How can a Catholic priest be so cruel and unforgiving?

[lillylondon]

A member of my close family is a Catholic priest and a few years ago believed some horrible things about another member of our family. She is the most wonderful woman; a practicing Catholic who helps out in the community and would do (and does do) anything for anyone. The local community knows and loves her. He was cruel and upset her so much with the things he said, and I’ve been angry with him ever since. She has forgiven him, but I can see that the pain is still heavy in her heart, and she can’t forget. How can a Catholic priest knowingly make someone feel like this? Even if the things he was saying were true (which I utterly and totally don’t think they were), why didn’t he forgive her? I haven’t spoken to him since, but I’m trying hard to forgive.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Priests are human beings, susceptible to sin as are any of us. In fact, they are particularly targeted by the devil because of the very conformity of their lives to Christ himself, and so we must pray for them. St. John Vianney, the patron of priests, is reported to have said that there are no bad priests, only priests for whom there has not been enough prayer. Perhaps for the rest of this Year for Priests, which ends in June, you might want to make this priestly relative your special “prayer project.”

That said, I must also point out, based on what you have said here, that I can in no way judge the actions of this priest. It might also be better if you refrained from taking sides in this dispute as well. You may not have sufficient information to judge what occurred; and, even if you do have that information, the information you have apparently is tempting you to nurse a grudge against a man who is both a relative and a priest.

I can only recommend that you remove yourself from the dispute between these two people and allow them to work out the matter for themselves.

**Recommended reading:

**God Help Me! These People Are Driving Me Nuts by Gregory K. Popcak
When Difficult Relatives Happen to Good People by Leonard Felder