My World of Religion, Politics, Entertainment and Social Issues

I want to thank Bishop Clark for the courageous stand he has taken on behalf of gay priests in the Rochester Diocese. I share in the outrage of the Catholic community concerning sexual abuse committed by Roman Catholic priests. However, scapegoating gay priests is the wrong approach, and I applaud Bishop Clark's fairness in dealing with this issue. Some bishops, in their eagerness to sweep the abuse crisis under the carpet, have issued harsh statements concerning gay priests and seminarians. If bishops truly believe that as many as 50% of priests may be gay, it is correspondingly reasonable to assume that as many as 50% of bishops are gay as well. I personally don't care if bishops or priests are gay or heterosexual, as long as they are not abusing children. Rather than focusing on sexual orientation, our bishops should instead be focusing on sexual maturity. Sexual immaturity can be present in either a homosexual or heterosexual. To single out one in favor of the other is not ...

PROBLEMATIC PROPOSITIONS FROM THE EUCHARISTIC SYNOD by Ray Grosswirth, M.A., M.Div October 25, 2005 The Vatican Information Service (VIS) has released what it considers to be the most important propositions from the Eucharistic Synod. I have concerns with a few of them, and have highlighted these concerns in CAPITAL LETTERS following the actual propositions: EUCHARIST AND THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE (Proposition no. 7) "It is of vital pastoral importance that bishops in their dioceses promote a decisive revival in teaching the conversion that arises from the Eucharist, and that to this end they favor frequent individual Confession." "The Synod strongly recommends bishops not to allow the practice of collective absolution in their dioceses, save in the objectively exceptional circumstances laid down in John Paul II's Motu Proprio, 'Misericordia Dei'." A LOGICAL QUESTION TO ASK IS: CONSIDERING THE SEVERE CLERGY SHORTAGE IN THE UNITED STATES AND ELSEWHERE, ...

A MISGUIDED APPOINTMENT FOR ARCHBISHOP MYERS by Ray Grosswirth, CORPUS Media Liaison During the same week that our esteemed bishops in Rome voted down a proposal to allow for the ordaining of married men to the priesthood, the Vatican nevertheless appointed Newark's Archbishop Myers to the task of overseeing the process of bringing married Episcopalian priests into the Roman Catholic priesthood. (This sounds like a double-standard to me.) While I certainly want to welcome our Episcopalian brothers to the Roman Catholic Church when they convert for the right reasons, I am also alarmed when we bring some of these men into the RC priesthood for the WRONG reasons. Two of the WRONG reasons are when Episcopalian priests state they are converting because a.) they were opposed to the ordination of Gene Robinson, because of his being openly gay; b.) they are opposed to the ordination of women in the Episcopal Church. I will be the first to welcome a married Episcopalian priest, when he st...

MY FANTASY DEBATE WITH CARDINAL PELL by RAY GROSSWIRTH, CORPUS NATIONAL SECRETARY October 13, 2005 Dear Friends: While I am encouraged over the fact that a few courageous bishops brought the topic of married priests to the synod table, we should not be surprised that Cardinal Pell is trying (in a very forceful way) to keep the policy of mandatory celibacy intact. I often wonder what it would be like to debate someone like Cardinal Pell. Since the opportunity will probably never present itself, I interjected my own thoughts in the following article that contains quotes from the cardinal. (My comments are in capital letters.) Cardinal calls for keeping celibacy rule NICOLE WINFIELD Associated PressOctober 13, 2005 VATICAN CITY - A senior cardinal warned Wednesday that relaxing the Roman Catholic Church's rule on celibacy for priests would be a "serious error," countering calls by reformers that allowing them to marry would help resolve a shortage of clergymen. WHAT IS THE ...

It has been a while since I posted anything to my blog. This is due in part to the fact that I have been busy preparing for my new venture. My three-year elected term as national secretary of CORPUS ( www.corpus.org ) is coming to an end. Beginning in November, I will be the 'media liaison' for CORPUS. In this capacity, my writing will continue and I hope to have some interesting material to add to this blog. Before giving you the final article I wrote as CORPUS Secretary, I thought I would share with you the unfortunate censhorship that currently exisits in the Rochester Diocese. Sadly, I am no longer able to send e-mails to employees of the diocese, because new restrictions block out any messages dealing with reform initiatives. I don't blame Bishop Matthew Clark for the censorship policy, because he has been consistently friendly toward me and fair-minded in his response to my work in the church reform movement. I therefore blame certain administrators. The followin...

The big news over the past several days was the forced resignation of Rev. Thomas Reese, editor of 'America' magazine. My e-mail in-box was flooded with a vast array of articles on this sad development, which was actually in the works for the past five years under the supervision of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. My personal belief is that this is just the beginning of crackdowns by our new pontiff. If I had to guess, the Vatican will be going after the National Catholic Reporter and John Allen next. The only saving grace for NCR is that it is operated by the laity. (There is not much our pontiff can do, except threaten NCR editors with excommunication.) My reaction is simply that we should not be fooled by the smiling face of Benedict XVI. There is perhaps wisdom in the old saying: "Beware of a wolf in sheep's clothing." Underneath the shining white robes of Benedict XVI is none other than Joseph Ratzinger the inquisitor. Sadly, we will probably b...

There are many days that I contemplate leaving Rochester in favor of a warmer climate. This may indeed a possibility for me as I move closer to my retirement years. Yet, I must say, from a Roman Catholic perspective, that I am fortunate to be in the Rochester Diocese, due in large part to the 'pastoral' leadership of Bishop Matthew Clark. Being in another diocese with an ultra-conservative bishop would be problematic at best. (One only has to read daily newspapers to gain a sense of how much turmoil and discontent there are in many dioceses throughout the United States and beyond.) If you have read some of my web articles, you are aware of the fact that I am an advocate for inclusivity in the Roman Catholic priesthood. In many dioceses, priests who have entered into marriage are allowed to do no more than sit in pews on any given Sunday. They are not allowed to be eucharistic ministers, lectors, serve on committees or teach. Furthermore, many were forced to move out of their or...

I watched the funeral of John Paul II this morning and was admittedly very moved. It served as a reminder that as much as I loved the man for the world peace he worked tirelessy for, it is simply a shame that he wasn't more open to the roles of women, married men and gays in the church. As the pontiff's casket was brought before the throngs of people gathered for this morning's Mass, there was thunderous applause (applause well-deserved). When the funeral was over, commentators puzzled over a daunting question: who could possibly step into his shoes? If the election had been yesterday, the likely successor would have been Cardinal Ratzinger or Cardinal Arinze (both ultra-conservative). However, the momentum for an italian pope continues to build, which means that it could be entirely possible that the conclave will be inspired to elect Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi of Milan. Christoph Schoenborn of Austria is being mentioned with increased frequency as well. (My hope still re...

THE PONTIFICATE OF JOHN PAUL II by Ray Grosswith, M.A., M.Div I share in the world's sorrow as we mourn the loss of John Paul II. Because of my extensive writing during his papacy, I have naturally been asked by reporters to analyze the past 26 years. Regretably, I never had an opportunity to sit down and chat with the late pontiff. If I had the honor, I have no doubt I would have found him to to be personable. Yet, at the same time, I am sure he would not have been pleased with my activities in the reform movement. Nevertheless, I wish the opportunity had presented itself for me to explain to him that the work I do is based upon the inclusive ministries modeled by Jesus. Sadly, the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church, under the pontificate of John Paul II, overturned many of the reform initiatives of Vatican II. During this period of mourning, I wish with all my heart that I could give John Paul II a glowing review of his past 26 years as pope. However, if I am to give an hones...

A Reflection on Terri Schiavo's Death by Ray Grosswirth, M.A., M.Div When the news of Terri Schiavo's death was announced on March 31, I found that my feelings fluctuated between those of relief and sadness. On one hand, I am relieved the media circus and political wrangling are over; on the other hand, I am saddened over the family struggle that permeated the 15-year debate over Terri's well-being. Whatever one's feeling were throughout this long ordeal, I pray there will be reconciliation between opposing sides during this period of mourning. At the very least, we should pray there is no violence from radical elements within the religious right. Having witnessed Terri's ordeal play out on our television screens the past few weeks, I can't emphasize enough how important it is to articulate one's health-care wishes in writing. It appears that Terri Schiavo indicated verbally to her husband that she did not want to be kept alive by extraordinary means if she ...

A NEW GOSPEL OF MARY MAGDALENE by Ray Grosswirth, M.A., M.Div INTRODUCTION If I had written this during the period of the Inquisition, there is no doubt I would have been condemned to a terrible fate. In today’s day and age, there are still those who might label me as a heretic for writing what follows. However, please keep in mind that this is simply a product of my imagination. It is designed to give you a perception of Mary Magdalene that will perhaps lead the Roman Catholic hierarchy to consider the many ways it has tarnished the reputation of a saintly women who can rightfully claim the title of ‘Apostle to the Apostles.’ THE SETTING The date is approximately 5 A.D. and the setting is a small desert community in the vicinity of Nazareth. During this year, Mary Magdalene was born. While little is known of her parents, her birth was short of miraculous, for the same three wise men who came from afar to visit a child in Nazareth several years earlier, also decided to visit this baby ...

I can't say that I am surprised by the Vatican's condemnation of 'The Da Vinci Code.' It is just another example of the paranoia that permeates the psychoses of our cardinals in Rome. Admittedly, there is an element of humor with all this hysteria. First and foremost, the Vatican should realize by now that when they instruct the faithful not to read something, it will only enourage more people to buy the book. So, anyone who hasn't read 'The Davinci Code' will certainly pick up a copy now. Secondly, the Vatican is unwittingly providing great pre-publicity for Ron Howard's movie version of 'The Davinci Code.' (I am assuming it will be released in 2006, with Tom Hanks in the starring role.) The Vatican's condemnation is reminiscent of 'The Inquisition' of the medieval period. If 'The Davinci Code' had been written during that period, it woud have certainly found itself on the list of 'forbidden books.' Since millions of ...

The topic of priestly celibacy has correctly been called 'the elephant in the room.' While I don't blame celibacy for the sexual abuse crisis in the Roman Catholic Church, there is every reason to believe it is a contributing factor. It would be extremely helpful if American bishops removed the 'fear factor' from public dialogue on discussions relating to the Roman Catholic priesthood. However, the reality is that some bishops will go to any length in an attempt to suppress or squash open and honest dialogue on an outdated poliicy that continues to place our sacramental system in severe jeopardy. To cite an example of suppressed conversation, Archbishop Timothy Dolan has forbidden public discussion amongst priests on the topic of clerical celibacy in Milwaukee. (When petitions were circulated nationwide in favor of optional celibacy, 185 priests from Milwaukee were the first to sign.) In the meantime, my contacts in Milwaukee have informed me that Archbishop Timothy...

It was called to my attention this morning that the Beliefnet website is currently hosting a debate of the book, "Priests in Love." (There were 728 postings as of this morning.) I will need to read the book in order to offer a fair objective analysis. However, the topic should not be surprising to those of us who have studied and written about the topic of priestly celibacy. Per the following book review, "Priests in Love" is not about sexual abuse. It is rather an honest look at 'consensual' relationships that many priests are engaged in. (I personally don't fault any priests who are in relationships of this sort.) My argument continues to be that some priests are called to a life of celibacy, and some are not. Whether or not priests called to relationships can in fact live celibate lives remains an interesing paradox. (I would much rather see priests in such a dilemma pursue a normal, consensual relationship than resort to anything 'unnatural' ...

As the world focuses on the health of Pope John Paul II, there has been much speculation about who will step into his shoes. The selection of the next pontiff will rest upon a very basic question: Who will best suit the present needs of our church - a long-term pope or short-term pope? Those leaning toward a long-term pontiff tend to favor Milan's cardinal. In terms of a short-term pope, names often mentioned are Cardinal Ratzinger and Cardinal Arinze (both ultra-conservative). In conjunction with Cardinal Ratzinger, reformers such as myself worry about the amount of damage he could do the church, even during a short period. Skeptics raise the question: How much damage can he possibly do over a couple years? My answer is: Someone like Ratzinger could inflict much damage, even during the course of one day. For example, he could conceivably declare infallibly that women may never be ordained, or he could declare infallibly that Christ willed celibacy for priests (which would ob...

As I reflected on the word 'structures', it has traditionally come to have two meanings in the context of Roman Catholicism: 1.) It can obviously refer to the buildings that house our worship communities; 2.) It can also refer to the hierarchical pyramid that is responsible for the leadership of our Church. Both types of structures have their benefits and liabilities. For example, we take great pride in our places of worship, while at the same time, cringe when expensive repairs are needed. We can also take pride in our structural leadership when we are moving in a positive direction, or we can become quite angry when one of our bishops or cardinals takes action that may be perceived as an abuse of power. I have a strong sense that our priests and laity occasionally feel lost amongst our immense structures, whether they be our buildings or a large contingency of bishops and cardinals. We are then faced with the question: Is the Church about structures or people? When considerin...

Since 2002 , I have been puzzling over a paradox that has become increasingly clear as the pedophilia crisis in the Roman Catholic Church continues to capture headlines. In brief, it is interesting to note that the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church went to great lengths, over the course of several decades, to protect pedohiles. Paradoxically, at the same time, the Vatican has been quick to punish good priests who have simply entered into marriage out of genuine love. Is something wrong here? When one examines this paradox closely, it becomes perfectly clear that our hierarchy has serious hang-ups concerning sexuality. To understand this better, we need to go back to 1139 and the corresponding Inquisition which was to last several decades. (Some would argue that the Inquisition never ended.) While several attempts were made to mandate celibacy prior to 1139, whereby the solitary life of monks was held up as a model, the year 1139 was the pivotal year whereby celibacy was not only e...

As tension in the Roman Catholic Church intensifies, I have been examining the question of what it means to be a Roman Catholic. More specifically, I have been challenged by conservative Catholics in recent weeks and have been repeatedly asked: "Are you in union with Rome?" There is no debate about my being a Roman Catholic. I subscribe fully to the Creed and try to live out a sacramental life to its fullest. I attend Mass every Sunday, and am active in my parish as a lay minister. Yet, I continue to be challenged by divisive issues. For the past several years, I have been openly challenging our hierarchy on far-reaching issues, whereby I have been advocating the following: 1.) ordination of married men; 2.) the welcoming back of priests who entered into marriage; 3.) ordination of women; 4.) full inclusion of gay and lesbians; 5.) abolishing the annulment process; 6.) liturgical reform; 7.) freedom of expression on Church policy matters. Many of my campaigns concerning these...

While marriage continues to be celebrated as a sacramental union in the Roman Catholic Church, our hierarchy also refers to marriage as an impediment to priestly ordination. What the Church is essentially saying is that marriage is a blessed state as long as married parties keep their distance from the priesthood, thereby preserving the Holy Orders for celibate men. In consideration of our hierarchy's disciminatory practices, I continue to voice three questions: 1.) How many married men, called to ordination, end up frustrated due to the fact that their gifts are stifled by the very same Church they wish to serve? 2.) How many priests who have entered into marriage would continue their vocations in the Roman Catholic Church if marriage were not an 'impediment'? 3.) How many women continue to feel as though they are second-class citizens in the Roman Catholic Church due to the fact that the doors to ordination are closed to them? Having addressed my support of womens ordinat...