Popular Priest

[tdb418]

Hello,

I asked this question to Fr. Vincent Serpa and he gave me a very straightforward answer, which I appreciate greatly. I’m posting it here in the hopes of getting more feedback on the subject.

There is a very popular Priest on Facebook. I comment on some of his posts, for the most part to defend the Church in the face of dissent and numerous accusations and attacks by “Catholics”, usually in the area of homosexual activity, contraception, abortion (every now and then), women’s ordination, etc…

I’ve asked this priest before (and so have others) to affirm the teachings of the church in these areas. He never does so. Every now and then he might say “the church is very clear” on this or that issue, but he will never say that the church is correct.

Yesterday, in a post he put up, I asked him if he affirmed the teachings of the church. He promptly deleted my question along with another question to “Call To Action” (who also commented in the same thread) asking them their position on key issues (stated above).

I then asked him why he deleted my question to him and his reply was this:
“Because I don’t like being questioned about my fidelity to the church. Unless you’re my religious superior or my ordinary you don’t get to do that.”

Fr. Serpa confirmed my belief that I do indeed have the right to ask him to affirm church teaching in public and he has an obligation to do so.

Does anyone have any additional thoughts or resources that can be pointed out to show this priest in a respectful manner that I was not in the wrong to ask this of him?

Thanks a lot.

 

[Havard]

It’s hard for me to respond without seeing the conversations.

Some people interpret anything less than constant, vigorous chastising as approval of sin. I’m not saying that’s you, but since we all draw the line in different places, it’s hard to comment without having been there.

For me, it would have to be rather clear that something was wrong, and even then, I would first go to the priest privately and make sure I wasn’t misunderstanding his intentions. Did you call him out publicly or privately first? If it was publicly, I can see why he might have taken offense, especially if there is a misunderstanding.

 

[agnes_therese]

It’s hard for me to respond without seeing the conversations.

Some people interpret anything less than constant, vigorous chastising as approval of sin. I’m not saying that’s you, but since we all draw the line in different places, it’s hard to comment without having been there.

For me, it would have to be rather clear that something was wrong, and even then, I would first go to the priest privately and make sure I wasn’t misunderstanding his intentions. Did you call him out publicly or privately first? If it was publicly, I can see why he might have taken offense, especially if there is a misunderstanding.

I have to agree. It’s impossible to say without knowing more. Repeatedly asking a priest to affirm the teachings of the church could be interpreted as saying “I have reason to doubt your orthodoxy.” And, right or wrong, I can see how that might not be received well.

 

[po18guy]

You have the right to contact his Bishop regarding the matter. Did he tell you that?

 

[tomgosse]

I agree with the priest. He doesn’t know who you are. Being grilled by an anonymous person on Facebook would get me rather ticked off.

 

[tdb418]

Thank you for the responses.

I have contacted him privately once, a while ago and he responded. It was a cordial conversation. My main point in it was that I was saddened and concerned that so much rejection of the teaching Authority of the Church was present on his page. To be clear, I never grilled him in public, it was only a few times over a long period that I plainly and respectfully asked him if he would affirm the teachings of the Church for the sake of the many people on his page who openly reject it. To be honest, it’s a constant occurrence. Even Pope john Paul II was being bashed on the very day of his canonization, for example., and not a word in his defense did the priest offer. It’s not in every post, but he does post controversial material that leads to comments from those who reject and those who embrace the Magesterial Authority.

My main point is this; if he affirms the teachings of the church, why should he have any problem whatsoever in plainly stating that? If he doesn’t, or if he just remains silent, then he tends to lead people astray.

My questions to him were plain and respectful, yet he removed them rather than answer them plainly, and when he did answer my last question; “why did you remove my question?”…his answer was basically “you don’t get to ask that question because I don’t like the fact that you asked that question…”

 

[CB_Catholic]

Thank you for the responses.

I have contacted him privately once, a while ago and he responded. It was a cordial conversation. My main point in it was that I was saddened and concerned that so much rejection of the teaching Authority of the Church was present on his page. To be clear, I never grilled him in public, it was only a few times over a long period that I plainly and respectfully asked him if he would affirm the teachings of the Church for the sake of the many people on his page who openly reject it. To be honest, it’s a constant occurrence. Even Pope john Paul II was being bashed on the very day of his canonization, for example., and not a word in his defense did the priest offer. It’s not in every post, but he does post controversial material that leads to comments from those who reject and those who embrace the Magesterial Authority.

My main point is this; if he affirms the teachings of the church, why should he have any problem whatsoever in plainly stating that? If he doesn’t, or if he just remains silent, then he tends to lead people astray.

My questions to him were plain and respectful, yet he removed them rather than answer them plainly, and when he did answer my last question; “why did you remove my question?”…his answer was basically “you don’t get to ask that question because I don’t like the fact that you asked that question…”

I don’t recall that you mentioned to Fr. Serpa that this was a Facebook page, not the pulpit or in a parish or school, etc. I wonder if he would have answered you in the same way. People, even priests, need to be careful on Facebook and other social media sites because they are dealing with people they don’t know and don’t know if they are sincere or not, or are trying to harrass them or whatever. I agree with the poster that said he has no obligation to answer anything on Facebook, just for his own personal safety. He doesn’t know you or your intentions from a hill of beans.

And you also don’t know him from a hill of beans, or really if he is even a priest or someone posing as one. Facebook just is not a reliable place from which to make sound judgments and have serious conversations, or accuse people of rejecting church teachings.

I once was a regular on a well-used Catholic Forum and a Brother from a monastery used to post regularly there. He was wonderful, gave beautiful spiritual advice, knew his Bible and the works of the Saints, etc. He even named his monastery. He was very popular. He was also a complete fraud. Someone went to the monastery to visit him, and they never heard of him there. Even on these forums you don’t really know who you are corresponding with.

I would just drop it and quit going to his Facebook page.

 

[tdb418]

He’s a real priest, no doubt whatsoever. I think dissent on a social media platform such as Facebook is a worse threat to Catholics who are subject to be swayed, due to the vastness of it.