www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Canadian diocese to sell ALL of its parishes

Perhaps this is not the right part of the forum to post in, but I learned about this catastrophe a few minutes ago and felt the need to bring it to light here as I believe it's an issue that affects the whole Catholic Church.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,156010,00.html

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Would it be possible for the priests there to be granted bi-ritual faculties and the parishes placed under the auspices of an Eastern eparch for the time being? There must be something that can be done

Well for one thing I think they could make each parish an embassy of the apostolic see and each priest an embassy official, thereby having complete diplomatic immunity
do not know if its right but it would work

I heard about this earlier and had planned to ask Alex about it, since I am not sure if the laws are that much different in Canada. Of course, the property could always be turned over to the congregations - after all, they actually paid for it. But again, I don't know Canadian law and how it would relate to this.

This is a very big tragedy for the Canadian Catholics and the Church as a whole... I wonder if there is a way one could donate money to help them repurchase some of this?

And the creep responsible is still drawing a church pension, even after all this must close to settle the molestation suits. please tell me what's wrong with that picture?

Gaudior, disgruntled

Here is an article on Spiritdaily from a Canadian newspaper. It is mind boggling that satan through one man can destroy so much. A great example of why we must be ever vigilent. I am like Gaudior, the man is sitting drawing a pension....go figure!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050510/ABUSE10/TPNational/Canada

Clark asked about donating money. That is one of the thoughts in the above artcile, they are hoping people will donate enough to buy the Churches back.

This all just makes me sick. But it is such a good example of by the grace of God there go I.

Pani Rose

THIRTY NINE innocent children victimized by this one pervert! This makes me sick.
Perhaps he could find it in his conscience to give up his pension? Right...

I personally don't believe in lawsuits unless they are either to compensate someone for expenses ensued, or if the victim is not able to earn a living. That's how it was in the good old days.

To me these 'law suiting' lawyers are being parasitical. They are not defending anyone, but rather using their 'trade' for personal monetary gain. By doing so they are burdening everyone. Everytime an insurance company pays out, we all pay. (Of course I'm thinking of the States. Things might be different elsewhere).

As for the churches being sold in Canada, the amount is not very high. I am sure if it became known, there are many super RCC millinaires that would come to their rescue. I say this because the outstanding multi-million gilded and marbled church built by Mother Angelika was paid for by five (mind you, five) families.

As for the priest collecting his pension, we must realize that Christian Churches are not in the business of 'punishing' people for their sins. We are all sinners.

Zenovia

CHRIST IS RISEN! May Almighty God and His Saints deliver us from this horror in all its aspects.

At the risk of appearing dense, I fail to grasp how it is possible to consider "punishing" all the Catholics of this diocese by taking away their churches and other facilities to be an act of justice. When a schoolteacher is found guilty of abusing schoolchildren, nobody suggests that the entire school system must be closed in order to provide money for the victims. When a physician or other health-care professional abuses children, nobody suggests closing all the hospitals. So why take away people's churches?

I'm not a lawyer, but surely there are some people on the forum who are learned in the law and can begin the work of developing a way of holding church properties so as to protect the right of freedom of worship for all the faithful in such a way as to make it unmistakably clear that the body of the faithful is not to be held financially responsible for the misconduct of a particular clergyman.

Incognitus

Christ is Risen!! Indeed He is Risen!!!

This might be the time to consider having each parish own its own property and have it incorporated separately. The model is what some of the Orthodox parishes in North America already have. The bishop would not own the properties and thus they could not be drawn into this type of legal settlement in the future.

Another way might be for the diocese to incorporate each property separately as they are repurchased. That way the diocese of the future would not own anything that could be attached. The bishop could still be the part of the board of directors but the property could not be drawn into something he might be sued for in the future.

Just some thoughts.

BOB

Bob,

Before all of these catastrophic problems and subsequent suits that was a relatively popular idea. The problem then was that "Trusteeship" as it was called tied the hands of the bishops to appoint priests. In theory that is not a good thing. However, given the irresponsibility of some of our bishops perhaps Trusteeship isn't such a bad idea.

Dan L

Bob, that does create its own problems. For example, I have a friend who is an Orthodox priest (out of charity I won't mention the jurisdiction) that doesn't even have the keys to one of the two parishes he serves - someone from the parish council comes and lets him in every time.

In that same parish he nearly got removed because he married two kids from feuding parish families. The Sunday after the wedding he was locked out of the church. He also had to go a while without salary from that parish until he got the matter straightened out with his bishop.

This is an interesting story and has not hit our mainstream media, (at least not what I'm aware of)
There was a movie (based on a true story) called "the boys of St. Vincent" which reenacted the stories of young boys in a school in New Foundland (One of Canada's eastern provinces)who were abused by the local priests.

This is saddening. Without a doubt, I'm sure this will get media attention.

Brad - a saddened Canadian.

Well, if this isn't a wake-up call to the bishops that they MUST remove offenders, or else have the diocese close...or carry crippling amounts of pastoral liability insurance, which, after this, I am certain, will likely include a clause to exclude from payment any claims caused by deliberate misconduct...

Gaudior, who thinks the sin in this is that thousands will be deprived and spiritually harmed by the closing of the churches.

The one, and perhaps only, benefit in this action is basically what Gaudior mentioned. Too many Latin-rite bishops have become very lax in defending orthodoxy and weeding out problematic individuals, whether it be priests, hired laity, religious, etc.

We can hope and pray that this will result in a reaction and wake up call. I believe some of our bishops and clergy have become far too comfortable and this has resulted in this lukewarmness. Having to be faced with trials can only shake things down.

The thing is, faithful Catholics, Catholics who want to follow Christ and His Gospel, contrary to the culture and prevailing secular orthodoxies, will ultimately find a way to worship, even it is means doing it in a living room. Ideal? Maybe not, but then, it seems to me that there is benefit to having a flock (and shepherds) who are really interested in living the Faith and passing it on, rather than our current mix with many who are only culturally there. Granted, we desire to convert such Catholics, but I think we will be able to better do that when our own house is more zealous and straightened around, thus making our light shine all the brighter to them and to the world.

Just a thought. I believe God will work through this to help purify his Church and sift the wheat and the chaff.