Parish Priest Arrested

[littleflower+JMJ]

I'm sorry to hear that Wright. I'll be praying for your parish. Priests need so much prayer and offerings to help them stay in grace.

[fides quarens intellectum]

prayers.

[Winchester]

[quote name='rkwright' timestamp='1291407572' post='2190769']
Last night our pastor was arrested. Public Lewdness at an XXX book store.... great....

We're a small parish, but thats growing. He was really instrumental in getting a brand new wonderful church built, and now this...

Prayers for him, but mostly for our local Church - and the Church as a whole.
[/quote]
Saw that on teh news.

[rkwright]

[quote name='Winchester' timestamp='1291718372' post='2191392']
Saw that on teh news.
[/quote]

yeah his mug shot was front and center for a while on the chron website.

Although I don't think the local media has been biased in their coverage, they have pretty much just presented the facts. Unless you consider the coverage itself evidence of bias; there were 2-3 other men arrested at the same place that night and that story isn't in the news. Of course the role of a parish priest is more of a public figure than some random guy.

[Hinter dem Horizont]

Not again...and this is why many people are leaving the Church.

[tinytherese]

St. John Vianney, please pray for him and his parish.

St. Therese, you who saw praying for priests as a very big part of your vocation especially as a discalced carmelite, please pray for him and his parish.



I feel like watching Fisher's of Men.

[TradMom]

+Praised be Jesus Christ!

I just popped a quick note out for my Carmelite daughter. This is very sad news, and he - the poor priest - and your entire parish will most certainly be in our prayers. When I was doing my hours to get my degree as a licensed therapist, I remember one day going to my supervisor/mentor. I was working at a non-profit and obviously, many of our clients used us as a last resort. I had a very particular focus in mind, and I was not prepared for the wide variety of issues (real life awful situations) that I was exposed to in such a quick manner. I had a very difficult time with judgment, for there some things I just couldn't wrap my head around. (Abortion immediately comes to mind.) I knew it was necessary for me to have a compassionate approach, and yet my personal judgment really affected me. As a Catholic, I obviously believed in the mercy of Jesus - yet for me, to have compassion and mercy seemed beyond reach. My mentor (a non-religious person) asked me to think of the worst thing I ever did. (Many came to mind!) She then said, "How would like to be judged - for the rest of your life - based ONLY on that one thing?"

I have failed in so many ways, in so many grievous ways - even in the midst of trying so hard not to - I thank God every day I am not in a public position. Knowing I am responsible for my children's religious education and formation is enough of a hurdle! So as human as we are, so are our priests, and they struggle in ways we can't imagine. Consider the joy the enemy experiences when one publicly fails (in whatever way!). On behalf of this poor priest, I beg all to pray for him, for his soul, and for all those who have been affected by his behavior. His failing is not a reason to leave the Church. St. Therese indeed knew the depth of their need for prayerful support, and I entreat all to ask for her intercession.

This is a very difficult time of year for so many; priests often experience loneliness and depression very deeply. Perhaps we can really make a concentrated effort to spiritually adopt a priest during this season - many of us are laypeople and we certainly have many opportunities to offer things up on their behalf. And an extra Rosary won't hurt.

Pax,
TradMom