Friday, November 2, 2007

I hoped I was imagining things....

But I was not. Last night, I was watching EWTN. "Life on the Rock" came on. Fr. Anthony read a letter from Fr. Francis, the host of the show. Apparently, Fr. Francis has found love with a widow whom he was helping, and he is going on a leave of absence from the active ministry. I googled him this morning and found that others saw the same program. There is some interesting commentary here. Let us pray for Father as he discerns.

We need to pray much harder for our priests. I really wish that certain women who become infatuated with priests would not lure them from their active ministry and into the secular state. It seems to me that if you really love someone, you want them to be happy. No man is happy unless he is fulfilling his vocation. If a woman seduces a priest from his vocation, he will never really belong to her, because he belonged to God first. Oh, yes, there are probably many spiritual conversations involved in such a relationship, all very sublime and lofty. No doubt there is a connection of souls. But to entice a priest away from his commitment to God and His people is a serious matter. To do it in the name of love is to violate love, for true love wants the spiritual good of the beloved. Otherwise, it is selfishness and lust masquerading as love.

Repentance is not merely an option. Repentance is a necessity for one's eternal salvation. God is not mocked. Share

21 comments:

Jeff said...

Good post.

Maybe these are some of the same women who cut in line and dash into the confessional in front of people who have been waiting.

I always want to shout after them, "Don't forget to confess that one!"

elena maria vidal said...

Thanks, Jeff!! Ha, ha, you are probably right.....

Anonymous said...

Um, it seems that the "interesting commentary" has been put away from public view.

elena maria vidal said...

Uh, oh. They did that this morning, too. Odd. I'll remove the link. Thanks for letting me know.

elena maria vidal said...

Try clicking again on the link, Anonymous. It worked just now. I hope it works for you.

Anonymous said...

Let´s pray for Fr. Francis and the woman involved in the story.

I think that Fr. Francis was not prudent enough...many priests have fallen cause of a relationship which started as innocent friendship.

The custody of eyes, words and thoughts might be difficult at times but nevertheless it is a must specially for religious people...

I feel sad about the whole story and I really cannot understand why does he re-consider his vocation only for the fact that he has fallen in love?

Falling in love is bound to happen to all of us time to time, even to the religious people...after falling in love, one falls out of love and that´s it. This does not mean that one has to break any vows. Only to stay put and wait the flu, I mean the "love", to pass.

Anonymous said...

He has always seemed angry and conflicted to me . . . I assumed something was amiss, but I would not have guessed it was a woman. It's sad for everyone involved, but there has to be a lesson here about being stridently judmental about other people when one is himself in a marginal situation.

Anonymous said...

Prayer is required here. It is never O.K. to break a vow even for love of another. Many married people have these experiences and it does not justify deserting the marriage even though many today do so. The same with the priesthood, once a priest always a priest. The spirit of sacrifice is absent. Its true we must pray more for priests.

Hail3N1 said...

I use to agree with the phrase, "once a priest always a priest,". But in today's world, one must wonder if many were Truly called to the priesthood to begin with. Look what is happening with the priests and religious today. It is very difficult for faithful priests who truly knows what it means to be a priest.

Anonymous said...

And Our Lord is asking, oh so humbly, that we should offer an hour of Eucharistic adoration every Thursday for His priests upon whom He has set His Heart . . . See what I wrote at Vultus Christi. The answer is always "Tacere et adorare," "Be silent and adore."

Dymphna said...

Well none of us is any position to cast stones so let's just pray about this terribly sad situation.

elena maria vidal said...

Paula, I agree, we cannot always help our feelings but we can try to control our behaviors, with God's grace.

Yes, Anonymous, we can learn from this and try to pray harder for our priests.

Yes, Hail3n1, it is a difficult time to be a priest. It is a difficult time to be married. It is a difficult time to be a Christian. That is why Our Lady has recommended to us the prayer of the rosary in order to help us fulfill our daily duties, for it is by persevering in those duties that we work out our salvation.

Yes, Dymphna, I agree we should not throw stones. But we can discuss it charitably, which we have been doing.

Anonymous said...

Oh, Elena...I watch EWTN and I feel so disturbed about the whole story...I could not not stop thinking about it today while working...A question comes back all the time in my mind: "Does he realize in what he throw himself if he leaves the priesthood and his order?".

elena maria vidal said...

Yes, Paula, the call to embrace the priesthood and/or the religious life is a privilege and a gift from God and the Church.

Anonymous said...

Even from a pure pragmatic perspective, to leave his order and go into the world and marry is risky to not say foolish...and not only for him, for that woman and her family too...only getting a job in the world in order to support his family is going to be difficult enough...

Ah, this is my last comment on this topic. I really hope he will come back.

Michelle Therese said...

WOW this is absolutely shocking! I love watching Life on the Rock and I always thought that Father was totally in his vocation! (If that makes any sense.)

A bit off topic but: Are you writing any more books?!?!?!? I loved your two Trianon books and I hope you write some more! And I subscribed to Canticle magazine and my first issue featured..YOU! That was just too cool. GOD BLESS!!!

elena maria vidal said...

Thanks, Coffee! It is a great magazine! I am currently writing a novel about my Irish ancestors who settled in Canada. Another novel I have written is currently being reviewed by editors of a publishing company.

elena maria vidal said...

Everyone please do check out Fr. Mark's post about praying for priests and Eucharistic Adoration on Vultus Christi!

Sanctus Belle said...

I agree with all the need for prayer and no one is to throw stones and all that BUT, would we say this about a husband abandonning his wife?? Is this situation different really? Priests are married to the Church, the Bride of Christ. He took the vow years ago and now AFTER becoming involved with a woman he's "discerning"? Just how is this different than a man married to a woman, gets involved with another woman, only to leave his wife to "discern" whether the new woman is the right one???

He needs our prayers, but we also must see priests who abandon the bride of Christ in the light of truth, with charity of course.

elena maria vidal said...

I agree, Sanctus Belle. The usual time for discernment is before a commitment is made.

elena maria vidal said...

Sorry, I am not publishing anymore Anonymous comments on this post. It is becoming confusing for the readers to tell who is who-- is it all the same person or several people? I can't tell. It makes the discussion too hard to follow.