Do you want a true measure of how bad things are with so many of our priest and bishops? I read a story concerning a priest who came out against the California Prop 8 which supports traditional marriage. And I found it completely unshocking. I mean, we can be sad, ashamed and even perplexed. But can any of us even work up real surprise anymore at something like this?
I’ll let you know what my actual thought was when I read the following from California Catholic Daily:
Another priest has broken ranks with California’s bishops on the Protect Marriage initiative, telling his parishioners in the church’s weekly bulletin, “I cannot in conscience unequivocally support Proposition 8.”
The remarks came in a “dear parishioners” letter published Oct. 5. by Claretian Fr. Steve Niskanen, pastor of San Gabriel Mission in the Los Angeles archdiocese.
The same day that Fr. Niskanen expressed his opinion in San Gabriel, Fr. Geoffrey Farrow told parishioners at the St. Paul Newman Center in Fresno following his Sunday morning homily that he opposed the marriage initiative – and admitted during a television interview before the Mass that he was a homosexual.
In his “dear parishioners” letter at San Gabriel Mission, Fr. Niskanen went through each of the ballot measures endorsed by the Catholic bishops of California one by one. He said he supports Proposition 4 – the family notification before a minor’s abortion initiative…But when it came to Proposition 8, which would amend the state constitution to outlaw same-sex marriages, Fr. Niskanen disagreed.
This is pretty sad stuff from a priest. It confuses the faithful and does damage to families. But my honest thought after reading that was “Hey, good news! He’s for family notification for a minor to get an abortion. He might just be pro-life!”
Sadly, that gives you an idea how far we’ve fallen.
I wonder what Cardinal Mahony will have to say about all this. I fear that when he hears about this he’s going to be really mad. He’ll scream, rant, and rave: “What! This is outrageous. We have a pro-life priest?”
October 14, 2008 at 1:55 pm
You’re right…stories like this fill the internet these days. On the other hand, these Sad Stories remind me of the Joyful Stories I’ve heard and read growing up about my Faith…Stories of selflessness and sacrifice by the Saints of the last 2,000 years. The day of the priest truly devoted to his role as Christ at the alter has not left, however…it has only become more scarce…but it will never falter to the likes of these. I’d say, pray for this man to be the man he should be…a man of humility and selflessness, and ultimately the true imitation of Christ.
October 14, 2008 at 2:55 pm
For what it’s worth, I heard Cardinal Mahony preach at the Respect Life mass at the Cathedral of the Angels last year. He was very definitely pro-life; I came away with a great deal more respect for him than I’d had previously.
I like your blog a whole lot, but I find your occasional sniping at a man who is, like it or not, my bishop, painful rather than funny. Substantive reports are one thing, flippancy is another.
October 14, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I don’t doubt that Cardinal Mahony is pro-life but it certainly has not held a prominent place whatsoever in his comments or his actions. So if I’m a little snarky, I’m sure you’ll excuse a little hyperbole on my part.
Cardinal Mahony has been weak on many issues including life. Here’s a few headlines I found in five minutes:
1) Cardinal Mahony Honors Pro-Abortion “Catholic” Clinton Campaign Manager
2) Cardinal Roger Mahony, in Rome for the Los Angeles bishops’ ad limina visit, said this week he believes the church’s efforts to educate people about the reality and immorality of abortion are more effective than imposing sanctions on politicians who support legal abortion.
3)Mahony: Nothing has more dramatic moral implications than immigration policy.
4) Mahony preaches life as ‘seamless garment’ to pro-life marchers
And we all know that the seamless garment theory is a cover up for coming up with excuses to vote for a pro abortion candidate.
October 14, 2008 at 7:22 pm
I read on CWN that Fresno’s Bishop John Steinbock removed Father Geoffrey Farrow from his post as campus minister. Of course, Father Farrow had the choice that Christ grants all of us, that is, to choose between God and Mammon. Unfortunately for Father Geoffrey, he chose wrongly. Alas…like so many.
October 15, 2008 at 12:55 am
Okay, let’s share a negative about my bishop in Beaumont for a while, then. He never visits his rural parishes anymore, and that is a good thing; the one time he actually presided at the Sacrament of Confirmation at the mission in my area he was petulant and rude to the young people.
The Incredible Invisible Bishop does demand lots and lots of money, though. This time he wants to build himself millions of dollars worth of really big offices.
In the meantime, the Ol’ Girls’ Vatican II Network in the diocesan office actually runs things.
— Mack
October 15, 2008 at 5:28 am
By his own admission no less, Fr. Niskanen has made clear where he stands, and that stance is incompatible with the Church’s teaching. More than merely confirming a poorly formed conscience, His stance is a damning testament to his obstinacy fueled by and representative of an objective disorder. Fr, Niskanen is confusing a sense of entitlement (born of an insatiable lust) with the cause of authentic justice.
Given Fr. Niskanen’s willful disobedience, he should be met with a firm hand shake and shown the door. If he insists on being “out”, let him really be out, as in “hit the road Jack…”.
However, given Cardinal Mahoney’s weak showing regarding orthodoxy and orthopraxy, a reprimand is not likely forthcoming. The next Archbishop of Los Angeles will have one Dickens of a time putting a very messy house in order.
October 15, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I just CANNOT understand the big deal with gay marriage.
It is easy for me to be pro-life and I do feel that this is an issue that we should be concerned with – because the life of a baby is at stake here.
But why be so against gay marriage? This is a marriage between two consenting adults who love each other. I went to a commitment ceremony not long ago for a woman who was brought up Catholic. I am happy to say that her Catholic family was all there supporting her and she cried because she was so overwhelmed by the support. I think in this case her family did the right thing – they supported her whether they felt that was the “right” way to live or not.
To me it seems that Catholics pick and choose the sins that they should be concerned with. Gay marriage is a top on but there are many gay marriages that are healthier than straight marriages. Why don’t we spend more time speaking out against adultry, spousal/child abuse, etc? This things happen more frequently and actually hurt people. I would rather be a child growing up to loving gay parents than in one of these scenarios. Focus on what matters.
October 15, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Anon – historically, the Church has to busy itself most about the issues that are most in dispute. Nobody is agitating to change the laws to give alduterous partners equal rights of inheritance or next of kinship, nor marching in support of the right to beat one’s family mercilessly. In this case, the dispute is about normalizing homosexual acts by placing them on a morally-equivalent footing with chaste marriage.
We really don’t have much of a choice if we wish to live the gospel. There are easy parts, and there are the parts that make people uncomfortable, and those that anger a great many. True charity is to call people to Christ and healthy commitments, not to enable unhealthy and spiritually damaging acts by our cooperation or silence.
Further, the State has no authority at all to mandate the definition of marriage, or alter it in any way. They may as well pass laws defining the other sacraments, or make pronouncements on theological disputes. No amount of case law or legislation can marry two men or two women to each other – it is an inherent contradiction.
It’s hard, and especially on those who are (or who know) homosexuals; your sense of fairness and empathy do you credit, but I submit that they can also easily lead one astray if not balanced by a sense of prudence and judgment. We’re encouraged to properly form our conscience precisely because we are fallen, and our gut feelings aren’t always reliable.
October 16, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Matthew – you should choose your post titles much more carefully in the future….;-)
October 22, 2008 at 11:20 am
From the San Gabriel Mission Weekly Bulletin, dated October 19, 2008…
Dear Parishioners of San Gabriel Mission:
The Peace of Christ be with you!
Two weeks ago, I presented in a bulletin letter an overview of the three Propositions (4, 6 and 8) on which our California Bishops’ Conference has taken an official position. I presented these positions in summary, but then added my own personal opinion regarding Proposition 8, framing it as a matter of my conscience. I regret and apologize for placing my opinions on the same level as our Bishops, “the authentic teachers of the faith.” I fully respect and support our Bishops’ position that Proposition 8 does not intend to infringe on the human and legal rights of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters; rather it seeks to preserve the restriction of the term “marriage” to the complementary, life-long partnership of the whole of life, open to the gift of children, between one man and one woman.
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Steve Niskanen, CMF, Pastor.