Don Minutella: these penalties are "medals of honor"

https://www.catholicfamilynews.org/blog/2017/12/5/resist-resist-resist-cfn-exclusive-interview-minutella

CFN: How do you view your penalties of (de facto) suspension, or excommunications?

Don Minutella: For me these are medals of honor, like when a simple soldier carries out meritorious actions, and the commander rewards him. I hope, however, that one of the Cardinals who remain Catholic, will recognize it. I'll need this [support], even though Cardinal Burke and Cardinal Sarah have already encouraged me privately. The best spoils for the priest are souls. Saint John Bosco told Our Lord: Da mihi animas et coetera tolle! “Give me souls, and take the rest!” It is said of St. John of the Cross that Jesus appeared to him, saying: Ioanne, quid vis pro laboribus? “John, what would you like [as a reward] for your labors?” The Spanish saint responded: Domine, pati et contemni pro te, meaning “Lord, to suffer and to be despised for Thee.” It is something that I have expected since my time in the Seminary, and despite the heavy weight of suffering, I experience the supernatural joy of the Cross.

Father Nicholas Gruner, Requiescat in pace

When the curtain is raised upon the darkness of this age and the light sines forth it will be because of the faithfulness and labouring in the vineyard of priests such as this man.

O LORD, have mercy on the soul your priestly servant Nicholas. Forgive him for his failings and reward him for the mercy he showed to his flock. O Mother of Priests, Mary of Fatima, intercede for this priest, your son, before your Son.

It is almost as if the LORD has preserved him from what is to fall upon us.

Rest in peace Father Gruner.

Thank you for what you have done. May you rest in the peace of Christ.

No justice for the victim priest and the burning incense at the altar of the insurance gods

A few days ago, I posted some news stories which included the ongoing miscarriage of justice against Father Gordon MacRae - even the Wall Street Journal reports on it. The full details can be found at These Stone Walls. 

The situation regarding Father Gordon MacRae is not lost when we consider a recent essay by Richard P. Fitzgibbons, M.D., a Psychiatrist who has written and spoken much on the subject of homosexuality on EWTN and elsewhere. It is worth reading his expert analysis and opinion on the subject. Of course, connected to the matter are the tragic cases of men who were homosexuals and who came into the Catholic priesthood to prey upon their victims and did enormous damage to the lives and souls of these victims and the Church. 

Dr. Richard P. Fitzgibbons

Yet, as with Father MacRae, not all priests that are accused are guilty and not all are homosexuals. Some are unjustly accused and their lives and service to the Church ruined. The leading Catholic expert on the subject, Dr. Fitzgibbons writes in the January 29, 2015 issue of Homiletic and Pastoral Review on the Accusations against Priests and the need for more justice and psychological science. 

In the February 24, 2015 issue of the same magazine, California attorney David A. Shanefelt who represents policy holders against insurance companies and Joseph P. Maher, president of Opus Bono Sacderdotii, which I have previously supported, have written on the sacrificing of priests to satisfy insurance companies.

The witch-hunt that has been undertaken by some bishops is as reprehensible as their cover-up of the crimes of previous generations of priests. They were cowards then and they are cowards now. They have learnt little.

The failure of the episcopacy to the victim-priest and the victims of some priests has been a failure of responsibility and charity. It is a lack of courage and justice of the first order. One can think here of Raymond Lahey the now laicised and disgraced former Bishop of Antigonish in Canada who whist putting together settlements for victims was engaging in his own fantasies with child pornography on his computer. We are still reminded to this day that "Lahey is known as a kind and gentle pastor, particularly sensitive to the needs of those who have suffered the scourge of sexual abuse." Except of course those who suffered the abuse that occurred during the filming and photography of child pornography on his computer of this kind, gentle and sensitive pastor.

How was this not known by the Canadian episcopacy?

It's time for more Catholics to speak out on this continuing injustice and hypocrisy and I say this as someone with his own personal perspective on the matter that goes beyond the events of the last few weeks.