests no longer have a regular day off each week. Or, if they do have a day off, they have to scramble around to get cover so they can get away from the parish. And yet, there seems little cognisance of this from parishioners. Priests are expected to share in the joys and sorrows of the parish community, which they do often with heroic fortitude. But this also takes its toll. A priest told me recently about a devastating death by suicide of a young man in his parish. He journeyed with the family through the days of the wake and funeral trying desperately to offer words of comfort and consolation without wanting to give the impression in his homily that suicide is ever a solution. Three hours after the funeral Mass, attended by large numbers of bewildered young people, he was celebrating the wedding Mass of a young couple of the happiest day of their lives. At both of those Masses, the priest had to share in the emotion of the people there: from stark devastation to hope-filled joy.

When it comes to the running of schools, priests are sometimes called upon to intervene in serious human resources issues that would test the competence of even experienced lawyers. And if the priest makes a wrong call in good faith, it will all blow up in his face.

Pain

Many priests also acutely feel the pain of their parishioners in the midst of the recession. It comes as a surprise to many Catholics that priests are not well paid, many live from month-to-month grateful for the odd donation they receive to tide them over.

Priests need support. For some this will take the form of structured support such as pastoral reflection groups while others will prefer informal support by spending time with friends or family. Bishops need to ensure that priests have the space that they need to recharge their batteries. Priests also need to be aware that there is support that they can access when they feel under pressure. Parishioners will also need to be aware that priests, largely due to falling numbers and an aging clergy cannot be as present as they once were.

Complete Article HERE!

Fr Matt Wallace suicide ‘shows pressure on priests’

A Catholic priest has said the death of a colleague at the weekend has highlighted the growing pressures they face.

Father Matt Wallace, from the parish of the Holy Trinity in west Belfast, took his own life.Father Matt Wallace

The funeral of the County Wexford-born priest was held in Belfast on Tuesday.

It was told that the growing demand on a diminishing number of priests is physically and mentally challenging and for some it is becoming intolerable.

Father Martin Magill, from the nearby St Oliver Plunkett parish, said fellow priests were stunned by the nature of Fr Wallace’s death and he said the tragedy highlighted the difficulties facing many priests.

“I suppose the word torture would come to mind to some extent when there are mental health issues, when we’re battling with our own particular issues,” he said.

“It can be a sense of being plagued, it could certainly be a sense of being tortured as well.”

Fr Magill said the church and society now need to consider why a well respected priest like Fr Wallace could no longer cope with his own difficulties.

Fr Wallace, 69, was based in west Belfast for four decades. His death followed a number of months on sick leave.

Complete Article HERE!

Politicians who back law on equal rights for gays may be excommunicated – Moldovan Orthodox Church threats

File under: The Making of strange bedfellows.

 

The Moldovan Orthodox Church Synod has threatened politicians who back the law on equal rights for homosexuals with excommunication.

Metropolitan Vladimir of Chisinau and All Moldova told reporters on Friday that “the first step may be to keep such politicians from taking communion.”

Hello darlings!  Love my outfit?
Hello darlings! Love my outfit?

The metropolitan said the June 20 meeting of the Synod had lasted for ten hours and addressed the situation with the enforcement of the law on equal rights for gays and the preparations for the visit by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, who plans to visit Moldova in September.

“The Synod stated its position on the law on equal rights in the adopted declaration,” the metropolitan said, adding that the Synod already asked the authorities to make amendments to the law and to prevent propaganda of homosexuality in society on May 19.

“Unfortunately, our request was not heard and no measures were taken. We want to use another opportunity to draw people’s attention to what is happening and we are addressing them again as the Orthodox Church the second time. When we address them the third time, specific decisions will be made,” Metropolitan Vladimir said. to

The declaration posted on the website of the Moldovan Metropolia on Friday says that “the authorities have not heeded an establishment which, according to public opinion polls, enjoys the highest level of confidence in society.”

“Being ignored like this makes us draw conclusions that the Moldovan Orthodox Church and Christians, who account for 93.4% of the population, were removed from the authorities’ plans in the past few years, whereas non-traditional minorities are getting more and more support from the authorities,” the document says.

The adoption of the law on the prevention of discrimination was a condition set by the European Union for the fulfillment of the plan of actions to liberalize the visa regime between Moldova and the EU. Its adoption was postponed for a long time and the name of the law was changed gradually. In May 2012, the document was adopted as the law On Equality. The guarantees of sexual minorities’ rights are mentioned in the chapter of the law banning discrimination in the workplace.

The Moldovan Orthodox Church and the Communist Party are contesting the law.

Complete Article HERE!

Archbishop: “May a lesbian marry a gay man? My answer is ‘yes’”

File under: Marriage Equality Catholic style

A cleric says gay people can totally marry — as long as they marry someone of the opposite sex

 

By Mary Elizabeth Williams

If there’s one thing the Catholic Church is good at, it’s finding loopholes in its own convoluted dogma. These are the people who invented Limbo, after all. So leave it to an enterprising archbishop to find a workaround on marriage equality. If gay men and women want to get hitched, no problem, says Archbishop Oscar Cruz of the Philippines. “I ask this question to myself and I have thought about it for a long time and the answer is ‘yes,’” he declared earlier this week at the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-National Appellate Matrimonial Tribunal. There’s just one catch.

Archbishop Oscar Cruz“May a lesbian marry a gay man?” he told the crowd. “My answer is ‘yes,’ because in that instance the capacity to consummate the union is there. The anatomy is there. The possibility of conception is there.” Apparently in Cruz’s mind, “consummation” is limited strictly to those activities which can result in conception, and conception is good enough to call it a marriage. Cruz went on to to discuss marriage equality, saying, “For the Church, even if you turn it upside down and call it by another name, it would still not be marriage. For the Church, even if a hundred [judges] bless a same-sex wedding, it would still not be effective.” Who needs love or even a like-minded orientation to get the Church’s blessing anyway, when you’ve got straight up anatomy?

But if the Catholic Church can sanction marriage between lesbians and gay men, Cruz also acknowledges it can also retroactively declare that it was never even legitimate in the first place. In the same speech, the Archbishop admitted that homosexuality was valid grounds for annulment, though he added it is rarely invoked. “More often, it’s is about psychological problems,” he said, “meaning there is some kind of mental impairment or emotional disturbance.”

Same-sex marriage is not permitted in Cruz’s mostly Catholic country. And as the Gay News Network reports, two years ago a bill was filed to amend the Philippine Family Code to ban “forbidden marriages.” Sham marriage, however, is still totally fine in the eyes of the country’s Catholic authority. So if you’re a gay person in the Philippines who wants to get hitched, the celibate man in white gown says there’s nothing stopping you. Just don’t try to wed someone you’d want to have an authentic lifetime partnership with.

Complete Article HERE!

“Venerabilis”, Website for Indecent Encounters Between Priests in Italy

File under: “Aberrosexual” Hey, I resemble that remark!

venerabilis

It is not easy to talk about some things, but Pope Francis’ statement of a gay lobby in the Catholic Church draws waves. As the Catholic writer, Vittorio Messori made ​​known, there is a page on the Internet called Venerabilis which is run by a fraternity of Homo-Sensitive Roman Catholic Priests.

The homo Sensitive priestly society claims to be a loose association of gay and homophile Catholic priests. The website serves as a gay dating site, so that aberrosexual priests can find contact among themselves, or homosexual laity can meet like-minded priests and vice versa. This page offers chat rooms in five languages, including in German, a Twitter service to the Catholic Church and some news from a “homo sensitive” view. The ads are unique. Anyone who registers on the Venerabilis and gives a personal ad or responds to one, seeks homosexual sexual contact.

The site is operated by Italian aberrosexuals. The Italian chatroom is the most visited, followed by Spain and France.

Sex contacts for priests, seminarians, religious and lay people committed
Whether it is priests who are the operators, can not be said with certainty. However, Messori has no doubt. In the German chat room, you can read messages like: “Good day, I live in Germany and seeking contact with like-minded men (priests)”, including e-mail address. Or: “I, too, am seeking a devout Catholic (within the Church as a committed layman) to like-minded people in the name of love …”. “I’m looking for a friend. A priest like me. “

In the Italian chat one gets even more to the point. This recent entry contact on the 12th of June is: “My name is Luca from Milan and would like to meet a priest with serious intentions to associate with him.” On the 23rd of May an “Anonymous” wrote, “Good day, I am 67 years old, I had friendships with priests who were important for my spiritual, personal and sexual life … I would like to be contacted by priests in Rome again and to experience these feelings, PS: I am a teacher and guarantee discretion for me and for everyone who answers me. ” Or “I’m a married man of 50 years, looking for gay priests for a discrete friendship in the area of ​​(name of city).” On 15 May: “Hi, my name is Marco from (city name), an ex-seminarian seeking young priest.”

Since the 1st of May the aberro-brotherhood, which calls itself Fraternitas Sacerdotalis. is a “meeting place” in order to meet “personally” and at “no risk”. And in fact, Rome Feltrinelli bookstore in Largo Argentina has a “6- 8pm” at the cafeteria or in the department “Philosophy and Religion”. “For the seminarians of the Jesuit university Gregorian University and the Dominican Angelicum from 11 to 12 clock in the same place. “

Zero tolerance of pedophilia. When is there also going to be zero tolerance towards aberrosexuality?
When Pope Francis reitrated the zero tolerance policy of Pope Benedict XVI. against pedophilia in April, the Catholic intellectual Roberto de Mattei said: “zero tolerance against homosexuality” The historian recalled a meeting on the 12th of April 2010 in Chile, and drew attention to the Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone who addressed scientific studies on an evident connection between sexual abuse of minors, and homosexuality. There is, says de Mattei, an urgent need to combat the hedonistic and relativistic culture which has ripped into the church relativistic, for homosexuality or homosexual tendencies in seminaries are even considered to be “irrelevant”.

“Opposite, ‘structures of sin’ is silence not allowed. It is compulsory to tear the veil of hypocrisy, even if some will view this as a defilement of the Church. The dirt is sin, not the combat against it,” says the historian, who quoted the holy Peter Damian (1007-1072): “This vice should not be viewed as a normal burden, because it involves significantly other vices. It kills namely, the body, destroys the soul, contaminating the flesh, choking the light of the intellect, drives away the Holy Spirit from the temple of the soul, leading to inciting a demon of lust, seduced into error … “.

Complete Article HERE!