a salesman who doesn't like the product
By Diogenes (articles ) | August 19, 2010 4:38 PM
You know the only story about the pastor who explained his relationship to the hierarchy by saying, "I'm not in management, I'm in sales?" That's not a very elevated vision of priestly ministry, but it's not entirely inaccurate, either.
So let's imagine that a man named Larry McNally runs a Chevrolet dealership in Oak Park, Illinois. And let's imagine that he doesn't think Chevrolet management is putting out a good product. So one fine day he distributes a flyer to everyone who comes into the showroom, saying: "I apologize to each one of you for the gas-guzzling and unreliable cars put out by the white male executives in Detroit."
If that happened, how long do you think Larry McNally would continue running the Chevy franchise? Not long. Executives in the auto industry zealously protect their brand; they wouldn't allow an employee to trash the corporate reputation and denigrate their product.
For that matter, you might ask why McNally continued to make his money selling Chevys, if he thought they were lemons. You might question his integrity.
But Larry McNally doesn't run a Chevy dealership in Oak Park. He's a Catholic priest, who runs Ascension parish. Here are the actual words of the announcement he put in last week's parish bulletin:
As we celebrate this great feast of Mary, the Mother of God [Feast of the Assumption], I want to take this opportunity to say to all of our wonderful and virtuous women that I am sorry. I apologize to each one of you for the insensitive and harsh words coming from the Vatican male hierarchy of the church.
He's in sales, not management. How effectively does he promote the product?
[H/T to Father Z, citing an America magazine blog, citing the local newspaper]
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Posted by: richardols3892 -
Aug. 21, 2010 1:26 AM ET USA
Fr. McNally didn't put down "the product." He apologized for the bigwigs in "Detroit," who come across as insensitive to the "buyers." Good for him!
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Posted by: lauriem5377 -
Aug. 19, 2010 9:17 PM ET USA
Father McNally owes me no aplogy for the Vatican. I am deeply grateful for the wisdom and support for women that flows from our Holy Father and those around him. He should apologize to the Vatican for his insensitive and publically demeaning words... I look to our priests to lift up our church, not tear it down and divide us. I pray for Father O'Mally to foster love and peace - not discontent and strife.
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Posted by: patriot6908 -
Aug. 19, 2010 6:29 PM ET USA
You would think that Father McNally is a very disloyal salesman when in fact, he's not, because the product is the wonderfully warm, modern, inclusively diverse, multicultural male feminist and beloved pastor, Larry McNally. Wouldn't you just love to hug the guy if you were a "wonderful and virtuous" female parishioner? I bet he keeps his smile when he sleeps!
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Posted by: usalis549414 -
Aug. 19, 2010 6:10 PM ET USA
If Father Larry paid any money for his priestly training, I think he should go back to the seminary and ask for his money back.
