A TALE OF TWO PRIESTS. AND THEIR BISHOPS. AND A POPE.

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How bizarre. On the one hand, the Catholic Church in NZ is losing a fine priest to the US, and on the other is importing one from the US who was defrocked there for adultery. 

Even more bizarre is the silence smothering both issues. How bizarre, that is, in the eyes of the world, and simply wrong  - sinful - in terms of Catholic, Gospel morality. 

But the global Church is getting used to 'Omerta' - the term used to describe the silence deployed and enforced by the Mafia to cover up criminal activity, and employed by some commentators in regard to Pope Francis.

• The Pope's had his finger on the mute button since his days as cardinal in Buenos Aires, when he refused an audience to a woman claiming sex abuse by a priest, and 13 other victims whose letter was acknowledged by a receipt. (That's better than the response to my request to Bishop Charles Drennan of Palmerston North for an exorcist, which was nil.) 
• He refused to take questions on the McCarrick scandal. Even Cindy Wooden, Rome Bureau Chief for the US Bishops' Conference, tweeted that she'd been "shot down by +Pope Francis".
• He hasn't answered the four cardinals who penned the Dubia in response to Laetitia Amoris. 

So it's only to be expected that New Zealand's complaisant bishops would follow the Pontiff's lead and say next to nothing about the impending departure of Father Brian Buenger from Tararua Parish. The Palmerston North Diocese asked for an extension of his visa. It was refused. + Charles could have appealed but he didn't. 

Fr Buenger in a letter to his hapless parishioners stated there were "other significant considerations". Now I know, from a reliable source, that "he didn't get on with the bishop". "There were complaints." 

I know first hand about the complaints. Fr Buenger "doesn't meet people where they're at." I'd guess that's code for not giving Communion to the divorced and/or remarried. Why were these parishioners not down on their knees giving thanks to God for a good, faithful (and I might add, discreet) priest? Because they haven't been formed in the Faith. God only knows who they'll get in his stead.

And then there's the story about the defrocked priest, a Philipino, whom Bishop Patrick Dunn has reinstated as parish priest of Northcote in Auckland. Apart from an article by Jonathan Milne for Stuff  he seems to have accomplished it sub rosa. 

Father Lio Rotor was a canon lawyer in a matrimonial tribunal in the US, enforcing the law on marital fidelity. He was formerly private secretary to the late Cardinal Sin in Manila and a Vatican diplomat. He had an affair with the wife of his best friend and was defrocked for it. 

Years later, he bobs up in Auckland, being nice to the injured and dying at Auckland Hospital. He gains residency as a lay chaplain. If a lay chaplain can get residency, why not a priest? He starts thinking he'd like to be a priest again and +Dunn says, in effect, why not? 

The bishop felt sorry for him. As for Fr Rotor's cuckolded friend, Bishop Dunn "wants him to have peace. But poor old Gab can't let it go." Understandably perhaps, as 'poor old Gab' (Gabriel) alleges Rotor slept with two other women around the same time. And when 'poor old Gab' made his deposition for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles he was warned not to tell anyone. "There was a gag order."

So now he's Father Rotor, parish priest at St Mary's Northcote. In August NZ Catholic ran a story on how Fr Lio Rotor is ‘strengthening’ the parish with ‘liturgical teachings’ once a month instead of a homily. Nothing about his being defrocked. It’s old news but news that seemingly was never news officially for NZ Catholics. 

This isn't a question of forgiveness and reconciliation, as in marriage when there's adultery. Of course the Church forgives Fr Rotor. He repented his sin, so forgiveness is a sine qua non. Specially in view of the way Pope Francis insistence on "God is Mercy".

Ah, God is Love, actually, and God's love (charity) means always wishing and doing what will most help others to attain eternal life. 

So is it charitable to put Fr Rotor in the way of temptation again? Wouldn't he be better off serving humbly as a lay chaplain in a hospital, safe from the type of woman who find the priesthood a special enticement and temptation? Better off not 'taking confessions' as Stuff put it, in the snug little private room we call a confessional these days, where women with arms' reach may share their sexual desires and troubles with the priest? (Bring back the grille!)

Bishops are shepherds who are to lead their flock towards eternal life. They can't indulge the wishes of individual parishioners, no matter how sorry they feel for them, if that means putting their flock at risk - apart from anything else, of being scandalized. 

You may say that by putting this story out there I'm contributing to scandal. But there would never have been any scandal if the bishop, having prayerfully discerned this decision was the right one in view of his people's sanctification as well as Rotor's, had openly discussed it with the parishioners of St Mary's Northcote, and as president of the NZ Council of Bishops with his fellow bishops, and through NZ Catholic - which he owns - included the entire Church of New Zealand in his decision. "Inclusiveness." Isn't that one of Pope Francis' watchwords?

Lay people are not children, to be sent out of the room when certain issues are discussed by adults,  or to be told, "we're going to see a man about a dog".  Silence and cover-ups - in Argentina, the United States, Ireland, Italy - just don't cut it any more.

As Jesus said in this morning's Gospel (Lk 12:1-7): 

There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. … Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 

Karl du Fresne said: 

I like your line that lay people are not children to be sent out of the room so that adult issues can be discussed. It seems to me that’s the way the Church has always treated the laity.  The pattern was set in the 16^th century when William Tyndale was branded as a heretic for translating the Bible into English so that it could be read and understood by ordinary people.

Linda S Clarke said: 

Terrific point about the grille.....I'm absolutely over the chats - I want the Holy Spirit to instruct me through the mouth of the priest, thank you very much.   And absolutely, the move to allow Fr. Lio Rotor to be a priest again is hardly helpful to him or to the women he will encounter at cosy chat time.   AND clever point about Pope F's watchword!

Anonymous said:

So we are to understand that Bishop Drennan has implemented the provisions of Amoris Laetitia. I understand this is putting many of the priests in a very invidious position. For instance, Father Buenger and others.

But we only get the message by implication, when the 'informed elites' tell us that Fr X "doesn't meet people where they're at."   As Julia says we non-elites only get the code, and have to guess at the substance.

In the spirit of transparency and inclusiveness and dialogue why has Bishop Drennan not told us straight? Why has the implementation (or otherwise) of Amoris Laetitia in our diocese not been put in writing? If we are to be obedient to the Church hierarchy, how can we be obedient to unwritten doctrine that we don't even know for sure is being used?

Gone (maybe?) are the days when divorced parishioners paid the Church $1,000 to get their annulment and receive the Eucharist in good standing with God.  Waste of time and money so soon.

I assume when Bishop Drennan does one day tell us in writing that he has implemented Amoris Laetitia he will also give us some solid writings to resolve the doctrinal conflicts that Amoris Laetitia raises. But no, Pope Francis will not respond to the Dubia that told him of the doctrinal conflicts, so Bishop Drennan has no obligation to resolve the doctrinal conflicts either?

It seems the carefully written doctrine of the Church, crafted with the grace of God, has been replaced by unwritten doctrine and innuendo.  It seems the same rules apply to the sex abuse and homosexuality crisis. The results there speak for themselves.

How long do we parishioners put up with this craziness and deceit? We must make more noise to encourage Bishop Drennan to be more Catholic.