Testimony of a Former Irish Priest

BereanBeacon.Org ^ | Richard Peter Bennett

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Yup...this sounds so missing parts in so many areas...i am vey skeptical..but, it probably is wildly popular with those Protestants who believe only THEIR way is true to God’s word. ha.

[Campion]

it is out of context ..unless one attends mass daily a catholic never gets the context

And the cure for that is to go to a Protestant church where the minister spends 45 minutes a week harping on two verses from Romans or Galatians, before moving on to the next two verses from Romans or Galatians? Don't tell me they don't do that; I live in the South and my car radio works just fine. If lack of attention to context is what you're complaining about, there's no shortage of offenders in the Protestant camp.

In any case, priests are required to pray the Breviary 4 times a day, every day, and if a priest doesn't know how to look up the readings given the chapter and verse citation, to see the context, he should probably either learn or get out of the priesthood.

[Binghamton_native]

Is his mention of Angelicum University objectively or subjectively ridiculous?

[sueuprising]

“RnMomof7 wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category%3ADominican_monasteries_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland";
Nearly all of those are in ruins or are museums. The fellow who wrote the article said that he was in a Dominican monastery within the last 50 years. From what I know, Dominican friars are not monks in the medieval sense. They are the preachers.

[Desdemona]

A Catholic would know the difference, even if the Wikipedia editor does not.

Mmmm, maybe not. But the way wikipedia works, any good Catholic who knows the difference can go in and change it. That's part of the reason why wikipedia is the START of research and should be used as the place to find clues, not definitive answers.

Even I knew the Dominicans aren't monks. That could just be because there are a lot of them around here and I know a few, though.

[wideawake]

The monastery in question was the Benedictine monastery of San Marco. It was placed under Dominican administration in 1435. That does not mean that the monks became Dominicans or that Dominican friars became monks. What it does mean is that under Savonarola’s administration the Benedictine monks were gradually replaced by Dominican friars. Plenty of old monasteries became friaries - that doesn’t mean the new residents became monks.

[sueuprising]

Thomas a Kempis, Roman Catholic monk and mystic,was a very important source of inspiration to none other than John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. If Wesley, one of the most sainted men to have ever lived, found inspiration in the writings of a Catholic, then who am I to condemn an entire church for the follies of some.

[vladimir998]

Bennett was once a priest - that part is true. Most of these “fprmer priests” who then become professional anti-Catholics left for very poor reasons (often a romance).

Many live rather pathetic lives after that:

http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2006/0603lw.asp

[vladimir998]

Oh, and by the way, don’t be surprised if Bennett comes back to the Church on his death bed. These “former priests” have seen that happen. Emmett McGloughlin did: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_McLoughlin.

Also, there really are some fake “former priests” that have come and gone. Alberto Rivera comes to mind instantly. http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2007/03/jack-chicks-lies-real-alberto-rivera.html

[wideawake]

It's ridiculous because he describes a place where the students read English news magazines in class, didn't care about theological studies and that the faculty colluded in plagiarism because they were afraid of having fewer graduates.

In reality, the Angelicum in 1963 as now is difficult to get into and attracts the best and most motivated students of theology. Only a minority of students then as now were from English-speaking countries, so the notion of everyone reading American newsmags in class is therefore preposterous.

The school was well-known for the enthusiasm of it's student body - for years Professor Garrigou-Lagrange held extra lectures on Saturdays that were packed to the rafters.

In point of fact, because of its growing popularity, the Pope promoted it from being a theological school to a full-fledged university in 1963.

It's quite convenient for the author to claim he went there but that he never took a degree.

[pgkdan]

Fiction. For every story like this I can show you a hundred true testimonies of those who swam the Tiber and came home.

[small voice in the wilderness]

"And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither wil they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." (Luke 16:30-31).

In order to find, one has to be searching.

[wideawake]

"Saying the Breviary" is less common than the term "saying the Office" but it's still common enough.

The point is that the breviary is about 90% Scripture. It is a structured, thematic reading of all the Psalms and the New and Old Testament canticles interspersed with composed prayers and readings from the other books of the Bible.

If a priest says his office daily and celebrates his daily Mass, he is praying the entire Bible every year.

Hence the silliness of the article's entire premise - that a priest of 22 years would be unfamiliar with the Bible.

[wideawake]

So what is it you’re trying to convey? That the students of the Angelicum are not searching? Or that this Bennett character wasn’t searching (which would presume that his lie about being a student there was true)?

[caww]

Titus, with deep gratitude I thank you for posting this Priests testimony. It is one thing to study and understand the issues between catholics and non-catholics, but to see in a mans own words his story, and transformation, remarkably enhances the things taught and learned...further one can see these very things playing out on the threads as both sides of the issues are debated. Amazingly so!

Everything I have been learning on these threads strikingly played out in this man's very life. As I read thru this his comments and scripture references hit every note of what I've learned. Again ...remarkable how God works with us and brings it all together. I am in awe of Him.

Again, thank you Titus...for the direction He gave you to post this story. It has blessed me greatly......CW

[Salvation]

** ex Roman Catholics who left that church **

I hate to break this to you, but those people whom you think left the Catholic Church are really still Catholics — although they may not be practicing the faith at this time. When they were baptized a Catholic it was for life. They join famous people like Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck — also non=practicing Catholics.

There are three Sacraments that mark a Catholics soul. Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders. Those marks are still there no matter what they or you think about it. They are still Catholics!

[Salvation]

BTW, from the Daily Mass Readings, I think you know better than to say Catholics don’t read the Bible.

What hogwash!

[Salvation]

LOL! So true. All these people need to do is check out the Daily Readings threads. It’s all there.

[wideawake]

Thanks for your comments on this thread. It speaks volumes about your own religious convictions that you don’t need the comfort of Mr. Bennett’s false testimony to justify your own perspective on Scripture.

[caww]

Hello RnMomof7.....This mans testimony surely impacted me. I believe it as all he spoke and scripture used have complimented the studies I have done recently. Amazingly so.

I learned long ago that when God brings together the truth of an issue you are trying to determine, for that matter any issue of life, He has a way of placing in ones path not only the good teachings needed...but also certain things of men such as this testimony to enhance that work. Remarkable God we serve!