bad puppy, good puppy

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Oct 05, 2003

When the priest says this...

"If you wore a cassock [at the seminary], you were a reactionary 'daughter of Trent.' If you wore women's underwear, they'd make you seminarian of the year." [Harrisburg Father John Trigilio, quoted in Rose's Goodbye Good Men]

A bishop responds like that:

"I am frankly shocked by your outrageous comments. That statement alone is outrageous and unworthy of any priest. It reflects poor judgment and gross impudence bordering on scandal. Because of your allegations and the scandalous manner in which you have publicized your thoughts, I hereby forbid you to exercise any priestly ministry in the Diocese of Erie until further notice." [Erie Bishop Donald Trautman, in a letter to Trigilio]

When the priest says this ...

"In past centuries, theologians and the Church used to consider women as being less human than men because of ignorance about reproduction. No one would dare suggest such a concept now. For centuries the Church tolerated slavery, and, once again, no one would dare suggest such a concept now... If Parliament and the Supreme Court agree to law reforms that will give the country same-sex marriage, it will be only one more example of the state respecting the individual's freedom to chose without impinging on the freedom of churches or other faith communities to do their best to persuade people to behave otherwise." [Thunder Bay (Ont.) Father Scott Gale, in the Chronicle-Journal, Aug. 20, 2003]

A bishop responds like that:

Bishop Colli told the Chronicle Journal that he only had a cordial discussion with Fr. Gale and expressed a few concerns. The Bishop and Gale talked about the sermon during a telephone conversation yesterday, which Gale described as cordial. "He wasn't out to malign the church but wanted people to make a decision based on a well-informed conscience and that's what the church expects everyone to do," said the Bishop. [Thunder Bay Bishop Fred Colli]