An injustice towards priests

[m134e5]

mumto5:

Sorry, but to me, as a mother of five children, forgiving this sin means putting my children in danger. As far as I’m concerned, no matter how much they have repented, a child molester can keep out of my environment. They can go anywhere but where my children are. Yes, that’s treating them differently, but I feel this is justified.

Forgiveness doesn’t put anyone in danger- ever. Forgiveness doesn’t mean you have to trust a person again. Forgiveness doesn’t mean you have to forget. Forgiveness doesn’t mean you have to be friends with the person. Forgiveness only means you release them in your heart from their crimes. You don’t have to forget- you shouldn’t forget- often, forgetting can just be asking for the same thing to happen again.

 

[gardenswithkids]

Allen537:

While he may fully receive the sacrament of pennance, for many priests, its a “one strike and you’re out” kind of situation. Many are not allowed to return active ministry.

As stated m134e5 stated so well above, forgiveness doesn’t have to mean returning the priest to active duty. I can forgive a person of the wrong they’ve done without allowing him a chance to commit it again. Actually putting an offending priest back into ministry can be a disservice to *him and his *soul by placing him in a position of authority that has been an occassion of sin for him.

The Church offer absolution to priests, just as it does for the rest of us. I haven’t heard of any cases when the offending priests have been excommunicated. They may continue to recieve spiritual direction and assistance from the Church once they have been removed from active ministry. While individuals within the Church may have difficulty forgiving them for betraying their vows, I believe it’s wrong to suggest that preventing them from active ministry shows unforgiveness.

I would suggest that any priest guilty of such things might serve the Church best by a quiet life of prayer away from active ministry, with special penances done for those who’s faith was harmed by their misdeeds. That is a ministry I think most people would like to see them perform.

 

[Scanner]

I’d rather stick to the topic at hand - the speculative of what if a priest had sex with a 30 year old single woman, not pedophilia.

I think the same standard applies.

A priest makes a vow of celibacy. If the vow is broken, the vocation of priesthood is lost.

I am a doctor and the rules are no different for me. If I have sex with a patient and it is reported to my board (which in this case is the same as whomever the priests face), I may (probably!) lose my license to practice. Or I could be fined or suspended.

It doesn’t mean I go to jail necessarily but those are the consequences. It’s about the vocation, not forgiveness.

Consequences and forgiveness are really two seperate issues.

 

[MariaGorettiGrl]

I think priests are and should be held to a higher standard. Not impossibly high, but higher than ordinary faithful. It’s like a single guy can be more irresponsible than a father. By becoming a priest, the man is taking on a large responsibility, part of which is to lead not only with words but with example.

At the same time, I think the faithful lay people should be more supportive of our priests. They essentially give up family life to be our shepherd. Many people are quick to point out priest’s minor faults and criticize his homilies, the way he runs the church he’s assigned to, etc, but who ever writes their priest a thank-you note? Without him, we wouldn’t get to celebrate a Mass and receive the Eucharist! Priests do a lot of good that we take for granted.

Priests should live up for their flock and flocks should warm up to their priests!

 

[stanley123]

Scanner:

Consequences and forgiveness are really two seperate issues.

This is very true. Suppose for example, a man murders his wife and children, and then goes before the judge and says that he asks for forgiveness. Should the judge then forgive him and just let him go free ? I don’t think so. The judge may forgive him, or the Church or he may be forgiven by the Almighty, but in society there are consequences and there is the question of accountablity for your actions. Some actions are punishable by law, and these laws have been set up with the goal in mind of protecting the innocent, law abiding citizen.

 

[gardenswithkids]

Scanner:

I’d rather stick to the topic at hand - the speculative of what if a priest had sex with a 30 year old single woman, not pedophilia.
…I am a doctor and the rules are no different for me. If I have sex with a patient and it is reported to my board… I may (probably!) lose my license to practice…

Comparing the expected behavior of priests to doctors is a great example. As patients, we wear those backless gowns and expose parts of ourselves to doctors that we typically keep well covered. A thirty year old single female should be able to visit the doctor without having to guard her chastity.

That same thirty year old single female should be able to visit a “doctor of souls”, expose the most intimate parts of her life, (which might include struggles with chastity), and find someone to help heal her.

I can forgive a priest who breaks his vows of celibacy, but I really don’t want him to be the one hearing confessions or offering spiritual counseling. Active ministry in the priesthood gives a man opportunity to learn details of people’s lives that he wouldn’t otherwise know if he didn’t have that authority. Dismissing priests misconduct with adult females as “just between consenting adults” ignores that.