In 1972, Pope Paul VI observed,
“From some fissure,
the smoke of Satan
has entered the Temple of God.”
The purpose of this weekly column is to help wake
the bulk of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics
from their self-imposed slumber
and powerfully remind them of who they are,
and what they are called by God, to be.
This week’s story: Persecuted Priests
How many ways do bad bishops punish good priests? Take your pick: exile, silencing, mandatory evaluation at pseudo-psychiatric facilities like St. Luke’s, frequent reassignment, making them permanent parochial vicars with no hope of becoming pastors, marginalization, driving them out (to other dioceses or the military vicariate), whispering campaigns that designate them “mentally unstable” or “unfit for ministry,” etc. The ultimate punishment, the bishop’s sword of Damocles, so to speak, is suspension. It hangs over the head of a good priest who knows his “spiritual father” will use it. How many orthodox priests hear variations of the threat, “You have no idea what I can do to you!” But the good priests do know. They’ve seen the sword fall on their brothers.
Many orthodox priests live in fear that their bishops will remove their priestly faculties. Why? Because they are having an affair with a parishioner’s wife? Because they’re hoarding porno flicks in the closet? Because they’re letting a homosexual buddy live in the rectory? No! Because they defend the faith vigorously against the evils of modernism and the homosexual subculture.
Recently a priest in Florida, Fr. John Pasquini, e-mailed me asking for help. He’s in trouble because he wrote to a local newspaper criticizing homosexuality in the Episcopal Church. But I’ll let him tell the story in his own words.
“I was assigned as a parochial vicar at St. Juliana’s Church in West Palm Beach when the Episcopalian Bishops voted to consecrate an openly homosexual bishop and approve the blessing of gay marriages. I wrote an editorial arguing that this was contrary to 2000 years of Christianity, that homosexual actions are contrary to God’s law, Scripture, natural law and the complimentarity of the sexes. Shortly after my editorial, the Episcopalian bishop for the region of Florida wrote a letter to the chan-cery arguing that my statements were harmful to ecumenism.
“Rev. Alfredo Hernandez wanted me out of his parish after this incident. His friend, the Vicar General, Charles Notabartolo, called me out of nowhere and asked me if I wanted to serve as the chaplain of St. Mary’s Hospital. I knew immediately what that meant and so I challenged him on the move. He responded that my editorial letter “was way out of line.” This now makes sense, since Rev. Notabartolo was accused and settled out of court a case regarding his alleged sexual advances on another priest that were rebuffed. Fr. Charles told me that I would never be a pastor in this diocese. (our emphasis)
“From there I went to an interview at St. Mary’s hospital. I was kept waiting in the lobby for two hours and then drilled for one hour in [the interviewer’s] office. He argued that some on the staff felt that my position on homosexual actions was troubling. What was supposed to be a formality clearly was not. I left after being informed they were intending to interview other applicants.
“At that time I knew I had no place to go. Fr. Alfredo wanted me out of his parish and St. Mary’s thought I was too controversial. An interesting side issue: I once came home early from my day off and there at the dinning room table playing cards was a legendary group of pro-homosexual priests. It now all made sense!
I made inquiries at Ave Maria University, and Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J., hired me in January 2004 to serve as an assistant chaplain. I will be eternally grateful to him. After a short period of time I realized that I missed being a parish priest and so asked Bishop Barbarito to find me a place. I have been at St. Jude’s in Tequesta ever since. But I have clearly been “blacklisted” and “ostracized” by a strong homosexual subculture and/or pro-homosexual priests. I have applied for pastorates at least 11 times and have been turned down. I once was the only one to apply for a parish that no one wanted. The personnel board went out and asked another priest to take the parish, so that I would never be a pastor. Just recently, they gave a parish to a priest who was ordained only two years. I have given up on applying.
“This hatred echoes amongst many of the pro-homosexual agenda priests. I was giving a talk at a parish recently. Afterwards the priest came out and confronted me with the most vile and vulgar of curse words. He literally kicked me off his property, threatening to call the police if I didn’t leave!”
Fr. Pasquini lives in constant fear of removal as do many of his faithful brothers around the country. Few speak out. Our readers know the pitiful saga of Fr. James Haley, removed from ministry in Arlington in 2000 for asking Bishop Paul Loverde to take action against a succession of immoral pastors with whom Haley was assigned. They included an adulterer and two porn addicts, one of whom embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from St. Lawrence. Fr. Haley’s case remains unresolved. Fr. Joe Clark, suspended by Bishop Loverde for correcting the liturgical abuses of a permanent deacon, also remains in limbo after nearly ten months. It seems unlikely these priests will be reinstated without outside intervention.
Read more by Mary Ann Kreitzer at Catholic Media Coalition
Submitted by Sharon F.
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