How should we respond to priests who stumble or fall?

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No question about it, our priests have a very hard, lonely, exacting life. They give and give and pray and minister, and like anyone would, they grow exhausted and weary. Praying for priests is a ministry of Mercy.

Somehow we think they are above temptation, above falling into sin…how misguided this is! They are attacked more often by evil, because they can be instruments of great good, or unfortunately, great evil.

Our priests need our prayers. They are being attacked from all directions, and occasionally they fall, and fall big. What should be our attitude toward the fallen? What we would want people to do with us, and what Jesus has instructed us to do…forgive. Seventy times seven.
 
What was he thinking? There is no way one could keep this relationship secret. He had great popularity, and hence jealous enimies who couldn’t wait to exploit this. But he had to open the door to being exposed. We can blame the media, but it’s the public that wants to see this splashed on the internet and the so-called news. As a sinner myself, I have no right to judge this priest. It’s just so sad.
 
Those who fall teach us to pray, have compassion, and find forgiveness. They also teach the Church how to find better ways hopefully to ensure some of the reasons priests fall, don’t follow into the next generation of religious.

I think some lose sight of the Kingdom of Heaven and why some of us sacrifice things in this life. When one falls into the temptation of the earthly desire, they’ve moved away from the Heavenly desire.

I know some priests fall into temptation, but maybe some also don’t understand in themselves enough what a benefit celibacy is to themselves spiritually, a benefit to the Church, a worthy sacrifice for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven and assisting others to get to Heaven.

If someone is going to spend 7 years in a seminary, I would have thought that priests would all come out with a deep understanding of the reasons our priests are called to be celibate and be able to embrace this because they have harnessed within themselves a deep appreciation for and understanding of this gift and what it means for them, and for the Church.

So many religious and Catholics do not seem to understand this gift. I know some get tempted, and some do fall, just as well all do at times get tempted to fall in other areas, but I can’t help but think many just don’t get it enough.
 
So many religious and Catholics do not seem to understand this gift. I know some get tempted, and some do fall,
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Maybe celibacy was a gift he was not given, but forced to act like he had been.

Did anyone see the very poignant movie PRIEST?

Old Priest: God gave me celibacy. He gave you certainty of vocation.

Young Priest: But I want both.

Old Priest: Good Lord, man! Don’t be greedy!
 
terrysa said:
No question about it, our priests have a very hard, lonely, exacting life. They give and give and pray and minister, and like anyone would, they grow exhausted and weary. Praying for priests is a ministry of Mercy.

Somehow we think they are above temptation, above falling into sin…how misguided this is! They are attacked more often by evil, because they can be instruments of great good, or unfortunately, great evil.

Our priests need our prayers. They are being attacked from all directions, and occasionally they fall, and fall big. What should be our attitude toward the fallen? What we would want people to do with us, and what Jesus has instructed us to do…forgive. Seventy times seven.
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That is so true. Once, several of us dined at the rectory with our priest and he told us about a love letter he got from a woman parishioner. She wrote him and told him she loved him and wanted to be his wife! Fr. told us how shocked he was and he was upset. I mean, celibacy is difficult enough, but with women trying to seduce them, it’s probably doubly difficult.

That same priest also mentioned how difficult it is as his family is in Poland. On Sundays, when everyone hugs him and wishes him a good week, we then go home to our families and he can’t do that. He was sent to the US; when he became a priest, he always thought he’d be a priest in his village in Poland. He arrived in the US, not knowing any English at all.

Anyway, thanks for reminding us that they are only human. We have such high expectations of them, but in fact, we need to pray for them and perhaps remember them and bring them home or Sunday lunch from time to time.
 
Cluny said:
Maybe celibacy was a gift he was not given, but forced to act like he had been.
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I have no doubt that grace is required to overcome sexual temptation, but to regard celibacy as a “gift” of God in its own right is to deny the sinner culpability for his sin, is it not?
 
The_Prodigal said:
I have no doubt that grace is required to overcome sexual temptation, but to regard celibacy as a “gift” of God in its own right is to deny the sinner culpability for his sin, is it not?
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Why do you think St. Paul said, “It’s better to marry than to burn”?
 
“I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.
But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.”

St. Paul recommends a process of discernment for each individual in deciding their state in life. That is hardly an excuse for fornication, which he elsewhere condemns!
 
The_Prodigal said:
“I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.
But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.”

St. Paul recommends a process of discernment for each individual in deciding their state in life. That is hardly an excuse for fornication, which he elsewhere condemns!
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He - and Jesus - also clearly condemn judgment.
Your screen name indicates that you at some time were blessed with God’s mercy and forgiveness. I encourage you to pray for our priests, that they receive the same if they are tempted.
 
NCSue,

I have great respect for the priesthood and sympathy for priests.
 
How should we respond to priests who stumble or fall?
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With lots of mercy and forgiveness. I pray for vocations all the time. They have a rough life. In my diocese there is a tremendous upheaval going on and priests are being moved around like chess pieces. I thought how would you like to be at a place for years and have someone say I want you to do this now and you have to move somewhere else and start over…its a tough life. God Bless them all. They have a special seat in the Kingdom.
 
NCSue said:
I’ve been getting “nudges” from the Holy Spirit lately. The same nudge. Over and over.

Pray for our priest.
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How can you be sure it is God giving you these ideas? Better to disregard thoughts like these, I think.
 
terrysa said:
No question about it, our priests have a very hard, lonely, exacting life. They give and give and pray and minister, and like anyone would, they grow exhausted and weary. Praying for priests is a ministry of Mercy.

Somehow we think they are above temptation, above falling into sin…how misguided this is! They are attacked more often by evil, because they can be instruments of great good, or unfortunately, great evil.

Our priests need our prayers. They are being attacked from all directions, and occasionally they fall, and fall big. What should be our attitude toward the fallen? What we would want people to do with us, and what Jesus has instructed us to do…forgive. Seventy times seven.
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I agree terry, let he who is without sin, cast the first stone…
 
The_Prodigal said:
How can you be sure it is God giving you these ideas? Better to disregard thoughts like these, I think.
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If the Holy Spirit isn’t nudging this person to pray for a priest, then who is? At the very worse, he’s still praying for a priest. Can’t hurt?
 
Simon_X said:
If the Holy Spirit isn’t nudging this person to pray for a priest, then who is? At the very worse, he’s still praying for a priest. Can’t hurt?
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I don’t think that God accuses a sinner to another sinner! But perhaps I am misunderstanding the meaning of the OP…
 
The_Prodigal said:
How can you be sure it is God giving you these ideas? Better to disregard thoughts like these, I think.
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You say it is best to disregart thoughts like praying for our priests? Tell it to the Pope. He disagrees with you. And so do I.
 
it depends on whether they are struggling to rise again, or if they have declared they like it just find down there and plan to keep wallowing in the ditch.
 
NCSue said:
You say it is best to disregart thoughts like praying for our priests? Tell it to the Pope. He disagrees with you. And so do I.
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My mistake. I did not mean to imply you should not pray for priests.

What are the “nudges” you refer to?
 
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