Asps in Rochester (NY) - "Father Joan" [Catholic Caucus - not on a full stomach alert]

WDTPRS ^ | July 25, 2008 | Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

[NYer]

For this I sadly tip my biretta to Ten Reasons  o{]:¬(

I want you to read this in light of certain entries on this blog about the whole ghastly wymynpriest thing (except for what "that blonde" had to say, of course.

Father Joan

In June of this year, Bishop Matthew Clark of Rochester appointed the notorious dissenter Sister Joan Sobala as pastoral administrator, i.e., de facto priestess, over the tradition-friendly St. Anne Church. The Women’s Ordination Conference calls her a person "key to the survival and success of the movement for women’s ordination." A now former parishioner shares her account of Sister Joan’s honeymoon period:
At the "third informational meeting" held before she was officially acting as the administrator, she made 2 statements, in front of a good size representation of the congregation, when asked if some of the previous traditional liturgical practices would remain the same at Saint Anne’s. She replied, "I AM what I AM and it IS what it IS".  [Glibly hostile blasphemy]

When asked about wanting to become a priest, she announced quite boldly, "It is no secret that since 1975, I have wanted to become a priest." When asked by a parishoner if she understood that this was against the acceptance of the Catholic Church, she told the parishoner that he was "out of line". This was very confusing to many of us, as we still cannot figure out exactly what or who, it IS she THINKS she IS.

Women who want to be ordained, and those who aid them, are setting themselves up as having a Magisterium superior to that of Holy Church.  But by doing so on this topic, they a veering away from Christianity itself.

It is one thing to attack, say, unity – which inflicts a terrible wound in the Body of the Church. 

It is entirely another to pierce the Church’s very beating heart, the priesthood, and then – asp-like inject the wound with venom.

[NYer]

This just makes my blood boil! I hope freeper 'cielo' is on this thread to share some additional insight into the nonsense that has plagued the Diocese of Rochester.

Here's some additional information from the DOR Catholic blog:

---

Father Joan and Sister Tyman

Those of you who are not regular readers of Rich Leonardi's Ten Reasons will likely have missed an eye-opening report on the transfer of pastoral leadership at Rochester's St. Anne Church.  The account, reproduced below, is in the form of a comment to Rich's June 13 post on DOR's Theology On Tap program and comes from a former member of St. Anne.

 

Rich adds his own observations on Anonymous' comment here.

 

At 10:23 PM, Anonymous said...

 

I am a PAST member of Saint Anne's Church, (having just recently left) and I did so because of the blatant audacity of the woman newly in charge, Sr. Joan Sobala.

At the "third informational meeting" held before she was officially acting as the administrator, she made 2 statements, in front of a good size representation of the congregation, when asked if some of the previous traditional liturgical practices would remain the same at Saint Anne's. She replied, "I AM what I AM and it IS what it IS".

When asked about wanting to become a priest, she announced quite boldly, "It is no secret that since 1975, I have wanted to become a priest." When asked by a parishoner if she understood that this was against the acceptance of the Catholic Church, she told the parishoner that he was "out of line". This was very confusing to many of us, as we still cannot figure out exactly what or who, it IS she THINKS she IS.

The running joke now is that "Father Joan" and "Sister Tyman" are running this parish.

(Incidentally, in his welcoming address printed in the church bulletin,) Father Tyman, as he mandates being called, (and does not EVER want to be referred to as Father Gary,) stated that one could call him Gary, or Father Tyman, but never Father Gary; reason being that one would never think to call their OWN doctor by his or her first name, preceded by his or her title. I beg to differ, as some of the most famous doctors and clergy are called by "Dr." followed by their first names, such as "Dr. Phil", "Dr. Laura", and of course, Padre Pio, Mother Teresa, Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, Saint Anne and the list goes on.

The final straw was when Sister ("Wanna-be-Father") Joan mandated that a very strategic handicapped parking space located in the front of the church was altered to now read, "Reserved" instead of holding the universal handicapped symbol, as once was. There are many ample parking spaces at Saint Anne's. We are all wondering why Sr. Joan had the RIGHT to "RESERVE" a very necessary parking space that once allowed a handicapped person, to utilize the convenience of parking closer to the church; to now be able to make it HER space, because she refuses to walk a few more feet to get to the church. Is it all because she is "getting off" on the fact that she is, in fact "the boss" as she has so often referred to herself? I may be wrong, but I think there is a violation hiding in there, somewhere. Maybe the Americans with Disabilities Act people should be contacted, and maybe she should be put in her audacious place, once and for all.

Last but not least, on that fateful June 24th day, when there was the very sad but true, "out with the old, in with the new" situation going on, Father Tyman unloaded his personal affects, even before the other two priests were even out of the building. It was 2 in the afternoon, a moving truck was parked in the parking lot and there were Oriental rugs going in, antique furniture, and more things too numerous to mention, that did not resemble the trappings of a priest in residence. What happened to the vow of poverty?

Of course, Sr. Joan did NOT move in, as she is presently living in the RECTORY at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. As any one who knows that church can tell you, there is a very accommodating convent located right on the grounds of the church proper. It is now the situation that no other priest can live in that rectory because of the fact that a woman is living there. Lights and heat and cool air and water for one person living in a whole big rectory? What a waste of money for the DOR. (But of course, closing 13 schools was inevitable.)

My theory is this: there has to be SOMETHING that is being HIDDEN in the Diocese of Rochester. Someone knows SOMETHING, and has threatened to tell it all, if their needs were NOT met. What ELSE could it be, for God's sake! No man in the role of Bishop could ever justify all the lack of judgement that THIS man has shown in the past few months, without having a noose around his neck, waiting for it to be tightened, if he doesn't play the "acceptance" game.

[dangus]

>> “I AM what I AM and it IS what it IS” <<

Anyone else detect in this a little self-deification?

[dangus]

The Most Irreverend Clark’s career seems to have stagnated. He was appointed bishop of Rochester in 1979 at only 41 years of age, one of the very first bishops to be consecrated by Pope John Paul II, himself. Thirty years at the same job. Meanwhile, the number of priests in that diocese has plummeted from 502 to 305.

[dangus]

Wow. I hadn’t realized. The bishop before Clark’s predecessor was BISHOP FULTON SHEEN!

[nickcarraway]

Is this a passive aggressive way to punish a tradition-friendly church?

[Boagenes]

The Catholic Church in America is infested with all manner of radicals and heretics and both.

[rogator]

There is no emergency in the Church.

[NTHockey]

>> “I AM what I AM and it IS what it IS” <<

Anyone else detect in this a little self-deification?

No, she is just following in the footsteps of those who proceeded her post-Vatican II. The pastors who destroyed the marble altars, smashed statues, instituted guitar liturgies and all the other abominations gave birth to such as this woman.

[marshmallow]

Bishop Matthew Clark: Homosexual Priests Welcome in Rochester

Bishop Clark's 1997 homily for Gay and Lesbian Catholics

Clark has turned his diocese into a spiritual wasteland and he aint done yet! If my math is correct he's around 70 which means he could have another 5 years to wreak havoc. If you read both of the links above, it will become clear that Clark has essentially alienated solid, traditional Catholics in the name of "inclusiveness", something which is also obvious from the comments in the blog. The bottom line of his preaching is that we've all been nasty to homosexuals by making them feel unwanted. The solution, according to Clark apparently, is to make lifelong, faithful Catholics feel unwanted.

[Notwithstanding]

Diocesean priests do not take a vow of poverty.

[Mad Dawg]

self-popeyefication?

[rochester_veteran]

I work just down the street from St. Anne's and I go to Mass there for Holy Days of Obligation and times when I just feel a need to go to Mass during the work week

I hadn't realized this had come down at St. Anne's. Last that I knew, Fr. Leone was pastor. He's also a retired Army Colonel (Chaplain). Before Fr. Leone, there was Fr. Frank Lioi. Fr. Lioi instituted a weekly Latin Mass with the full choir in Gregorian chant. Here's a link to the St. Anne's webpage about this:

SINGING A NEW SONG, 1989-200, Rev. Frank E. Lioi, Pastor

Now the people of the parish have to endure Sister Joan Sobala and Father Gary Tyman. It sounds like Bishop Clark is punishing the parishioners of St. Anne's!

[NYer]

It sounds like Bishop Clark is punishing the parishioners of St. Anne's!

Bishop Clark and several other bishops, have a penchant for imposing their will even when it runs contradictory to that of the Holy Father. You have slightly less than 5 years until Clark retires. In the meantime, grit teeth, switch parishes ... do whatever is necessary to hang on. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The last few yeards of the race are always the most painful and challenging. But ... there ... up ahead ... is a new bishop. God willing, he will restore what has been lost. It won't happen overnight but it will come.

[NYer]

The Most Irreverend Clark’s career seems to have stagnated. He was appointed bishop of Rochester in 1979 at only 41 years of age, one of the very first bishops to be consecrated by Pope John Paul II, himself. Thirty years at the same job. Meanwhile, the number of priests in that diocese has plummeted from 502 to 305.

Run the numbers on Bishop Clark's good friend and diocesan neighbor - Bishop Howard Hubbard. "Birds of a feather".

[Faraday]

As one who keeps up with Rich Leonardi’s blog, I’m impressed by the number and quality of orthodox Catholics who persevere in the diocese. The Holy Spirit makes grace available to those who will use it. Pope Benedict has been appointing very solid men to the episcopacy. In this, he seems more on the ball than his predecessor. Hopefully, Rochester won’t have long to wait for “deliverance”.

[NYer]

Wow. I hadn’t realized. The bishop before Clark’s predecessor was BISHOP FULTON SHEEN!

Sacred Heart Cathedral sanctuary as it appeared in 2002 before the jack-hammers. Note the beautiful baldacin (canopy) over spanish marble high altar & statue of Sacred Heart of Jesus. As viewed from Archbishop Fulton Sheen's pulpit, which has been cut in half, remodled, and centered in front of the stage which had been this sanctuary. All of the spanish marble was destroyed. The marble floor has been replaced with tile.

BEFORE

AFTER

[defconw]

Father???? She is not the only one who is confused.

[verga]

“I AM what I AM and it IS what it IS”

I am what I am, and thats all that I am, I am strong to the finish cause I eats me spinach yuk yuk yuk

Cartoon song for a cartoon priest (Lack of capitalization intentional)

[AnAmericanMother]

How horrible.

It looks like a tithe-barn, and not a very nice one at that.

[lastchance]

Dear Lord,

Grant these persons Sister T and Father J the privlege that all Christians long for. The privlege of seeing their Lord and Savior face to face.

[Oratam]

He turned it into a mosque.

Centuries from now, when archeologist sift through the remains of our civilization, they will find both miraculously intact churches as well as ruined churches from the post-Vatican II era. These archeologists will conclude that a massive tectonic shift in belief had occurred, so deep the rupture, so wide the chasm between the two eras, their respective churches bear no resemblance to the other.

[rogator]

“These archeologists will conclude that a massive tectonic shift in belief had occurred, so deep the rupture, so wide the chasm between the two eras,...”

And their conclusions will be correct.

[magisterium]

Nyer, you have my sympathy! Clark has got to go! Can you guys hold-on until his retirement date? I bet it won't take a nanosecond for Rome to accept his tendered resignation on the occasion of his 75th birthday! They should just remove Clark and Hubbard ex post haste, maybe to hang out with Bishop Jacques Gaillot in "Partenia."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partenia

[rochester_veteran]

NYer said:

In the meantime, grit teeth, switch parishes ... do whatever is necessary to hang on. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The last few yeards of the race are always the most painful and challenging. But ... there ... up ahead ... is a new bishop. God willing, he will restore what has been lost. It won't happen overnight but it will come.

As I've mentioned in other related posts, in my daily prayers, I pray to God to guide our American Bishops in His way and to please help us with the situation here in the Diocese of Rochester.

This last round of school closings (13 in all) woke up alot of people. My gosh, the "wreck-o-vation" of Sacred Heart Cathedral cost at least 11 million dollars, money that could have been used to keep the schools afloat!

[NYer]

This last round of school closings (13 in all) woke up alot of people.

If it is of any consolation, this is happening in several other dioceses as well. Closed churches are 'hot properties'. It does not ease the anguish we experience. Several of the closed churches in Albany have been sold - one to a non-denominational Evangelical congregation, another to a Baptist group. A local area business has been approached about purchasing one of the churches in Schenectady. When we ponder the personal sacrifices made by those immigrants who built these beautiful churches, it is painful to see stained glass windows being removed, etc. All we can do is pray for these bishops.