Removal of priest

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JimR-OCDS said:
It isn’t speculation but the facts given to me by the priest himself, our deacon on why he was removed and and the diocesan letter read at each Mass confirmed it. Also, the priest himself told me and my wife about the letter that was sent to the Bishop, to have him removed.
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As I said above, but I’m sure you missed because of an edit I made to make the basic point. What the Priest has told you is about as good as me telling why I was laid off. I’d be very surprised if anything read in church would implicate the reasoning behind such a change nor confirm that any letters that might have been sent. If so, it would indicate serious breach of protocol on behalf of the Diocese
 
The priest told me about the letter that was sent before the Dioceses made the decision to remove him. When they removed him, they didn’t mention the letter specifically, but rather it was decided that he would be a better fit in another ministry, outside of parish ministry.

The priest also told me about what was taking place behind his back.

We knew it was taking place because we knew from those who were involved as they made it known on a private Facebook group.

Jim
 
I have yet to read the letter but I know very well the person who who wrote it. She has been a member of the parish for over 50 yrs and her parents were instrumental in it’s founding. There was a long list of people who he offended and I’m not going to get into all that. I’ll just give this one example. This incident occurred the weekend before the diocese told him he was being removed. It’s Sunday morning and people are arriving for 11:00 am Mass only to find that the Mass was cancelled and replace by an outdoor Mass in Spanish. The change was not announced to our English speaking parishioners at any Masses prior nor was it in the bulletin in English or Spanish. We were told this by the sacristan who really wasn’t sure what was going on. Some of the men went to the rectory to see if Father was ok and he was still asleep. Seriously his office staff wasn’t even aware of the change.
 
I would add that all this sort of infighting at parishes makes me really NOT want to become involved in one beyond just going there to pray. The major reason I don’t get involved at parishes is that I have to travel around all the time for my job, but honestly who needs this sort of drama and infighting in their faith life and “free time”? I wouldn’t want to stay in an actual workplace for pay with this sort of conflict going on and people badmouthing other groups of people, and I sure wouldn’t want to be a volunteer in the middle of any such situation where assumptions and accusations are being made.
 
JimR-OCDS said:
The priest told me about the letter that was sent before the Dioceses made the decision to remove him. When they removed him, they didn’t mention the letter specifically, but rather it was decided that he would be a better fit in another ministry, outside of parish ministry.
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Honest question and hopefully you might see that it is one, do you have a copy of the letter? Maybe it did have an effect on the placement of the Priest, but no one here is privy to the actual reasoning; nor should they be. The Bishop also has more information about this Priest’s prior ministry and maybe the change in his assignment is truly more in line with his spiritual gifts.

I can tell you personally how assignments can go for Pastor’s and Priests. As I alluded above, my spouse was recently the Pastor of a Lutheran church that was well know by the Bishop as a highly dysfunctional one. My spouse was specifically asked by them to be their Pastor after having been a substitute (supply in Lutheran terms). However this church was deeply divided with some who absolutely loved my spouse and others who deeply resented the change represented by my spouse. As I mentioned, the church imploded by itself. In this case not over the removal of my spouse but to extend the contract of my spouse. Note having a closed end call (contract) in the Lutheran church is very rare and was suggested by the Bishop.

Now the Bishop seems to be quite pleased with my spouse. However he will not give my spouse an assignment because he doesn’t want my spouse’s obvious creativity to be worn down by dysfunctional churches. My spouse can however work for ones that make the request. My spouse however is a very popular supply Pastor who has been solidly booked from may all the way until at least October at the moment. My spouse has also been badgered (seriously) to come and work in other cities. The problem is that the Chicago Synod (similar to a Diocese) has few openings.

So I hope that you can see some credibility in my insights as to what goes on behind the scenes. I went after you because because I’ve seen this movie before. Not that you are the whole story, you are certainly not, but I have not seen the comments of the what you’ve identified as the liberals. so I can only speak to that. I am deeply concerned that things are far from right in your Parish and I’d hate to see this kind of tribalism destroy it. It’s especially not fair to those in the middle.
 
Jim, with all due respect, unless this letter literally said ‘you have a big ego and are too conservative and the liberal clique in this parish don’t like you and that’s why you’re being moved’ then you are doing some significant embellishment in what you say.
 
arlo1124 said:
here was a long list of people who he offended and I’m not going to get into all that. I’ll just give this one example. This incident occurred the weekend before the diocese told him he was being removed. It’s Sunday morning and people are arriving for 11:00 am Mass only to find that the Mass was cancelled and replace by an outdoor Mass in Spanish. The change was not announced to our English speaking parishioners at any Masses prior nor was it in the bulletin in English or Spanish. We were told this by the sacristan who really wasn’t sure what was going on. Some of the men went to the rectory to see if Father was ok and he was still asleep. Seriously his office staff wasn’t even aware of the change.
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I would be upset too if I arrived at my church for the usual 11 am Mass to find it cancelled, another unannounced Mass not in English going on, none of this in the bulletin, no emergency (such as Father was rushed to the hospital and they had to suddenly get a substitute and reschedule everything etc) and then Father is found asleep in the rectory. Sounds completely unprofessional and a giant failure to communicate. Who would want a priest like that at their parish?

Edited to add, and for this to happen as you describe is so weird, it makes me wonder if Father is having some other problem, such as substance abuse or depression.
 
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Priests are transferred for all sorts of reasons, only a few of those reasons are nefarious. Heck, the priest may have asked to be re-assigned.

Always assume the best.
 
We call that a regular work day at a parish office, we are often the last to know. Definitely not worth crying to the Bishop!
 
It may be part of the safe environment policy. It seems if an allegation is made the party is assumed guilty and the Bishop can not wait for an investigation, if children are at risk. Just maybe.
 
Except that the norms of the diocese say it should never happen.
 
The letter I referred to wasn’t from the Bishop, but was sent TOO the bishop by those who wanted the pastor removed.

I know what their complaint against the pastor was because they expressed it on the parish group page in Facebook, which was shutdown

Keep in mind, it’s a small parish in a small town and we speak with each other at various events.

Jim
 
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