Priest's Responsibility to Teach Valid Church Teachings

[SWTHRT]

I’ve been surrounded lately by Catholic family members and friends who have told me surprising things from their confessions. What upsets me is that it seems many priests teach their own personal views instead of true Church doctrine.

Here are some examples:

While at confession recently, my sister said she confessed skipping mass on Sundays. The priest told her it is NOT a mortal sin, etc. Every other priest in our life has taught us it is a mortal sin. This priest went on to tell her that masturbation is not a sin either.

The most shocking thing was told to me by my friend yesterday. She stated that she went to confession ( to a different priest than my sister) before Easter. She confessed to using birth control. The priest asked if she was married and if she had any children. My friend responded that she is married and has 2 children. Then the priest stated that using birth control in her case is NOT a sin . He stated it is a sin for those having premarital sex or for those who are married and haven’t been open to having kids, but since she has had children and doesn’t want any more kids, it is fine to use birth control. He said “We can’t really go around in the church telling some people that it is wrong and some people that it is right, so we just uniformally say it is wrong.”

This really angered me. Isn’t it the responsibilty of a priest to always teach CORRECT church doctrine and not to interpret them how he wants or to teach parishoners his own personal views on a matter?

Now I am sure my friend will have no problem seeing how wrong it is to use birth control within a marriage.

Thanks for your opinions on this matter.

Karen

 

[SWTHRT]

Has no one else ever experiended this?

Thanks,
Karen

 

[Pug]

No, not really. I suppose this is because my family isn’t Catholic.

No one else would be likely to tell me about their confession, and it hasn’t happened to me personally. I understand your annoyance, however! You’d like to think all those Catholics going to confession were hearing good advice.Teachers of the faith are held to a high standard in the bible. Pray for the teachers (sounds like they need it).

 

[rayne89]

Yup. When we first were learning NFP we had some old habits that died hard…so anyway. Went to confession twice in one month (happened to be the same priest) and was told I don’t need to go that often unless I commit a serious sin. I said I thought sexual acts not open to life are serious sins, he replied not in my opinion. I wanted to say I’m really not interested in your opinion but ofcourse out of the respect that he was a priest I did not.

Same priest told my husband recieving communion without confesses such sins as birthcontrol and masturbation was not a mortal sin after all then most of the people who recieved communion would be in mortal sin he told him.

I have a very serious heart condition which would make it life threatening for me to become pregnant again. I’ve had more than one priest tell in my case unnatural birthcontrol or acts not open to life were ok. One of those priests told my husband couples express their love in many different ways (refering to acts not open to life.)

I’ve even had a priest ( in confession) at a very orthodox Catholic conference tell me to get my tubes tied and then confess it.

Get your relatives a copy of the Catechism and highlight the official church teaching on these subjects. Then pray for those priests because they will have much to answer for for leading others astray.

 

[gardenswithkids]

SWTHRT:

Isn’t it the responsibilty of a priest to always teach CORRECT church doctrine and not to interpret them how he wants or to teach parishoners his own personal views on a matter?

Absolutely, a priest has the responcibilty to teach the Church teachings, not his own views. If a priest holds views that differ from Church doctrine, there may be a bigger problem going on.

Those who say “birth control is up to a person’s own conscience” should be able to figure out that a person talking about that stuff in confession to a priest has a conscience that’s bothered!

Priests will be held accountable by God for how well they do their duty. To whom much has been given, much will be required. Pray for those priests!

Sadly, you are not alone in your experience. St. John Vianney, pray for us.