Unfortunate news coming out of Chicago - St John Cantius

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I find it odd that I am the first person to post on this thread and not to derail but I can’t help but to wonder why.

A thread in this sub-forum about a priest who just wants to dialogue with gay people is labeled a heretic and worse.

Here a priest is removed from ministry for credible allegations of homosexual behavior and not a peep?

Hhhmmmm… :roll_eyes:
 
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I’ve actually met Father Phillips when I went to visit the Canons of St. John Cantius. I find it rather hard to believe. But Cardinal Cupich has to relieve him until the allegations are proven true or false. Let’s hope they are false.

Whatever the case, a sad scandal for a great order.
 
Well, first, this is only a.preliminary procedure. The allegations allegationshave been made, but that is all.

Even if the allegations were found to be true, there would be little to say, because we all agree that that type of behavior is heinous and … Well. If someone suggested the death penalty for people who commit these horrible crimes, there would be debate, but only over whether anyone ought to be given the DP.

Wrt Dr Martin, he either is or is skirting very close to teaching acceptance for homosexuals which goes beyond what the Church teqches is right. So there is debate as to whether he actually is so teaching, and because there are those who do not understand Church teaching in this area, there is debate about whether this is against a church teaching, whether and what kind of recognition of homosexual behavior is acceptable, etc.
 
There hasn’t been much activity in the Catholic News section at all today, so I don’t think the lack of response can be attributed to anything shady.

I hope that justice is served.
 
Wow. I can’t overstate how surprising this is to me, and how disturbing. A couple of years ago, I watched a really inspiring program on EWTN about this pastor, the religious community he founded, and his tremendous efforts to revitalize St. John Cantius. It was such a hope-filled program. I remember wishing I could witness such a vibrant parish (the confession lines alone are seriously impressive!). If these allegations are true, I can’t imagine what the parishioners of this church will feel.

 
Very sad news to hear. I’m hoping for a swift response and resolution to this. The Canons Regular have done great work in Chicago. Hopefully this story won’t tarnish all the good work that they have done and are currently doing. I can honestly say that this is one of the most welcoming parish’s I have ever been to. The priests there are very kind and loving to anyone who walks through their doors.
 
People are spreading false information. Complaints of inappropriate behavior could mean anything. Slapping someone could be inappropriate behavior. At leas wait until the actual facts come out. Fr. Guarnizo was suspended and removed for inappropriate behavior for refusing to give communion to somebody.
 
gracepoole said:
Wow. I can’t overstate how surprising this is to me, and how disturbing. A couple of years ago, I watched a really inspiring program on EWTN about this pastor, the religious community he founded, and his tremendous efforts to revitalize St. John Cantius. It was such a hope-filled program. I remember wishing I could witness such a vibrant parish (the confession lines alone are seriously impressive!). If these allegations are true, I can’t imagine what the parishioners of this church will feel.

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Thanks for posting. That was an interesting story about the restoration of this old church and how it is flourishing today. It is a beautiful church with a rich history.
I hope these allegations against Father Phillips will remain allegations only and not true. I will pray for him. He has certainly done very good work.
 
I do not understand why the bishop writing this article
  • has a problem with the reason for the removal being stated publicly, as to do otherwise would just lead to more speculation that Cardinal Cupich was trying to undermine the TLM;
  • equates Fr. James Martin to this situation, which even if you set the gay part aside, involves a priest in a leadership role possibly seriously breaching his vow of celibacy; Fr. Martin has never said that this is okay and as far as I know has never even condoned homosexual relations;
  • jumps straight from this situation to a sky-is-falling scenario where TLM goes away. One monkey don’t stop no show, and while I pray for a just and fair outcome for the influential Fr. Phillips, I cannot believe that the continued viability of TLM or St. John Cantius is that dependent on one priest going forward, now that it has been well established.
 
Regarding that last leap the good bishop knows all too well. He is in Texas, where the Latin mass has been abrogated anew. The diocese of San Antonio removed a priest offering the Latin mass at a retreat center. I was there the day it was announced. The priest was sent abroad to finish his studies in Canon law, no replacement was offered for the Latin mass. As in the diocese just to the north, priests interested in setting up the Latin mass are removed from their parish. Even those priests who are given permission at the cathedral are constantly moved out and replaced. The Tulsa diocese received a bishop from this same diocese…he proceded to abrogate the Latin mass and/or remove priest saying that mass. So those of us who wish to attended the Latin mass are very well aware of this renewed movement of abrogation.
 
I’m not sure how moving out or replacing a priest constitutes an abrogation of the Latin Mass.
Then again, In the two or three dioceses where I attend Latin Masses, there does not seem to be any controversy about them going on or any problem with them generally, and there also seem to be sufficient priests interested in saying them that if one had to leave, others would fill the gap.
If I want to hear a Latin Mass, I can find one pretty easily.
Maybe things are different in Texas.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
I’m not sure how moving out or replacing a priest constitutes an abrogation of the Latin Mass.
Then again, In the two or three dioceses where I attend Latin Masses, there does not seem to be any controversy about them going on or any problem with them generally, and there also seem to be sufficient priests interested in saying them that if one had to leave, others would fill the gap.
If I want to hear a Latin Mass, I can find one pretty easily.
Maybe things are different in Texas.
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Technically it doesn’t constitute an abrogation, because bishops do not have that authority. A priest does not need his bishop’s permission to say the TLM. However, since there are few priests that know how to say the TLM, certain bishops (including Cardinal Cupich) have been known to “abrogate” the TLM by removing or reassigning all of the priests that say the TLM so that it cannot be physically done within their diocese. So the TLM is not “abrogated” officially, but it is a de facto abrogation since there are no priests to do it. It’s their way of getting around the restrictions of Summorum Pontificum.

The unusually public way in which this situation was handled is suspicious at the very least. As the author of that article states, incidents of inappropriate contact between priests and adults are not usually made public knowledge by the bishop. My guess is that even if he is innocent, the priest will not be back at St. John Cantius Parish. There will be some excuse as to why it would be too difficult for him to resume his role at the parish given this scandal, even if it is a manufactured one. I wouldn’t even be surprised if this was some kind of ploy to remove him from the parish and this whole thing was a setup. Nothing surprises me nowadays.
 
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