Problems with the Priest

[Brendan_64]

First of all, when the questions she asked the priest were theological questions. The fact he didn’t want to answer them, I find strange but this is the situation.

Why do you regard that as strange? A priest is not obliged to be a theological adviser. And even if he is very theologically knowledgable, he’s not obliged to answer questions simply because someone asks him the questions. Perhaps he wasn’t particularly keen on your friend and didn’t want to spend time discussing things with her as he had other things he’d rather be doing? Perhaps he was just too busy at the time? Priests are only human.

If someone else in her life had ever not answered a question she asked and told her to go ask someone else (even if they could have answered it) would it cause such upset? Why would it be different if a priest does this?

Priests are just human like the rest of us. Some are particularly helpful, some are not. Some are friendly, some appear rude. Some are warm, some appear cold. Some are happy to give you all the time you want, others want to get away quickly and rush off to do something else.

 

[pflisy]

I am going through the same thing with our priest. But I love my parish church. I do not want to leave on account of him. Pray for me too.

 

[Brendan_64]

I am going through the same thing with our priest. But I love my parish church. I do not want to leave on account of him. Pray for me too.

The priest is NOT your local Church. Ultimately he’s just a guy that works there, until such time as the Bishop moves him on and moves someone else in.

Getting along with your parish priest is not important, it really isn’t. You don’t go along to Mass on Sunday to meet the priest.

I really can’t get my head around importance some people place on their relationship with a particular individual. He’s just an ordinary man doing a job (and a very stressful job at that) he’s not going to get along with everyone, and if he happens to not get along with you then so what?

What is the problem about not getting along with the parish priest, or him with you? It’s not like your salvation depends on having a good relationship with your parish priest.

 

[benjohnson]

My $.02

Lutheran priests are universally horrid - a self-aware Lutheran priest or pastor will acknowledge that and chuckle at that fact.

The way we deal with it is to focus on the Gospel the priest is proclaiming and the Sacraments that are administered that come from God.

To look ‘beyond’ the human frailty of individual priests and see what God intends is one way of accepting the individual foibles of our shepherds.

 

[Brendan_64]

The way we deal with it is to focus on the Gospel the priest is proclaiming and the Sacraments that are administered that come from God.

To look ‘beyond’ the human frailty of individual priests and see what God intends is one way of accepting the individual foibles of our shepherds.

Absolutely spot on!