Priest has responsibility to teach the Faith

[hamburglar]

Okay, this week was “healthy and responsible sexuality week” at my college. I go to a Catholic college, and the discussions were supposed to be around Catholic viewpoints on issues such as contraception, pornography, etc.

I had another thread going on the Liturgy and Sacraments forum that mentioned a Priest we have had celebrate Mass for us, and how he made up his own Eucharistic Prayers.

Well, he was part of a presentation where people write questions on a little piece of paper, and a panel answers these questions. I did not go to this, but a friend did, and this is what he said happened:

One of the questions was “is masturbation wrong?” The Priest said, “no, it is not wrong and is not a sin. Masturbation is good for you, everyone should be doing it.”

He and a bunch of other people stood up and left after the Priest said this. The Priest was saying his own opinions as if they were Church teaching.

So I guess it leads to this question: Does a Priest have a responsibility to teach the Faith? I see how he has is own ideas or whatever, but shouldn’t he still be teaching what the Church teaches?

 

[Tim_Kirchoff]

We all have the responsibility to spread God’s Word. It is not exclusive to priests, nor to Catholic converts

To better answer your question, there really is no reason for the priest to disregard Church teaching on a matter such as this, much less to disagree with it to begin with. Congratulate your friend who walked out, and see what you can do to get that priest straightened out!

 

[andzy]

Ezekiel 3:17-19
When I say to a wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.
But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.

This is something we should remember, but especially our priests,bishops and all others in teaching or any other authority. This priest has a duty and responsibility to teach the Faith, but unfortunately he participated in leading others away from the truth, and thus bringing judgment on himself.

 

[joanofarc3]

Address this with the priest, just you and him. If he persists in his error bring your friend. If it still makes no difference bring it up with the bishop. A similar thing happened at my parish, only the bishop decided to let it slide because he like the priest. Pray about where to go from there if the bishop doesn’t help.

 

[rwoehmke]

I once had a friend who came to me and said that she had talked to two different priests concerning the moral acceptance of masturbation. They had exactly opposite opinions on the matter. She was concerned with what was being taught to her children. Knowing both of the priests I was quite certain which was which, but rather than saying Fr. so-and-so was wrong, I aimed her at the CCC and told her that with questions such as this she could always be morally safe by following the CCC.

 

[johnnydigit]

Address this with the priest, just you and him. If he persists in his error bring your friend. If it still makes no difference bring it up with the bishop. A similar thing happened at my parish, only the bishop decided to let it slide because he like the priest. Pray about where to go from there if the bishop doesn’t help.

yep. and fervently pray for him and our priests…

 

[kage_ar]

If you had been a first hand witness to this, you should report it. Since you were not there, well, remember the game “telephone”?

 

[setter]

It is not uncommon for one caught in the snare of sin to rationalize, minimize and or justify the sin, i.e., they have a personal stake to deny the reality and gravity of their sin choices. The problem is when this overflows to infect others in indirect and direct ways. The Father needs prayers to repent of his dissident views.

 

[setter]

It is not uncommon for one caught in the snare of sin to rationalize, minimize and/or justify the sin, i.e., they have a personal stake to deny the reality and gravity of their sin choices. The problem is when this overflows to infect others in indirect and direct ways. This priest needs prayers to repent of his dissident views.

 

[puzzleannie]

Christ has a very strong condemnation for those who teach error and promote sin, as in, anyone who leads one of these little ones astray, woe for him, better had he never been born, he should have a millstone placed around his neck and be cast into the pit.

this priest is wrong, moreover not just wrong as if one Catholic would be in promoting sin to another person, but globally, canonically wrong as in abusing the privilege of his ordination and his call to preach, teach and sanctify.

please go to the Catholics United for the Faith website cuf.org and look for the lay witness protocol on how to document and report such abuses.