First an interview in the New York Times with former Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland of Milwaukee, who, of course, has written a book - "A Pilgrim in a Pilgrim Church: Memoirs of a Catholic Archbishop"
Weakland, you may remember was forced to retire when it was revealed he paid $45,0000 "hush money" to a man with whom he had a sexual relationship. The man claimed it was date rape, Weakland insists it was a mutual affair.
Obviously the Catholic Church is unhappy with his memoirs in which he criticizes the church for many things, it's bureaucracy, it's stance on homosexuality, it's covering for pedophile priests. Although he also was guilty of moving abusive priests into other parishes. Here is a rather harsh indictment The Hypocrisy of Archbishop Weakland . As I read the interview with Weakland, it does seem as though he is eager to blame everybody but himself
But there certainly is enough hypocrisy to go around. It's just a mess. But it does make me think Martin Luther was right when he said that requiring people to be celibate just asks for trouble. Which is why I am inclined to support gay marriage. As St. Paul says "It is better to marry than to burn" (I Corinthians 7:9)
Have you seen what's going on in the UK at the moment?
ReplyDeleteSince I'm visiting in Wis. at the moment, this book is all over the news. Of course, the most titillating parts are what is quoted. Really, it sounds more like Weakland doesn't get it more than spreading blame. But, of course, I haven't followed the story, nor read the book.
ReplyDeleteMy son became friends with a Catholic Brother, of high renown and regard, who invited Son to his house, office, for talks. Son was never involved sexually in the least, not did he think anything was going on in this manner (Yes, he would have told me.). The Brother got busted because a past liaison, in a different state, blabbed. It was not an illegal relationship, ie not with a child, but the RC order whisked the Brother out of state, ended his career, and he was never heard from again. No legal stuff, to my knowledge. The so called investigation was the Brother's secretary calling Son and asking if anything had happened. Nothing had happened, but Son was shaken by these events, none-the-less. And teased by friends who knew that he had been close friends with the Brother. This was 2006. I guess the secrecy hasn't changed.