"I am a 21st century priest, so I want to be in a 21st century church" - Father Oprah says to Oprah

[Lou_in_AZ]

In response to “CatholicSeeks”, I don’t believe that our church and it’s leaders have placed judgement on Fr Cutie (Albert). As we all should recognized that mankind is not “without sin” and at any point, most of us are capable of commiting sinful acts.

I also watched the Oprah show and was left with many questions about his continued participation in the Catholic Clerical life. He seems very in love with this woman and I believe that he has opted to start a life with her. Better to be honest to himself than continue being a priest and continue sinning in this matter.

These are completely my opinions and in no way do I consider myself a judge…but we are all allowed by God to make our own choices…good or bad.

 

[AllForYou]

Did anyone watch today’s Oprah? Oprah had people who were caught by cameras, etc. Father Oprah, the Miami priest who was caught with his girl friend was on. On his turn, he described the Church as the bad guy.

It was disgusting!! **He said he was SURPRISED by the reaction of the Church. **“These are natural feeling that we have, God is love…he created man and woman to be in love…(paraphrase)”. He was describing how bad he had it “why is the Church reacting like this when there have been priests with prostitutes” Oprah then said “don’t forget priests with children.”

Why am I complaining? I feel like something should be done.

Seriously? How could anyone be surprised? Some things i will never understand!

 

[elgar]

With former priests like this I am thankful for the priests that we have that are faithful to their vocations and take their vows seriously even though the I do not really care for the head priest at my own parish I do appreciate the fact that he takes the vocation of the priesthood seriously and he his some one that I trust totally

The trend for the last several years has been for many Godly, intellegent, orthodox Protestant clergymen leaving mainline churches and joining the Roman Catholic Church. In many cases, these men go on to become Catholic priests and deacons after a little training/re-training. A lot has to do with individual bishops and their willingness to think outside of the box, especially when these men bring wives and children into the rectory.

Catholic clergy and others who are dissatisfied for one reason or another or get caught in a scandal like Fr. Cutie, tend to gravitate to those same mainline churches so to live out their sins since no real repentance is required of them. So in other words, the Catholics are gettting the good converts, and the Protestants are getting the duds. I’d be happy to cite many examples.

 

[Sunflower15]

The trend for the last several years has been for many Godly, intellegent, orthodox Protestant clergymen leaving mainline churches and joining the Roman Catholic Church. In many cases, these men go on to become Catholic priests and deacons after a little training/re-training. A lot has to do with individual bishops and their willingness to think outside of the box, especially when these men bring wives and children into the rectory.

Catholic clergy and others who are dissatisfied for one reason or another or get caught in a scandal like Fr. Cutie, tend to gravitate to those same mainline churches so to live out their sins since no real repentance is required of them. So in other words, the Catholics are gettting the good converts, and the Protestants are getting the duds. I’d be happy to cite many examples.

I have to say that I have noticed this as well. Somehow, the ones crossing over to us seem to have spent years educating themselves, pondering, praying about it, in spite of family/friends/others who they felt would be hurt by their conversion. Their decisions sometimes means a financial loss as well, AND they are not going to the media or to TV to express their disagreement with their original traditions in a way that attacks that tradition.

On the other hand, the ones that leave us to go to other traditions, are not the best examples of discipleship or discipline, don’t spend years in prayer and education to make the shift, don’t lose family/friends nor financially due to the cross-over. In fact, don’t even have to show regret for having dismissed their own promises, AND go publicly attacking our Church for not allowing them their way…

I compared a priest who decides to leave his promise of celibacy to a married man who decides to leave his wife, in that after a decade or two of a relationship, the least anyone can do is offer respect -if not prior to a mistake, at least after the fact- and not publicly embarrass or attack that previous relationship, even if it was unsatisfactory…after decades!

I’m not sure why anyone would want a priest caught in scandal to become one of their priests Maybe after some time of showing regret for bad decisions, and for not following on his promises…[because whether other churches demand celibacy or not, any church demands promises to God to be fulfilled, no?]

 

[JReducation]

The trend for the last several years has been for many Godly, intellegent, orthodox Protestant clergymen leaving mainline churches and joining the Roman Catholic Church. In many cases, these men go on to become Catholic priests and deacons after a little training/re-training. A lot has to do with individual bishops and their willingness to think outside of the box, especially when these men bring wives and children into the rectory.

Catholic clergy and others who are dissatisfied for one reason or another or get caught in a scandal like Fr. Cutie, tend to gravitate to those same mainline churches so to live out their sins since no real repentance is required of them. So in other words, the Catholics are gettting the good converts, and the Protestants are getting the duds. I’d be happy to cite many examples.

The bold is mine.

I just want to carify something here. Ordaining a former Protestant minister who converts has nothing to do with the bishop thinking outside the box. There was an indult and the time elapsed. Now, if you want to ordain a married man to the priesthood, you have to go through Rome. The bishop cannot unilaterally decided this. He can ordain him a deacon. That’s not a problem, because it’s not an indult. It’s the ordinary thing to do, to ordain married men to the diaconate as long as they make a promise that if they are widowed they will be celibate until death. But to receive the second order of the sacrament, presbyter, you need Rome’s permission.

Also, married priests do not live in rectories. They live in their own homes with their families like any other husband and father. They have to make money to pay for their family’s expenses. The diocese rarely pays them enough to cover their expenses. Many have several posts in the diocese, so that they can receive salaries from different diocesan offices or they have a job outside of the diocese, such as a chaplaincy at a hospital, where the hospital pays the salary and benefits. Most dioceses cannot afford to pay a priest $60K a year. They’re lucky they can pay $20K and in some diocese it’s less than that.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[JReducation]

I have to say that I have noticed this as well. Somehow, the ones crossing over to us seem to have spent years educating themselves, pondering, praying about it, in spite of family/friends/others who they felt would be hurt by their conversion. Their decisions sometimes means a financial loss as well, AND they are not going to the media or to TV to express their disagreement with their original traditions in a way that attacks that tradition.

On the other hand, the ones that leave us to go to other traditions, are not the best examples of discipleship or discipline, don’t spend years in prayer and education to make the shift, don’t lose family/friends nor financially due to the cross-over. In fact, don’t even have to show regret for having dismissed their own promises, AND go publicly attacking our Church for not allowing them their way…

I compared a priest who decides to leave his promise of celibacy to a married man who decides to leave his wife, in that after a decade or two of a relationship, the least anyone can do is offer respect -if not prior to a mistake, at least after the fact- and not publicly embarrass or attack that previous relationship, even if it was unsatisfactory…after decades!

I’m not sure why anyone would want a priest caught in scandal to become one of their priests Maybe after some time of showing regret for bad decisions, and for not following on his promises…[because whether other churches demand celibacy or not, any church demands promises to God to be fulfilled, no?]

In fairness to other priests who have left the Catholic Church and joined the Episcopal communion so they can get married, let’s not hold up Fr. Alberto as the poster boy for this group. There are many many more very good men who have acted according to their conscience and have been very private about their change and very respectful toward the Catholic Church. There are more of them than there are of the “superstars” such as Fr. Alberto. Many of these men who have joined the Episcopal communioin still maintain good relationships with their former confreres and even their former bishops or religious superiors in the Catholic Church. There are no hard feelings and no finger pointing on either side. They have made their choice and they live it quietly. They maintain contact with their Catholic friends and many times there is nothing but warm affection back and forth. Even though we on the Catholic side believe that the choice was wrong, we still love these men and continue to be their friends. They are not evil and have not done us any harm. They have left quietly and remain respectful and are very serious about their lives as former Catholics. Most of them are greatful for what they learned and for what the Church did for them. Fr. Alberto is part of a vocal minority.

I have a very good friend who was a Franciscan who become an Episcopalian because he wanted to get married. He still visits the friars, after 25 years. He is very respectful of his own privacy and that of his family. He’s a good husband and a very good father. We just hope and pray that God who understands the human heart and mind better than we do, will understand his. What else can you do?

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Sunflower15]

In fairness to other priests who have left the Catholic Church and joined the Episcopal communion so they can get married, let’s not hold up Fr. Alberto as the poster boy for this group. There are many many more very good men who have acted according to their conscience and have been very private about their change and very respectful toward the Catholic Church. There are more of them than there are of the “superstars” such as Fr. Alberto. Many of these men who have joined the Episcopal communioin still maintain good relationships with their former confreres and even their former bishops or religious superiors in the Catholic Church. There are no hard feelings and no finger pointing on either side. They have made their choice and they live it quietly. They maintain contact with their Catholic friends and many times there is nothing but warm affection back and forth. Even though we on the Catholic side believe that the choice was wrong, we still love these men and continue to be their friends. They are not evil and have not done us any harm. They have left quietly and remain respectful and are very serious about their lives as former Catholics. Most of them are greatful for what they learned and for what the Church did for them. Fr. Alberto is part of a vocal minority.

I have a very good friend who was a Franciscan who become an Episcopalian because he wanted to get married. He still visits the friars, after 25 years. He is very respectful of his own privacy and that of his family. He’s a good husband and a very good father. We just hope and pray that God who understands the human heart and mind better than we do, will understand his. What else can you do?

Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF

Of course! I think I mentioned that I grew up going to an Episcopalian church with a friend, though I have always been Catholic, because my family did not go to church, not even on ‘special’ occasions, though if you ask them, they are all Catholics ?].

I actually love Episcopalians in particular from among our Protestant brethren, because I know them better than other traditions.

I think God calls people within their hearts to where He wants them, so that their souls will not perish. Wherever that might be, so be it! I have no issues with the cross-overs, and I should have been more careful when I generalized from Padre Alberto, whom I actually liked a lot…and still care for, though I don’t appreciate his public opinions on a matter that should be more private nor on his judgment of what conditions should the church put on priests.

It’s not like it is a secret that Catholic priests are single and celibate, if one becomes one, one accepts this condition, as in any other group to which one wishes to become part of. I don’t even wonder whether it should be or not…what for? I’m not is a position to change anything regarding priests…the HS will make the church change, if and when He so desires it…but changes usually come from saints not from people who ‘break’ the rules, even for a good cause such as love…

I know Episcopalian priests who are wonderful priests, who follow their rules to the letter, and wonder why they need Catholic ones who don’t follow the rules they accepted, nor show humility in their ‘missing the mark’ ,but rather publicly argue against the rules. What makes an Episcopalian bishop think that such a priest will follow their rules?

This case makes it seem as what the previous poster had said, that we get their better ones, but they don’t…it doesn’t necessarily have to be the truth. One would think that his new bishop would keep things a little quiet for a while…at least that’s what I think would make sense to protect their own image, not ours. They seem to be using Padre Alberto as the ‘poster boy’ for Catholics leaving the ‘old stagnant church’ for a ‘modern updated’ version.

You are right in that we cannot generalize, though.