Paulist Fathers

[Discernibility]

Just as this is nothing more than your opinion.

But I believe that the forum rules are not to disparage communities that are in good standing with the Church.

Specifically number 19 from the Banned Topics list in the Welcome to the Vocations Forum sticky.
19. Identifying individual parishes, clergy, or hierarchs as “unfaithful to the Magisterium”, guilty of “liturgical abuse”, or otherwise engaged in unacceptable or unpopular practices, based on personal “knowledge” or opinion

So we will see what the moderators think as I have reported the offending reply.

Please understand that, whatever the moderators may do, the fact is that what I’ve said in these posts is based on personal experience and on direct quotations from Paulists and former Paulist novices. These are not mere opinions. I understand the need for censorship in a forum like this one, but bear in mind that censorship sometimes protects organizations from the very accountability that could restore their integrity. Woe to us for our complicity.

 

[bigquests]

I really dislike the air of suspicion that hangs over the vocation posts. A frequent question is on the order of, “What does anyone know about the …community? Are they orthodox?” First out of the gate. Well, define “orthodox”. Why shouldn’t they be? If you have doubts from personal knowledge of a community’s members, or the community’s website, discuss it with a representative, especially if you’re a potential discerner. Don’t take someone else’s word for it.

Re the Paulists, a current member in formation, there several years now, Tom Gibbons, started a very funny blog, which later became incorporated into www.bustedhalo.org. He’s still there, bottom left “My Big Fat Spiritual Life”. Read his current posts, then see if you can access all of his old posts dating back to his entry. It’ll give you an insight into the Paulists.

 

[curlycool89]

I listen to Father Dave Dwyer on Busted Halo on The Catholic Channel almost every night. He’s a Paulist father, and very solid.

I second the recommendation for Fr. Dave Dwyer.

 

[hxcCatholic413]

Just as this is nothing more than your opinion.

But I believe that the forum rules are not to disparage communities that are in good standing with the Church.

Specifically number 19 from the Banned Topics list in the Welcome to the Vocations Forum sticky.
19. Identifying individual parishes, clergy, or hierarchs as “unfaithful to the Magisterium”, guilty of “liturgical abuse”, or otherwise engaged in unacceptable or unpopular practices, based on personal “knowledge” or opinion

So we will see what the moderators think as I have reported the offending reply.

I suppose you could’ve messaged him beforehand about this before reporting him…benefit of the doubt certainly applies to this user

 

[Wildkit]

I was a member of the Paulist Choir at Old St. Mary’s Church in Chicago and was led in the faith my a tremendous priest and choir director for this all boy and men’s choir. Cardinal George of Chicago was also a chorister in days gone by. In addition to the Dominican Nuns who were my grade school teachers, this Paulist priest was most influential in the development of my faith in those formative years. I wish they were predominant in our localities. I also wish they had a director who could do half of what Fr. O’Malley did with that boys choir.

 

[jmcdzzz]

Unfortunately, here in Grand Rapids, our experience with the Paulists has been has been anything but satisfactory. The Paulists here are all older, so I am not sure if this creates a bias. I have had experiences with several of them, and those experiences include an uncharitable dislike for conservatives (both in terms of the Church and in politics), teaching false doctrines (denying Transubstantiation, perpetual virginity of Mary, etc.), refusal to purify the vessels after Mass, encouraging a non-Catholic to be a “Eucharistic Minister,” denying the ability to be absolutely guilty of sin, liturgical abuses while acknowledging their illicentiousness, overlay stoles, blue vestments during Advent and Marian feasts, frequent alterations to the wording of the Mass and Gospel (especially the addition of inclusive language), occasionally allowing non-clergy and even non-Catholics to preach the homily, accusing the Vatican of falsely identifying a particular sin as constituting grave matter… the list goes on. My experience has certainly not been a cross section of the entire society, but locally, the Paulist Fathers are known as being way left in all matters.

I realize his is an old post, but Pope St Linus here is correct about how it is in Grand Rapids, and it has not changed. The local apostate, The Catholic Information Center, does put out a lot of good stuff, so I am not bad-mouthing them. They have a thriving ministry and the sessions are quite good, especially if you take a class taught by Fr. Kenney or Fr. Geany. But I have sat in sessions were conservative opinions are mocked and laughed at, and it’s usually the same people. And I found out later that they are nuns. You wouldn’t know it by looking at them or listening to them talk. It also bothers me that this diocese really likes centering prayer, and seem to be a little too friendly towards Buddhists and Islamists. I am in my mid 50s and I feel like a child in these sessions because I am by far the youngest one there.

They also have a little bookstore where they have the National Catholic Reporter, and America magazines, but no National Catholic Register, so there is another red flag.

It really surprises me because Grand Rapids is known as being one of the most conservative areas of the country, both politically, and religiously. Mainly because it is the headquarters for the Christian Reformed Church in America, and most of the nationwide Christian book publishers are from here.

 

[gracepoole]

Unfortunately, here in Grand Rapids, our experience with the Paulists has been has been anything but satisfactory. The Paulists here are all older, so I am not sure if this creates a bias. I have had experiences with several of them, and those experiences include an uncharitable dislike for conservatives (both in terms of the Church and in politics), teaching false doctrines (denying Transubstantiation, perpetual virginity of Mary, etc.), refusal to purify the vessels after Mass, encouraging a non-Catholic to be a “Eucharistic Minister,” denying the ability to be absolutely guilty of sin, liturgical abuses while acknowledging their illicentiousness, overlay stoles, blue vestments during Advent and Marian feasts, frequent alterations to the wording of the Mass and Gospel (especially the addition of inclusive language), occasionally allowing non-clergy and even non-Catholics to preach the homily, accusing the Vatican of falsely identifying a particular sin as constituting grave matter… the list goes on. My experience has certainly not been a cross section of the entire society, but locally, the Paulist Fathers are known as being way left in all matters.

I would emphatically claim the opposite – Grand Rapids’ Paulists have been an extremely significant source for growth in faith and teaching for many years. Their priests have nearly unanimously been exceptionally Christlike, and when other communities have disparaged prostitutes and the mentally ill, the Paulists have welcomed them with open arms. Their educational programming is superb and full of rich history and knowledge of both Church and secular standpoints. One of their Paulists presided over my wedding 17 years ago. Our friends and family still speak glowingly about it – not the reception, not the dress, but the Mass itself. I can’t imagine a more Spirit-driven and Spirit-infused community.

 

[gracepoole]

They also have a little bookstore where they have the National Catholic Reporter, and America magazines, but no National Catholic Register, so there is another red flag.

Maybe nobody buys the Register when it’s carried. I don’t much like it myself.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

I realize his is an old post, but Pope St Linus here is correct about how it is in Grand Rapids, and it has not changed. The local apostate, The Catholic Information Center, does put out a lot of good stuff, so I am not bad-mouthing them. They have a thriving ministry and the sessions are quite good, especially if you take a class taught by Fr. Kenney or Fr. Geany. But I have sat in sessions were conservative opinions are mocked and laughed at, and it’s usually the same people. And I found out later that they are nuns. You wouldn’t know it by looking at them or listening to them talk. It also bothers me that this diocese really likes centering prayer, and seem to be a little too friendly towards Buddhists and Islamists. I am in my mid 50s and I feel like a child in these sessions because I am by far the youngest one there.

They also have a little bookstore where they have the National Catholic Reporter, and America magazines, but no National Catholic Register, so there is another red flag.

It really surprises me because Grand Rapids is known as being one of the most conservative areas of the country, both politically, and religiously. Mainly because it is the headquarters for the Christian Reformed Church in America, and most of the nationwide Christian book publishers are from here.

Failure to read - let alone sell - the National Catholic Register is hardly a litmus test for doctrinal orthodoxy.