I always appreciate and enjoy Colleen Kochivar-Baker’s take on the topical Catholic issues of the day. Her commentaries always convey wisdom and warmth, reasonableness and compassion. How appropriate that her blog is entitled Enlightened Catholicism.
Take, for instance, the following excerpt from Colleen’s recent post on the popular Fr. Father Alberto Cutié’s decision to leave the Roman Catholic Church so as to join the Episcopal Church and marry his girlfriend (the same woman with whom Cutié was clandestinely photographed with by the paparazzia on a beach in Miami a few weeks ago).
I sort of suspected this is exactly the way this story would end: Love triumphs over the lack there of. I’m sure there will be some Catholics who might phrase that a little differently: Priest breaks solemn vows for lust and betrays the one true Church. It depends on whether one sees relationships such as Fr. Cutié’s as a matter of love or sexual acts. If it was just a matter of sexual acts, Fr. Cutié would have done some penance and come crawling back to his Bishop. This must be love.
The thing about real love is it does change one’s world view. It’s supposed too. It’s supposed to be an experience which takes you beyond the confines of a one person world view and opens you to the intimate experience of another person. When the very real physical immediacy of love crashes into the remoter esoteric experience of priesthood, something has to give. In this case it was the Roman Catholic priesthood of Fr. Cutié.
To read Colleen’s commentary in its entirety, click here.
See also the previous Wild Reed post:
Weakland and Cutié: Making the Connections
Thoughts on Celibacy (Part I)
Thoughts on Celibacy (Part II)
Real Holiness
6 comments:
I'm actually pretty disappointed in him.
There are plenty of us who would gladly take those vows- and keep them- if integrity allowed us not to lie to follow a vocation.
I take it that Thom means lie about being gay to be allowed into seminary? That is another evil of the system. Just thinking about that: given the power of the laity these days, would it be possible for a celibate gay man to get the equivalent or better of a seminary education, get involved in his parish, and do all the pastoral work that a priest would do? He could probably get on the liturgy committee, become a deacon, do all the work that a priest does without the clerical prestige. If he were a man who took the work seriously he would probably have more respect from the parishioners than the priest. Would that be a good life? In a reformed institution he would be called to priesthood at about the age of 40 by his own community. Turning his attention to the diocesan level, he could be elected bishop. What do you think?
The thing about real love is it does change one’s world view. It’s supposed too. It’s supposed to be an experience which takes you beyond the confines of a one person world view and opens you to the intimate experience of another person.That's a good apologetic for adultery.
Love or lust -- who knows? The fact is that he carried on a clandestine relationship for two years, and would still be carrying on had he not be caught.
Anonymous, in some ways it sounds like you're describing the early church and the way its members recognized and fostered their leaders. It certainly sounds appealing and healthy.
Michael R: Yes, and I wonder how many other priests are carrying on "clandestine relationships"? It seems to me that the problem isn't so much the need and reality of such intimate relationships, but that they have to be kept secret. Wouldn't it be something if all the priests in relationship just came out and forced the issue to be confronted. Sadly, the system fails to promote that kind of honesty or courage. It's sad to say but the vast majority of priests - gay or straight - within the Roman Catholic clerical caste are cowards.
Well, Thom and Anonymous are to be praised, for recognizing the "ends do not justify the means." From a moral and ethical perspectives, of course, the church teaches this doctrine. It also teaches homophilia can, in no way, be approved. Ditto, contraception, fellatio, or any non-procreative use of the genitals.
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