The Case of the Heretical Priest from Nashville is closing, we hope. Fr. Joeseph Breen posted a video on his website and committed multiple counts of video heresy. CMR picked up the video and the story went national.
Fr. Breen was given a choice by Bishop Choby of Nashville. Retract your terrible statements made in the video and abide by your promises not to do it again or you are gone. Father Breen chose to retract his statements.
Here is the official statement by the Diocese of Nashville.
Father Breen retracts statements, apologizes
In letters to Pope Benedict XVI and to St. Edward Parish, Father Joe Pat Breen has retracted and apologized for statements made in an internet video and subsequent media interviews that Catholics are not obligated to follow teachings of the Catholic Church as defined by the pope and bishops. In addition, he has agreed to no longer voice his private concerns publically or in the media as required by a document presented to him by Bishop Edward Kmiec in 1993.
The letter to the parish also indicated that he expects to continue as pastor of St. Edward Parish until Dec. 31, 2011.
Father Breen has shared the content of those letters with Bishop David Choby and the letter to the parish will be distributed in the next few days.
Bishop Choby offered Father Breen the choice of retracting and apologizing for his statements or face the process set forth for the removal of a pastor under canon law when a ministry becomes harmful or ineffective.
The offer came during a meeting on Aug. 19, a little more than two weeks after a video interview with Father Breen posted on the St. Edward Parish website received worldwide attention. It was the bishop’s second meeting with Father Breen about his statements contradicting Church teaching. Bishop Choby asked Father Breen to remove the video from the parish site on Aug. 6. The video was removed but copies remain available on the internet and have been viewed more than 14,000 times.
In the letter to the parish, Father Breen said “the meeting was cordial and fruitful.”
The terms of the 1993 ban put in place by Bishop Edward Kmiec prohibit him from making statements that disagree with the authentic magisterium of the Church.
Although the process to remove a pastor has not been used in recent memory in the Diocese of Nashville, it is used with some regularity in the worldwide Church.
“The role of pastor is particularly important as the leader and teacher of a parish,” Bishop Choby said. “The office is a direct link to the authority of the Church as instituted by Christ in the apostles and handed down through the popes and bishops. A pastor holds a public office charged with administering, teaching, and sanctifying the local community of the faithful. The Church expects him to work in unity with its authentic teaching as handed down through the pope and the bishops. It is simply wrong to state, as Father Breen has repeatedly, that one’s conscience frees an individual from the truth revealed and instilled in Church teaching. A deep understanding of Church teaching is, in fact essential to a fully formed conscience, and helps guide an individual in making the distinction between one’s opinions and a decision based soundly on the foundation of a rightly formed conscience. One who chooses to act contrary to Church teaching acts outside of the revealed truth of God’s will.”
“In recognition of his many years of good work among the people of his parish, I want to give Father Breen every opportunity to correct the errors in his teaching, and gracefully enter retirement,” Bishop Choby said, “but in any case, his recent public remarks could not stand.”
While I did call for Fr. Breen’s ouster, I totally respect the Bishop’s judgment in this case. Father Breen will be retiring in a year and the Bishop clearly wanted to give him an exit strategy that allowed him a graceful exit. If Father Breen abides his promises this time, I think the Bishop did the right thing.
May God Bless Bishop Choby and I pray that Father Breen really understands what he did wrong. What do you think?
August 21, 2010 at 9:56 pm
Hm. "In addition, he has agreed to no longer voice his private concerns publically or in the media as required by a document presented to him by Bishop Edward Kmiec in 1993.
Now, where's the "Anonymous" (of "bearing false witness" fame) who was saying that the document is no longer in force, as of 2003?
August 21, 2010 at 10:49 pm
"Surely, Father Breen– as St. Ignatius wished of himself– will be found to have been a Christian!"
Yes, I am sure that he has been a Christian and probably once a good one. The question isn't about his past though, it's about his present state. Let's hope that he truly obeys his bishop and rediscovers the truth and beauty of the Church.
August 22, 2010 at 4:10 am
I cant help but think that the 'elephant in the room' here is faith. Breen and his ilk don't believe that we will face hell, purgatory and heaven on our deaths. They don't believe that God and the Devil struggle mightily and regularly for our souls. They don't believe in sanctifying grace or the power of the sacraments that Holy Mother the Church makes available to us. So, there is little purpose to their existence if they do not seek to be 'relevant' to the 'modern world'.
What I've never understood about these folks is why they don't head out and form their own Church of Social Work and leave us Catholics to our quaint rituals.
August 22, 2010 at 4:15 am
Sand Mama VERY well said. Couldn't agree more.
August 22, 2010 at 1:13 pm
Rebel Girl,
The fact that a previous post told you to "Go away" indicates this forum is only for the self-righteous who want your soul to go to heaven, but obviously don't care about your opinions or feelings here on Earth.
They want only to spout their opinions, not listen to others. Unbelievable!
It saddens me that Father Breen had to make any statement regarding this matter. His ideas and views are a reflection of many in our Church, but this has been the actions of all who oppose the official laws of the Church. The history of the Church has been to squash, defrock or kill those who opposed the laws despite Jesus teachings of love.
That's how Catholicism maintains such control. Apparently, the Holy Spirit only talks to popes and bishops.
August 22, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Michael said…"That's how Catholicism maintains such control. Apparently, the Holy Spirit only talks to popes and bishops."
seriously…did the Bishop's Gestopo knock on your door this morning and make you go to Mass?
Free to walk away.
Make your lifestyle match the Church, not the church match your lifestyle.
August 22, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Michael,
Your post really gets to me, in one sense: I used to be very much like you. I was brought up, by well-meaning people, to think that "love" and "official laws" were mutually exclusive. The only things that woke me up from that "mental fog" were three:
1) I found that, despite my professed "hatred of self-righteousness", I was being self-righteous, myself–but in the other political/ideological direction. (Your own comment was heavy with self-righteousness, though you may not have realized it.)
2) I found that "let everyone be!" ultimately degenerates into "let everyone die!" The "let's be loving, rather than rule-making" mentality shows its diabolical seams with (as a strident and clear example) the image of a father pleasantly smiling and nodding as he lets his 2-year-old daughter walk into traffic and get crushed under the car tires (rather than be "mean and unloving" enough to set "official laws" against such things).
3) The "Jesus of love" which I had in my mind was almost completely imaginary; it was a "pocket-sized" Jesus–a "Jesus teddy bear" which I could use to make myself feel secure and loved, but which made none of the "not-nice-seeming" demands that the real Jesus makes in the Gospels, and through all of Scripture, and through His Church. You've done the same.
I can't make you realize where you are… but I can point it out to you, and let your free will (and intellect) take it from there. Love and truth are inseparable; one is meaningless without the other. "Love" without truth is self-serving emotionalism; "truth" without love is a petrified farce. God is love… but He is also the Way, and the TRUTH, and the life. Of don't you believe Him?
August 22, 2010 at 3:04 pm
If Fr Breen redeems himself, well and good. If not,that is just too bad. Either way of consequence, Bishop Choby did the right thing. It is up to Fr Breen. If he already apologized, retracted, and accepted the bishop's term but acts otherwise later on, he will only condemn himself. I am sure Bishop Choby should be prepared either way(and watch closely). I am praying that the sequel of this episode will be entitled: Fr Breen redeems himself – saves people and himself
August 22, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Whoops. The last sentence should read, "OR don't you believe Him?"
August 22, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Paladin,
Right on!!!
August 22, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Michael said:
"The fact that a previous post told you to "Go away" indicates this forum is only for the self-righteous who want your soul to go to heaven, but obviously don't care about your opinions or feelings here on Earth."
Now how are those comments not self-righteous and sanctimonious? You're so caught up in molding The Church around yourselves and your agenda you've lost sight of the basics. Does "turn the other cheek" ring a bell?
Since when are OUR opinions on Earth necessary for our salvation? Isn't living according to the Lord's divine will what we're all supposed to be doing here? And isn't The Church supposed to interpret that for us? Of course, if your personal (or humanist) agenda prevents you from following God's (as interpreted by the Church), perhaps you should strike out on your own as so many others have over the centuries – Huss, Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, (Pfleger & Breen for that matter).
Have you all really fallen that far away from the creed, code and cult of Catholicism (which by the way, has not changed one iota through the tumultuous years following Vatican II)?
I really recommend you folks avoid sites like CMR as you're likely to be offended. Head off to the local Newman Center for a healthy dose of hand-holding, orans-posturing and self-deceit in the guise of a good ole feelgood 'guitar Mass.' It's about all you people can comprehend – because 'it's all about you.'
August 22, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Linus,
Thanks for making my point. Once again, the self-righteous trying to find the self-righteousness in others.
elm,
Guess that would make everyone happy. Kick out the ones that don't conform to the Church's interpretation of Jesus teachings. I've never felt I "needed" the Church to be my interpreter of the scriptures. Ever since the Bible has been mass-printed and I've been reading, I myself have the privilege of reading, praying and understanding. My church is my support in my walk with Christ, not my director or dictator.
Hmmmmm, maybe I am in the wrong place. You guys are making the Baptist or Methodist church look appealing. I've never seen this much negativity in a forum dedicated to advancing the cause of Christ.
August 22, 2010 at 11:51 pm
"Hmmmmm, maybe I am in the wrong place." Ya think?
Good luck and God bless you out there in Christianity-Lite Land. Just remember what the Master said about the entering at "narrow gate" now that you have your own mass-printed Bible and don't have to rely on reading the hand-written one in the monastery library any longer. Do send Herr Gutenberg a thank you note.
August 22, 2010 at 11:53 pm
Michael,
For the love of all that's holy, listen.
I realize that you have a strong emotional attachment to how you view God, the Church, etc. I don't blame you… especially since you were very likely brought up to think that way–by your parents, by your college professors, by a priest or religious who encouraged you to think that way, or some random author, or some mixture of the above. But please understand: what you (or I) believe and like makes no difference at all if it isn't TRUE. You've let your heart run away with your head, and you're putting yourself in grave danger because of it.
Think this through: did Jesus establish a Church, or didn't he? You have your Bible; read Matthew 16:18-20. Does that Church have authority to judge? Read Matthew 18:18ff. Do you and I need an authoritative guide to interpret Scripture? Check out 2 Peter 3:15-16. St. Peter didn't think "he had it all together" in understanding the Bible; isn't it a bit arrogant of you to think that YOU do?
If Jesus, Our Lord and God, established One Church, then where is it? Which is it? It can't be simply a "loose collection of all believers in Jesus", since they believe contradictory things about critically important doctrines:
Catholic: the Holy Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, and one should not receive Him unworthily (1 Corinthians 11:27), under pain of judgment.
Assemblies of God: the Eucharist is a blasphemous idolatry of modern times, and those who embrace it are placing themselves on teh road to damnation
So… which is it? Or do both views entail "the teaching of the Church", since the Church is "all believers in Jesus"?
Do you see what I mean? Running away to find a religion or denomination which better suits your personal tastes really isn't the way to do this; you need to use your head, and find out what's TRUE. Can you at least TRY that?
August 23, 2010 at 1:38 am
Young (smart) people are leaving the evangelical movement because they are finding NO SUBSTANCE in that type of Christianity.
If you want a lot of singing, hand clapping and sinless sermons–go for it. But I'll stick to the Roman Catholic Church, because outside it I doubt I'd be saved– no matter how much I "accept the Lord as my Savior".
August 23, 2010 at 3:23 am
Michael –
No one wants you to leave or wants to kick you out of the Church. The question you must answer is are you actually "in the Church?"
Existing in a relationship for the purpose of changing the aspects of the other party that you don't like or don't agree with is the clearest evidence that you shouldn't be in that relationship in the first place.
Christ did not leave us His Church so that we could follow it on "our own terms." We must journey on His terms. Helping us avoid straying is what the Church is here for. It's more than "support."
If you're seriously considering the Baptist or Methodist way, perhaps you've already lost your way. Read paladin's post again.
Anonymous is right too. It's about SUBSTANCE. The many "churches of the least inconvenience" make their congregants feel good about themselves while they sip designer coffee and enjoy pop music at services.
If you want the "Real Stuff" of Christianity, it's all here. Everything you need is in every Tabernacle and made present on every altar of every Catholic church on Earth. Scripture is one thing. Christ, present among us, is something else. How can anyone willingly walk away from our Lord in that way?
There. Self-righteous enough for you?
August 23, 2010 at 3:42 am
Michael – you say "Kick out the ones that don't conform to the Church's interpretation of Jesus teachings", when in reality it is the church which is the custodian of church teachings. That's what apostolic succession means. If you don't agree with church teaching, you don't belong to the church. an INDIVIDUAL makes this decison– not the church. The church simply calls a spade a spade…and you should too.
August 23, 2010 at 4:39 am
John,
LOVE your sarcasm! You've obviously worked hard to perfect that. I applaud you. And, I seriously doubt your "God bless you" was sincere either.
Paladin,
Your posts are the only ones of ANY substance that I've seen on this site. And, I truly believe you are coming from a place of caring and sincerity. I also appreciate that.
Linus,
Yes. It is. Glad you recognized it.
August 23, 2010 at 4:58 am
The church does have the right to choose what it will teach as morality, but what Breen was addressing was the ability of the church to remain relevant. If it takes 300 years for every correction, the RCC in America may only have a couple of parishes left when they decide to stop judging those who use contraception and those who divorce.
It is the choice of the church … to be Right … or relevant.
August 23, 2010 at 5:01 am
Oh, and everyone here is right because the Catholic church and all of its teachings cannot ever be questioned because it, in all of its evolutions since Christ walked the earth, are always right. Heaven forbid someone offer a different interpretation.
CHRIST is the way and the truth. Note he did not say my church is the way and the truth.
But, you all want to be right. So, you are right, because most of my fellow Catholics refuse to separate Christ from the Church. To many, Christ IS the church, and that's not the way Jesus works in my life.
Glad I could provide some entertainment and fodder for you. You guys are like hornets. Kinda fun to poke the nest with a stick and see you all swarm around.
No more time spent here for me though. I'll be busy explaining the Bible to Saint Peter. See, I can do sarcasm too. Gotcha!