Only a few weeks into office, and the Archbishop starts zapping the termites:
Baltimore's new Roman Catholic archbishop removed a priest who was pastor of three South Baltimore parishes for offenses that include officiating at a funeral Mass with an Episcopal priest, which violates canon law.
Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien personally ordered the Rev. Ray Martin, who has led the Catholic Community of South Baltimore for five years, to resign from the three churches and sign a statement yesterday apologizing for "bringing scandal to the church."
Martin led the funeral Mass on Oct. 15 for Locust Point activist Ann Shirley Doda at Our Lady of Good Counsel with several clergy, including the Rev. Annette Chappell, the pastor of the Episcopal Church of the Redemption in Locust Point, Martin said.
Sean Caine, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, said this was one example of repeated administrative and liturgical offenses Martin had committed in more than a year."
An exemplary move, as it were...
How is this being characterized? Is it a crackdown on Episcofacists?
ReplyDeleteHeaven forfend that a funeral Mass should be about the deceased rather than politics.
Actually, all Masses are about worship of God, grumpy...not worship of false gods.
ReplyDeleteNow if Ab. Dolan were to follow suit, we'd have quite a few parochial vacancies...!
ReplyDeleteDad, please do not misconstrue what I am about to type.
ReplyDeleteI was raised as a WELS Lutheran. I was taught that those who followed the Catholic Church were worshipping a false God installed at the Vatican and idolators who bowed down at the feet of Mary. By those lights there is little that the Archbishop will be able to do to save his soul or yours from the eternal fires.
I am incredulous that the biggest problem facing the Catholic Church in America today is Ecumenism.
Ah, yes...I know from WELS. You're a tough bunch--IIRC Owen is a WELS member.
ReplyDeleteEcumenism is one thing...but saying Mass with a Prot 'pretending' to be another priest is another thing entirely.
I suspect the WELS folks would have exactly the same reaction if one of your ministers held a Sunday service with an Episcopal priest "helping."
Given the sacramental theology involved, there's no room for mis-leading people--allowing them to think that the Episcopalian is "helping" is flat-out scandal.
Other than that, we're a pretty easy bunch. You oughta think about Pope-ing. Temp's fine in the Tiber these days!
FR Ray is not a termite.
ReplyDeleteGirlie, that's YOUR opinion.
ReplyDelete