Posted on 03/29/2010 2:17:12 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
A Roman Catholic archbishop who resigned in 2002 over a sex and financial scandal involving a man has written a memoir that describes how he struggled with being gay.
Archbishop Rembert Weakland, former head of the Milwaukee archdiocese, "is up front about his homosexuality in a church that preferred to ignore gays," Publisher's Weekly wrote in a review Monday.
The book, "A Pilgrim in a Pilgrim Church: Memoirs of a Catholic Archbishop," is set to be released in June and is described by the publisher as a self-examination by Weakland of his "psychological, spiritual and sexual growth."
The Vatican says that men with "deep-seated" attraction to other men should not be ordained.
Weakland stepped down quickly after Paul Marcoux, a former Marquette University theology student, revealed in May 2002 that he was paid $450,000 to settle a sexual assault claim he made against the archbishop more than two decades earlier. The money came from the archdiocese.
Marcoux went public at the height of anger over the clergy sex abuse crisis, when Catholics and others were demanding that dioceses reveal the extent of molestation by clergy and how much had been confidentially spent to settle claims.
Weakland denied ever assaulting anyone. He apologized for concealing the payment.
In an August 1980 letter that was obtained by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Weakland said he was in emotional turmoil over Marcoux and signed the letter, "I love you."
"During the last months, I have come to know how strained I was, tense, pensive, without much joy," Weakland wrote. "I felt like the world's worst hypocrite. So gradually I came back to the importance of celibacy in my life."
The revelations rocked the Milwaukee archdiocese, which Weakland had led since 1977. But when he publicly read a letter of apology for the scandal, Milwaukee parishioners gave him a a standing ovation.
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee released a public statement last week alerting local Catholics that the book is soon to be published and that it deals in part with Weakland's relationship with Marcoux and the scandal.
"Some people will be angry about the book, others will support it," the archdiocese said.
Weakland, who has been a hero for liberal Catholics because of his work on social justice and other issues, will also address in the memoirs his failures to stop abusive priests.
In a videotaped deposition released last November, Weakland admitted returning guilty priests to active ministry without alerting parishioners or police.
Advocates for abuse victims said that Weakland's cover up of his own sexual activity was part of a pattern of secrecy that included concealing the criminal behavior of child molesters.
The archbishop did not respond Monday to an e-mail request for comment. Weakland, a Benedictine, plans to move to St. Mary's Abbey in Morristown, N.J., this summer.
U.S. Catholics have long debated whether the priesthood had become a predominantly gay vocation. Estimates vary from 25 percent to 50 percent, according to a review of research on the issue by the Rev. Donald Cozzens, author of "The Changing Face of the Priesthood."
Cozzens, a former seminary rector, said in an interview that Weakland's acknowledgment of his sexual orientation "cuts into the denial that relatively few priests or bishops are gay."
But Russell Shaw, a former spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, questioned whether the book would have much impact.
"That one controversial archbishop acknowledges what everybody's known for several years," Shaw said, "I don't think that's going to make any big difference."
I’m hoping you’re not going to suggest that St. Paul should not have been counseling married people about sex?
ever read the book of Timothy in the NT? And paul spread the gospel. he founded churches, trained them, and moved on.
soooooo....since you haven’t answered my question, I will assume that your parents didn’t support the Church and the School.
“I’ll get back to you on #55.”
Grace did answer your question. Quite a few posts prior to you accusing her of not doing it, in 104.
How about:
“Must vow not to have sex with anyone?” Which, is in fact what celibacy requires. Or do you believe that homosexuality is A-OK in scripture?
Paul wrote churches that if a man desires sex with a woman that it better he marry.
Paul didn’t write it be better that a man remain celibate and sexually molest minors while leading churches.
“ever read the book of Timothy in the NT? And paul spread the gospel. he founded churches, trained them, and moved on.”
And where does Timothy state that celibate men are to be excluded from the priesthood? All Timothy says is if a man under consideration for the priesthood be married that he be the husband of one wife.
There is nothing unbiblical about a married priesthood, but understand this. Continence has always been the understanding. This means that if a married man were to become a priest, he must not sleep with his wife again.
The modern conception of a pastor who is single, preaches and gets married has caused all kinds of problems to the detriment of the flock. Don’t believe me, talk to the Wesleys who comment on this in their journals.
The job posting would say, “Agree not to have sex.” I’d say all the gay guys I know would run for the exit door.
“Paul didn’t write it be better that a man remain celibate and sexually molest minors while leading churches.”
Indeed, which is why you shouldn’t have priests who have sexual desires. I’m glad to see we are at an understanding here. Scripture, and Paul is very clear. You want to have sex, get married. If you can devote yourself to God alone, become a priest.
“Continence has always been the understanding. This means that if a married man were to become a priest, he must not sleep with his wife again.”
Really. Where in the Bible does it specifically say that?
BTW, you misunderstand the meaning of the Book of Timothy in the NT.
“Indeed, which is why you shouldn’t have priests who have sexual desires.”
how on earth can it be humanly possible to accomplish that goal?
Well, that would make sense.
Paul didn’t write it be better that a man remain celibate and sexually molest minors while leading churches.
No, that wouldn't make sense.
Is it your personal experience that one can't be celibate without molesting minors?
Not mine. But it seems there are thousands of victims in the Catholic Church who have experienced it differently.
And what does the experience of thousands of victims of non-celibate ministers tell you?
I’m sorry, I don’t understand. What is “for le to called when abuse is suspected”?
it seems that non-celibate ministers seem to go to jail more
le = law enforcement
“Personally, I have difficulty describing celibacy as a “gift”, much less even considering practicing it.
Obviously Weakland agreed with you. Liberal Catholics HATE celibacy. Conservative Catholics are the ones who think it is valuable. I’m not sure you could find a Catholic pundit who is pro-life, anti-birth control, anti-homosexualist agenda, anti-priestesses, and against “gay marriage” who is also against celibacy. You sure can find Catholic pundits who are for all those liberal things and they invariably hate celibacy.
“But, that all clergy must be celibate is a fabrication of the Catholic church.”
The Catholic Church doesn’t believe that.
Freegards
How have I misunderstood Timothy?
pistos ho logos ei tis episkopes oregetai kalou ergou epithumei.
dei oun ton episkopon anepilhpton einai mias gunaikos andra; nephalion, sophrona, kosmion, philoxenon, didatikon, me paroinen, me plekten, me aischrokerde, all epieike amachon, aphilargon.
The man who desires the office of a bishop desires a good thing.
The ideal bishop must be a man of one woman, sober, sane, orderly, hospitable, didactic, not a drunkard, not quarrelsome, not avaricious, but pacific and parsimonious.
and his children must also be faithful
That would be fair since celibacy causes sex abuse, they can’t help themselves - ministers have no excuse.
You’re projecting. And it’s not a pretty picture.
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