Celtic catholic church 'father'

[choose_to_love]

Friends, my parish is apparently running a series with Fr. Barron’s Catholicism DVD series. That is well and good, AFAIK. However, the person who is leading it is a, well, he identifies as a priest of the “celtic christian church”. Website for reference: celticchristianchurch.org/ He typically wears clerics, and on the website he refers to himself as “Fr. So-and-So”.

I am reluctant to use terms like “schismatic”, but to me it seems that is what this ecclesial community actually is. It baffles me as to how it can possibly be a good idea to have this fellow, who I think has basically good intentions, as he understands them, lead a class on Catholicism. I suspect they are heretics as well (see, well, the rest of the website), but there is no need to go there.

My bride emailed him (at the address provided both on the public website above and a different email he listed in the parish bulletin) and he claimed his “ordination” is valid but illicit. Not sure there was a validly ordained bishop around to do that, but either way, why on earth should any Catholic parish have an acknowledged person who is willing to be ordained illicitly be in any sort of leadership position. He claims that he is leading the class.

I have a call in to the pastor. Fr. So-and-so is, I think, generally regarded within the parish as a harmless eccentric, but I am not sure Msgr. knows about the “ordination” and the website. If Msgr. doesn’t know about it, and removes him as leader, I’m good. That seems logical to me.

My concern is if Msgr. says, yes, I know about it, and I have concluded the benefit of the series outweighs any negatives from Fr. So-and-so. Next step, Msgr. says, I have discussed it, Fr. S-a-s will identify himself as belonging to another ecclesial community, has assured me he is not proselytizing, etc., and will answer questions from a Catholic perspective, etc. What then? My inclination is that this is an instance of prudential judgment on the part of the pastor, and that we should accept that in obedience and faith. If it is a bad decision, that’s on him. My bride, not so much. I am about 90% certain our local ordinary would not act even if he thought it inappropriate or imprudent. If Msgr. does not act, no one will.

I think I would try to attend the class, which would be a total pain in one sense because it is during prime clean-up/bedtime prep for our fam (on the other hand, yay Fr. Barron!) to provide first-hand examples of any improprieties.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions solicitied. Am I overreacting?

 

[edward_george]

I would question why any Catholic parish would have someone in a position of responsibility who not only was illicitly ordained, but who belongs to a group which has female bishops and priests as well. You might point this out to your pastor, and if that doesn’t accomplish anything, report it to your Diocese.

-ACEGC

 

[SonCatcher]

he claimed his “ordination” is valid but illicit.

Actually, the validity of his ordination is doubtful. Since they also ordain women, it is clear they intend something other than what the Catholic Church intends.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

This schismatic group should, of course, not be teaching at a Catholic Church. No, it is not a matter of prudential judgment.

Find a Catholic to present Father Barron’s course.

If your pastor forces this, politely contact your bishop. If the bishop, God forbid, is in favor of this, contact the papal nuncio and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican.