Survey Comments by Cleveland priests
WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE THE RUNNING OF THE CHURCH IN THE HANDS OF THE LORD? HE DID A GOOD JOB SINCE PETER. SO WHY DO YOU WANT TO RUN THE CHURCH ACCORDING TO YOUR WISHES?
FUTURECHURCH NEEDS TO GET BACK TO MAINSTREAM CATHOLICISM AND ALLEGIENCE TO THE MAGISTERIUM.
I AM QUITE HAPPY AS A CELIBATE. I VALUE CELIBACY AS A GIFT TO THE CHURCH. I FEEL THAT THE DISCIPLINE SHOULD BE EMBRACED. MARRIAGE IS NOT THE OBSTACLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE RESPONDING. GET OFF YOUR "HIGH HORSES" AND START TALKING TO THE YOUTH. YOU WILL BE SHOCKED BY WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN YOUR AGENDA! THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO WOULD BECOME MARRIED PRIESTS ARE OLD PEOPLE ANGRY AT THE CHURCH! AND I HAVE NO INTEREST IN SERVING WITH THEM!
WHO IS PAYING FOR ALL THIS POSTAGE OF YOURS AND THE STATIONARY? IS IT ST. MARY'S? DO THEY KNOW HOW THEIR MONEY IS BEING SPENT?
When our "Church and culture appreciate the gift & witness of celibacy & when the national divorce rate drops from %50 percent to let's say…%35…then I might be interested. Here are some topics I would like to discuss: *what we are doing as a Church to respond to the culture's disregard for young people? Youth are seen as consumers, and their dignity is being denied. *The social teachings of John Paul II... some of the best-kept secrets of the Church. -Fr. Damian Ference
THIS IS A TERRIBLE QUESTIONARE…"ALL PRIESTS ARE RELIGIOUS" AS AN ANSWER TO E AND "YOU NEVER RETIRE FROM THE PRIESTHOOD" AS AN ANSWER TO D. ON BACK: IT IS PRESUMPTIOUS SO SAY CHRIST LIED WHEN HE SAID THE CHURCH WOULD LAST TILL THE END OF TIME. HE DOESN'T NEED YOUR HELP TO HELP THE CHURCH CONTINUE IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
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Give it up!” –anonymous
FUTURECHURCH CLAIMS TO BE AND ADVOCACY GROUP FOR TOLERANCE AND INCLUSIVENESS. SUPPOSE THAT YOUR OVERT GOALS WERE REALIZED--OPTIONAL CELIBACY & FEMALE INCLUSION IN HOLY ORDERS. HOW IS THAT SENSITIVE AND TOLERANT TO THOSE CATHOLICS WHO HOLD CELIBACY, TAKING ACCOUNT OF EXCEPTIONS TO THE NORM, TO BE A NECESSSARY DISCIPLINE FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHURCH? HOW IS THAT SENSITIVE OT CATHOLICS WHO HOLD AS DIVINE AND CATHOLIC FAITH THAT ONLY BAPTIZED MALES MAY VALIDLY RECEIVE HOLY ORDERS. FURTHER, WHAT SENSITIVITY DO YOU SHOW TO CATHOLICS WHO HOLD PATRIARCHY AND PATERNALISM, MONARCHY AND HIERARCHY TO BE GOOD THINGS? WHAT PROVISIONS ARE MADE FOR SUCH CATHOLICS IN THE ECCLESIAL BODY THAT FUTURECHURCH WOULD FASHION? ME THINKS I SMELL HYPOCRISY!
"I believe that FutureChurch is an organization that is doing harm to the church and should be public ally condemned by the Bishop. I believe that FutureChurch is not authentically Catholic and desires its own ends be accepted by the Church's authority. This survey is just one more example of how FutureChurch seeks to undermine the teachings and discipline of the Church. It shows no respect for the Pope or Bishops or priests who "think with the Church." Our diocese would do better without the presence of FutureChurch.
-Fr. Leroy J. Moreeuw, Our Lady of Good Counsel, pastor
Perhaps if you spent as much time encouraging young men to consider the priesthood instead of pushing your Anti-Catholic propaganda we would have more vocations. On second thought, we don't need any more priests or religious with the same bigotry that you possess. Have you considered why congregations of both men and women loyal to the Holy See are doing so well, while others, like the Sisters of St. Joseph, are floundering? It seems that this, not your agenda, is in fact the work of the Spirit and the Future of the Church.
I WOULD NOT BE AFRAID TO PUT MY NAME TO THIS, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT THIS WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR MANY TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINION. ISN'T IT A SHAME THAT WE CANNOT SPEAK WITHOUT FEAR!
-J. MARK HOBSON
WE MUST BEGIN (AT LEAST) TO TALK. IT IS VERY UNFAIR THAT OLDER PRIESTS ARE BEING ASKED TO STAY ON PAST RETIREMENT BECAUSE THERE IS NO ONE TO REPLACE THEM. OUR PEOPLE ARE SERVICE ORIENTED. WE NOW HAVE VERY FEW PRIESTS TO PROVIDE SERVICE.
HOW ABOUT AN OPEN DISCUSSION ON THE POSSIBILITIES OF ALTERNATE LIVING OPTIONS OUTSIDE OF THE RECTORY? THIS SICK SYSTEM WEARS DOWN ALREADY TIRED PRIESTS AND GIVES NO REGULAR BREAK FORM A VERY PUBLIC BUILDING. THANKS!
I THINK IT IS SOMEWHAT HYPOCRITICAL FOR THE CHURCH TO ALLOW ORDAINED MINISTERS FROM OTHER RELIGIOUS GROUPS (EPISCOPAL, LUTHERAN, ETC) TO JOIN THE CHURCH VIA THE BACK WITH THEIR WIVES & FAMILIES AND ALLOWED TO BE ORDAINED & ACTIVE PRIESTS. I THINK THE CHURCH SHOULD ALLOW PRIESTS WHO HAVE LEFT IN GOOD FAITH AND MARRIED TO BE REINSTATED AFTER A PERIOD OF DISCERNMENT AND REMAIN MARRIED. I THINK THE CHURCH SHOULD ORDAIN QUALIFIED MARRIED DEACONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD; OR, AT LEAST ALLOW THEM TO ADMINISTER THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK. THIS WOULD HELP THEM TO BETTER SERVE IN HOSPITAL MINISTRY.
THE SADDEST PART OF THIS SURVEY IS THE NEED TO OFFER US ANONYMITY! THE SECRECY WILL KILL US! -LOUIS PAPAS
DOES A LOCAL CHURCH REALLY HAVE A SAY AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN WHO SHOULD BE CALLED FORTH TO LEADERSHIP WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY? WE NEED AND OVERHAUL OF THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE AND SYSTEM WITHIN THE CHURCH. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A SEPARATION BETWEEN ADMINISTRATION AND SACRAMENTAL MINISTRY WITHIN OUR PARISHES. THIS CAN BE DISCUSSED AND IMPLEMENTED NOW.
AS LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE MAINTAINING MANDATORY CELIBACY MORE OF A PRIORITY THAN PROVIDING EUCHARIST, THIS PROBLEM (THE PRIEST SHORTAGE) WILL GROW, PICKING UP SPEED AS WE PRIESTS GROW OLDER.
YES, I BELIVE THERE SHOULD BE A FRANK DISCUSSION OF THIS TOPIC. I AM EMBARRASSED FOR CHURCH OFFICIALS WHO ARE NOT EVEN WILLING TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. "THE CHANGING FACE OF THE PRIESTHOOD" AND "SACRED SILENCE" HAVE OPENED UP MANY AREAS OF QUESTION AND CHALLENGE. WHILE NOT PERFECT AND NOT ALWAYS WELL BALANCED, DON'S BOOKS CERTAINLY PROVIDED AN IMPORTANT MINISTRY OF TRUTH WITHIN THE CHURCH, AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP THESE MATTERS ON THE FRONT BURNER. WHAT I WRANGLE WITH PERSONALLY IS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN A STRONG THEORETICAL ADVOCACY FOR A RENEWED PRIESTHOOD, OPEN TO MARRIED AND UNMARRIED WOMEN AND MEN, AND EQUALLY STRONG RESISTANCE TO ACCEPTING THE MINISTRY OF FORMER EPISCOPAL PRIESTS, STILL MARRIED, WHO HAVE BEEN WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. I WANT TO SEE MARRIED PRIESTS, BUT I WOULD NEVER WANT TO WORK WITH AND EPISCOPAL DEFECTOR, WHOSE DISLOYALTY TO HIS OWN CHURCH WAS REWARDED WITH A DISPENSATION FROM THE IMPOSED CELIBACY WHICH SO MAY LOYAL CATHOLIC PRIESTS LIVE FAITHFULLY EACH DAY. I WOULD NOT WELCOME "WARMING UP" TO THESE FORMER EPISCOPAL MARRIED PRIESTS AS A HELPFUL STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. NOR DO I VIEW THE PERMANENT DEACONATE, IN ITS CURRENT STATE, AS A HELPFUL PART OF THIS PROCESS, EITHER. A SAD TRUTH IS THAT THERE ARE REPRISALS AGAINST THOSE WHO WANT TO SPEAK THE TRUTH TO THIS ISSUE. FOR EXAMPLE, I DON'T THINK WE WILL EVER SEE A PLACE FOR DON WITHIN THE EPISCOPATE. SO, THESE SURVEYS HAVE TO BE ANONYMOUS. I HOPE THEY WILL DO SOME GOOD, BUT FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE, ANONYMOUS STATEMENTS ARE WORTH BUT A LITTLE MORE THAN NOTHING. I HOPE THIS PROCESS IS HELPFUL, AND I THANK YOU FOR CONDUCTING IT.
Fr. Dan Divis is a good man & friend!
We can discuss this all we want, but unless the bishops find courage to confront the Vatican on this policy, nothing will happen. And this is most unlikely.
Hi Folks. Please excuse my tardiness. For all of our talk of “one body” and “brothers and sisters in the lord” and “do not be afraid I am with you”, how sad that we have to have an “anonymous” survey. It reminds me of the government and allots national security secrecy, and Paul O’Neil’s book the price of loyalty. Put me on the record as one absolutely supporting an open discussion on the mandatory celibacy rule for diocesan priests. –Fr. Jimenez
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