Gotham's Archdiocese: Heatin' Up Again

Thanks to my blogger teacher, one Rocco Palmo, editor or blogger of Whispers in the Loggia, perhaps the most frequented Catholic blog site ---to my knowledge, prejudiced as it may be, I can keep you aware of the conflict that exists between the some of the priests and the Cardinal Archbishop. The full story appears on Rocco's blog. In short, Cardinal's response to the sharply critical unsigned letter of his administrative style and his care of both priests and the archdiocese was, as I mentioned, a response that demonstrates how fast and hard the pitches are in the major leagues. In short, His Eminence, pitched what I am sure he felt was a delivery right across the plate. A perfect strike.

Now the storm has picked up again because local newspapers have "outed" a prominent priest of the Archdiocese who was suspended two years ago for 2002 inappropriate behavior. Rather than accept the accusation without trial, the priest has demanded a Vatican trial. That hearing has not yet gotten underway.

Seems the harshness and the direct focus on pedofile-priests as the source of the now world-wide read letter against the Cardinal has stirred the simmering pot once again. The response seems to make the oblique point that the complaints in the original unsigned letter were not without some grounds among the priests. Once again the adage --"Where there is smoke, there is fire."-- is gaining credibility within the prsebyteral ranks. When will some peace return to the clergy world in our Church? There are enough difficulties with fewer priests trying to serve the needs of a parish and the parishioners. Maybe we need to turn again to the holiness of the Cure d'Ars and reconsidering the priest's and bishop's first and foremost responsibility: nurturing an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Could this have happened among the first followers?