Thursday, February 7, 2019

Bishop Hurley and Fr. Dwyer

  I'm not sure what's going on.  I am someone that has no problem with "traditional" worship.  So traditional, in fact, I prefer Byzantine liturgy to the Tridentine Mass. (which is true, but, that doesn't mean I have a problem with either, I don't mind praise and worship music either, the Church is diverse, so there's room for many different expressions).  The priest was doing things the Vatican allows, so, did the bishop just have an issue with things he didn't like?  I don't see why he should care, as he's not the one celebrating Mass (usually) at Fr. Dwyer's parish church.  The bishop said Dwyer was causing turmoil, but if that's true, then he needs to produce evidence of such.  And so what?   Why couldn't the people complaining change parishes?  I had a priest that used his homilies to bash Pope Francis.  So, I started going to a different church. (Though, still Catholic, don't confuse the parish church with the parish, there is a difference).  It was a tough decision, and I could understand a priest being removed for that (or at least reprimanded), but I haven't seen evidence that Fr. Dwyer has done that.  I don't know much about Michigan (I know some people from there, and I haven't been there for many years), but I know many times (at least here in the south), smaller parishes get priests no one else wants.  The priest that brought me into the Church was unfortunately supportive of legal abortion (though, to be fair, he never preached it was okay, and did say it's a sin), and whilst I love the man to death, I think that's a problem.  The Pope bashing priest is certainly pro-life (as far as I know, and his non pope bashing homilies indicate that).  These are the types of priests that are often sent to smaller parishes.  The conservative Pope bashing priest is in charge of the only Catholic church in a town of a little over 4,700, and one of only two Catholic churches in an area of  507 square miles, 1313 km squared.  The adjacent county is much larger, and has only  has four Catholic churches, two very large ones and two small ones.  One of the smaller ones (where I came into the Church), had an abortion supporting priest (and is the second parish of the Pope bashing one), and the other small one, has a very kind Nigerian priest, who is theologically orthodox but has some health problems.  He used to be the pastor of the smaller church in my county.  I'm not sure what the bishops are thinking (or even if they are thinking).  I am someone that really dislikes it when people bash bishops, but at this point, I can kind of understand their frustration.  http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/saginaw-priest-removed-from-parish-for-traditional-style-of-worship