Bishop Morlino Warns Dissenters to Stop — or Else

Wisconsin State Journal ^ | 4/29/12 | Doug Erickson

[marshmallow]

Madison Catholic Bishop Robert Morlino has moved to quell a backlash against a group of conservative priests in Platteville by warning parishioners they risk formal church censure unless they stop spreading "rumors and gossip."

The action by Morlino, which two Catholic scholars called highly unusual, appears to include the possibility of offenders being prohibited from taking part in church sacraments such as communion, confession and burial.

The warning came in a five-page letter Wednesday from Morlino to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Platteville. The congregation has been roiled by opposition to the traditionalist priests, who began serving the parish in June 2010.

Within months, church donations fell by more than half, and about 40 percent of the church’s 1,200 members signed a petition seeking the priests’ ouster. The church’s 77-year-old school is set to close June 1, a loss many parishioners tie directly to the collapse of donations.

The letter, in which Morlino raises the prospect of invoking the church’s Code of Canon Law against dissenters, has stunned many parishioners.

"There’s almost shock and awe," said Myron Tranel, a member of the church’s finance council. "But mostly, there’s a lot of disappointment that the bishop has decided to deal with it this way."

Others applaud the bishop’s move, saying decisive action was needed because criticism had gotten out of hand.

"This is a warning shot across the bow — you either want to be a Catholic or you don’t," said Gregory Merrick, a member of the church’s pastoral council.

Diocesan spokesman Brent King said Morlino’s main message is that this should be a time of "prayer, serious introspection and forgiveness." The specific texts from the church’s code of law were included precisely so that they may never be needed, King said.

"The bishop’s caution that ‘this cannot continue’ should......

[Salvation]

**The congregation for its part it missing a big opportunity to learn patience and humility.**

Sitto!

If you have a problem, take someone with you and go talk to that person — don’t go around them to the bishop!

[Salvation]

Oops....Ditto!

[A.A. Cunningham]

It would depend on a number of factors; was the excommunication latae sententiae or ferendae sententiae, is the penitent near death, etc.

[married21]

What does “Sitto” mean?

[SuziQ]

"Platteville, Wisconsin, is not the hotbed of revolutionary movement in the world," she said. "We just want our parish community back."

No one is taking her 'parish community" away. If there is negativity and anger, it's likely coming from some of her own friends who don't like the changes the priests made.

As far as the school is concerned, it sounds as though the people in the Parish got their behinds on their shoulders about the way the new priests are saying Mass, and they are punishing the kids in the Parish by not supporting the Parish school.

And as for the man who says he's not saying anything 'untrue' about the priests, one can speak the truth, but do it in such a nasty way as to create suspicion about another person, or cause others to have a negative opinion about that person, thereby harming someone's reputation. That's CALUMNY, and it is as sinful as lying about someone.

[Biggirl]

Information about excommunication:

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

[vladimir998]

Are you far from Cashton?: http://www.institute-christ-king.org/cashton/

[mosesdapoet]

Yes, I don’t want to identify the location but it’s not too far from a parish which use to have the new “approved”latin mass said in the LaCrosse diocease.

[Coleus]

good, let ‘em have it.

[lastchance]

What a great letter. I am quite certain that if I check I will find out the parish has a rather outspoken gay group.

[A.A. Cunningham]

2477 Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury.277 He becomes guilty: - of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor; - of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them;278 - of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.

[Campion]

Not exactly public, but typically formally in writing or in person to the cleric with faculties.

Which cleric has faculties to remit the excommunication depends on the offense. Some offenses are reserved to the bishop, some are reserved to the bishop but he has delegated those faculties to his priests, some are reserved to the Pope.

[RobbyS]

Sounds like the priests did act in haste. My guess is that previous pastors were methodists in disguise and allowed a lot of departures from form. Changes should be introduce gradually. Back in the ‘70s, liberal priests would come in and make changes wholesale. It could be that the parishioners grew up with the parish being the way it was and restoration to the canonical forms seemed a shock.

[ArrogantBustard]

Sounds like the priests admit they came on a bit strong. The onus is on them to gently explain and “sell” changes like eliminating altar girls.

Yeah ...

Sorta like how girl altar boys, ugly buildings, ugly music, ugly alterations to the Liturgy, disobedience, and outright heresy have been "gently explained" and "sold" to orthodox faithful Catholics over the last 40 years.