Letter of Fr Francis Mary
I taped, and transcribed the letter that was read on EWTN's Life on the Rock from Fr Francis Mary. We really need to storm Heaven for him, for all involved.
God bless!
Dear Family Regretfully, I have a message that does not come without significant pain to both you and me. I have to tell you in all honesty and truth, that I have been personally involved with helping a widow and her struggling family. Over the course of time, the mother and I have grown very close. As a result, I am compelled to take some time off to prayerfully and honestly discern my future. I am truly sorry of the impact this may have on so many. I am not unaware of the gravity and magnitude of the situation, yet after much wise counsel, it is really something that I must deal with now for the good of all. With that said, it is best that I deal with it away from EWTN. Therefore, I have asked for and graciously been granted some extended time to prayerfully discern my vocation. To those who are part of the EWTN family locally, and others throughout the world, especially all those who have supported me so faithfully in my priestly vocation and ministry here on Life on the Rock, I sincerely apologize. I ask for your prayers and understanding during this time that is so very difficult, but yet so very necessary. Please lift me up in your humble prayers to Jesus through Mary, our Mother, in Grace and Mercy. Fr Francis Mary, MFVA
Fr Anthony Mary then said "Brothers and Sisters of our EWTN family, this is a time in which Fr Francis and all involved are in great need of your prayers and your support as our family. Always remember that no one is beyond the power of God's Mercy or Redemption. And on Fr's behalf, I humbly ask that you pray for him. God bless you."
ADDENDUM 9:45 AM 11/5/2005:
HT to Catherine of Sienna of Threshing Grain.
Prayers please for Fr. Francis Mary, MFVA and for EWTN (mp3-AUDIO)
posted by WI Catholic @ 11/02/2007 11:38:00 AM
55 Comments:
Fr Francis is so wonderful. Please pray for him that God will come to him and keep him in his priestly vocation. Whatever he decides, we all wish Fr Francis well in whatever God has in store for him.
He is an amazing priest - we need to pray 24/7 for him and his vocation.
Definitely! That is the only reason it is posted here.
I am praying that he stays in the priesthood, and continues to live his vows, but I am also praying for the widow and family--that God provides for them as He has promised.
Vows are important, as is the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
God bless!!
It sounds like from his letter and the follow up w/Fr. Mark that Fr. Francis Mary may have crossed that dangerous line.
We all have sinned, unfortunately for him he is a well known figure in the Catholic world and is a role model for many teens and young adults.
I hope that the thousands of prayers on his behalf will help him to emerge from this incident with an increased faith and dedication no matter what direction his life takes him. I imagine his days as host of LOTR have come to an end.
Patrick, you do not know that, and there is danger in assuming anything. Fr FM's letter simply stated that he has grown very close to the mother of the family he was helping. 'Close' does NOT necessarily mean crossing any 'dangerous' lines.
Anything else is gossip and assumption, and can be sinful in nature. Careful!
Another comment came also:
I received an anonymous comment, in which the writer claims to have gotten an email FROM EWTN regarding this. I am not posting the comment nor the 'email' that is supposed to have been sent to the anonymous poster, as there is no way to verify it is
true, and I HIGHLY doubt it IS.
I have an aversion to 'anonymous' comments. I distrust most of them. Though there is often no way to track even those with 'names' on comments, it at least gives an 'air' of authenticity when one is not 'afraid' to leave a trackback of some sort. Therefore, SELDOM with any 'anonymous' comments be published here on my blog.
Another anonymous one followed with a comment about how he had 'seemed', which is subjective and speculative. That comment, however DID wish him well. Included was this statement:
"Is part of the lesson here to be less judgmental of people who are living on the margins?"
I am uncertain as to what that means. Living on what margins? What is meant by 'judgemental' in this statement? Who is being judged?
Finally:
Fr Francis Mary is in need of prayer, NOT Gossip. There is NO ONE but those directly involved who know in any way what has happened, other than what was stated in his letter to the listeners of Life on the Rock.
God bless!
wicatholic, We can't be naive either. Fr. did say that his letter would cause sadness. Why would it cause sadness unless there was something to be sad about. Later Fr. Mark Mary said when refering to Fr. Francis (I wish I had the exact quote.. do you have it) that evil and sin do not have the upper hand, that God's mercy is greater.
Why too would Fr. Anthony Mary had warned against children hearing what was going to be announced... if there was no scandal in the matter. We must not be naive in our attempts to avoid judgements. Judging the situation is right and good and helps us avoid the same pitfalls. Judging the person is forbidden by Christ.
God bless you,
Long ago, I was in the Aspirancy. As it got close to the end of the school year, I began to tell others, in answer to their questions about the following year that I was NOT returning due to homesickness. When this got back to Sister who was in charge of us, it was less than three-four weeks til the end of the school year. She told me that I was NOT to speak of my doubts because I may make those weaker in their walk doubt their OWN vocation, AND, she had to think about whether to send me home IMMEDIATELY or not!
As we got closer to the end of the school year, she spoke to me of her disappointment in me, and told me that I was NOT to be in contact with anyone when I left. This was standard policy for anyone who left the Convent regardless of how long they had been there.
Staying clear of speculation and gossip is not being naive, Adele!
It is waiting to hear the truth of the situation. And we may never know the details.
All we know right now is that Fr FM was aiding a widow and her children, and has grown close enough to her to put his Vows and his priesthood in jeopardy.
Fr FM has taken VOWS, and has been ordained a priest. To leave your Vows behind for any reason is Grave Sin in Marriage, and it is also, IMHO, the same in any other area of life. If that isn't enough of a potential scandal, I don't know what is.
To be a youth minister (which one COULD call him as host of Life on the Rock), and in his duties as Vocation Director, Postulant Director, and Novice Master... possibly leaving his Vows and Priesthood behind is Scandal enough, IF he chooses to leave after this time of discernment!
With the love that teens have for him, as well as adults, it could also turn youth that were thinking of religious life away.
There is no need to go further in trying to figure anything out. That is reason enough to no longer have him host the show or to stay at the monastery in that time of discernment. Just as I was told not to speak to anyone about MY DOUBTS, and almost sent home before finishing that school year because it can cause more problems with others.
To those who do not believe that breaking Vows made to God is sufficient to warrant potential Scandal, I can only say that in today's society it is almost accepted as being ok to walk away from marital vows because we have 'over-looked' this Sin for so very long. At the same time that priests and religious began to leave, divorces also began to increase in Catholic families.
Fr FM said he is in discernment. Instead of trying to figure out WHAT he has done, or IF he has done 'something', which is gossip, we need to PRAY for him to be able to find the strength to keep his Vows.
That is not being naive. It is being pro-active in the Spiritual Battle that is going on for his soul instead of being diverted by what is not important!
ANYTHING that happens after he leaves his Vows and Priesthood behind is moot. If that alone doesn't cause hurt and sadness, I don't know what does! If that alone does not give one pause for potential Scandal, I don't know what does!
The exact reason for his doubt of his vocation is not the important thing. He has stated it. He has grown close to a widow and her child/children while helping her. We don't know if SHE has reciprocated or if only HE has had enough of an experience to cast doubt on his relationship to God and his vocation.
Again, this is not naive. This is avoiding the occasion of the Sin of gossip. It is ACTIVELY praying for him to have the strength to leave temptation behind and to LIVE his Vows instead of becoming one more notch in the enemy's belt.
God bless!
"All we know right now is that Fr FM was aiding a widow and her children, and has grown close enough to her to put his Vows and his priesthood in jeopardy."
That is tragic enough.. I did not construe anything more. Interesting that you allow yourself to speculate into things that others are saying and assume others are doing the same.
Thanks though for posting Fr's letter. God bless you.
Once a Priest , Always a Priest. We must pray for Father Francis and all of our beloved priests, without priests we will be left without the Holy Eucharist, and that would be horrible!
We live in difficult times in so many different aspects...let us also not forget to pray for the widow, she must be in great need of spiritual support as well.
This can also serve as a reminder to us all, we are human and humans error...not one of us can say that we have not sinned,only Our Lady was sinless. I agree that we should not judge Father or widow, be let us pray for them and let us be vigilant in our own lives too. Remember we should take the plank out of our own eye before we take the sliver out of our neighbors eye.
We need to keep EWTN staff and religious always in our prayers. They are all under constant attack from the evil one. We must be vigilant in keeping our prayers up for them and asking the Lord to place His most Holy protection around them always. The attacks can be relentless at times but the grace of God is more powerful than any fiery darts of the evil one. If Fr Francis's shield has holes in them from the battle, we must pick it up for him until he is healed by Jesus and strong enough to fight again. We all need each other in this battle. There is no time to waste on speculation and gossip.
God Bless.
Adele,
I did not speculate about your meaning. I read what you had written and responded that the potential of breaking his Vows is serious enough to warrant the actions taken.
"wicatholic, We can't be naive either. Fr. did say that his letter would cause sadness. Why would it cause sadness unless there was something to be sad about. Later Fr. Mark Mary said when refering to Fr. Francis (I wish I had the exact quote.. do you have it) that evil and sin do not have the upper hand, that God's mercy is greater."
Why would it not cause sadness for anyone to break their Vows? Why would it not cause sadness for any priest to leave his priesthood behind, for any reason?
"Why too would Fr. Anthony Mary had warned against children hearing what was going to be announced... if there was no scandal in the matter."
Because he has been an influence on our children, and on young adults. Because leaving the priesthood can cause Scandal in and of itself.
"We must not be naive in our attempts to avoid judgements. Judging the situation is right and good and helps us avoid the same pitfalls. Judging the person is forbidden by Christ."
As I stated, I am not naive. Nor am I attempting to 'avoid judgement'. The situation at this time is that he is leaving to take a time of discernment about his VOWS and his PRIESTHOOD. We know nothing more than this. Breaking Vows that were made before God IS Serious, and is Sin. One can do this in thoughts, word and/or deed. We have no further knowledge than what he himself stated.
To try to read anything more into it is speculation, and can/will lead to gossip.
I was not implying or reading anything into what you had said. Taking what has been said as serious enough to be Scandal and not speculating further IS avoiding the near occasion of Sin.
'Judging the situation'... the only situation that is KNOWN by the public is what he has said. He is taking time to discern his vocation. There is a very strong potential that he will walk away from his Vows, and from his priesthood. Judging that possibility, it is time to wage war in the Spiritual Realm against the enemy who would have his soul.
God bless!
Patricia and Pam,
Yes, I agree. We need to pray for all concerned, and for everyone that has been in their lives, even via the air waves. For the Order, for the Staff of EWTN, for the Community... and especially for the individuals involved themselves.
Spiritual Warfare is exactly what is needed. Intercessory prayer, and picking up the Shield to protect Fr FM (and the widow) is also needed, until we can stand again side by side in the battle.
God bless!!
WICatholic,
Regarding your reply to my post on Friday, I was careful to use the word "may" in describing what happened w/Fr. Francis Mary. It is human nature to speculate but I am not making any assumptions.
Fr. Francis Mary and his fellow monks are a great inspiration for me, a married man w/children. He and his community along w/the EWTN community are in my prayers.
Thanks for providing this blog.
Patrick from Michigan
Yes, I did note the use of 'may'. However, that is still speculation, Patrick.
Just as it 'may have', it 'may not have'.
They are for me, also. And yes, we need to pray for all of them! It is very hard for everyone in that Community, I am sure...
You are welcome, Patrick, and I am glad that you have been here!
God bless...Oh, and treasure your wife and children. The children grow so very fast. There is a saying that the greatest gift a father can give his children is to love their mother. Love is a choice we make as often as it is needed. God bless, again!
With all due respect to Fr. Francis, I do not understand what he needs to "dicern." He's a priest, a priest in the public eye who wheather he likes it or not people hold on a pedestal, he took vows; he needs to cut off communication with the woman, grieve, and then get back to work. I am not judging him, I totally understand how this could happen, I, myself fell into a relationship with a man who was recently divorced without an annullment; I loved him and still do love him, our break-up has been emotionally agonizing for me, but I had to break it off for the good of his soul and mine. If I can do it, living in the real world, w/o a whole lot of Catholic support, he can do it at EWTN were he surrounded by prayer and his fellow brothers. He's called to do what is right, and I highly doubt the Lord is calling out of the priesthood to marry this woman. Jesus would never will a scandal, esp. at EWTN these days, so really, imo, this is a no-brainer.
Anonymous of 11/4/07 5:59 AM,
I do agree with you. We are to avoid the near occasion of sin regardless of the walk we choose to live. We have choice, and need to use well-formed consciences and Grace, prayer, fasting to choose to do what is right, not what 'feels right'.
God bless!
OH, before I forget.
To my readers...
There was a second anonymous comment today from 1:10 PM that will NOT be posted here as it is simply gossip.
Gossip is a sin. I won't participate in it.
Fr. Francis, as a mother for 31 years I now understand the meaning of love for Jesus and it means responsibility and your decision to stick to your vocation. The human love somehow can be sacrificed for our God who comes first. If I am the involved woman I would sacrifice my whole life for you to keep your being a priest. Happiness for a few can never be an exchanged for Mother Angelica who had the influence in your life. Please,remember the temptation of Jesus and what he said.It's only a matter of decision and the rest leave it to God and you see the consequences. You have a more serious and important job for our Lord and nothing else. Also how Ambraham did for Him and Him being nailed to the cross for us. I couldn't stop myself from crying when I knew this but I'll offer rosary for you alone and the others involve. I know the pain you are having now and I have gone through it and as I always did, He comes first. It's a very difficult decision but anybody can do it if you really love God more than anyone else. It sounds cold but I'm certain it's right more than 100 percent. PLEASE, do remember Mother Angelica too and those whom you influenced a great deal in our very lives. I can't even speak about this to my daughters yet for you have shown them good examples. Please, look to the cross and St. Francis of Assisi. I do care so much for our church which has been facing so much difficulties. Cling on to our Lord and get back your strength though HIM..I pray for you to stay as a Priest and please don't doubt.
Respectfully yours,
Elnora
Elnora,
Thank you for visiting! Prayer is what is needed.
God bless!
Several more anonymous comments have come, including a couple of returnees. I am glad that each of you has been to visit, and hope that you return in the future.
To one, in particular, please know that my feelings on Vows are NOT new. I live my vows to this day in spite of what Man's laws have to say about them. You can read 'my story' here on my blog.
To another:
I am glad that you enjoy my blog, and hope that you come back often!
I do have to tell you all that I have several meters that let me know where viewers come from, times of the visit, and how long they stay, etc. It has been interesting, to say the least! EWTN apparently really does have viewers world wide!
Some have VERY long commutes to work, as well. (smile)
St. Francis was once asked to denounce a Priest in a village who was involved with a woman. But St Francis instead went to the Priest, took his hands and wept over them saying that these are the hands that bring Christ alive on the altar. The Priest was sorrowful and repented of his ways. So let us pray - it looks like we all need it.
I am a very rare commenter, but I thought maybe this needed repeating:
Our Lord's revelations to Mutter Vogel:
"One should NEVER attack a priest, even when he's in error, rather one should pray and do penance that I'll grant him My grace again. He alone fully represents Me, even when he doesn't live after My example!" (page 29, Mutter Vogel's Worldwide Love, St. Grignion Publishing House, Altoting, South Germany (29. 6. 1929)).
When a Priest falls we should extend him a helping hand THROUGH PRAYER AND NOT THROUGH ATTACKS! "I myself will be his judge, NO ONE BUT I!" "Whoever voices judgment over a priest has voiced it over Me; child, never let a Priest be attacked, take up his defense." (Feast of Christ the King 1937) "Child, Never judge your confessor, rather pray much for him and offer every Thursday, through the hands of My blessed Mother, Holy Communion (for Him) (18.6. 1939)&nsp; "Never again accept an out-of-the-way word about a Priest, and speak no unkind word (about them) EVEN IF IT WERE TRUE! Every Priest is My Vicar and My heart will be sickened and insulted because of it! If you hear a judgment (against a Priest) pray a Hail Mary." (28. 6. 1939)
(from Esther, A Catholic Mom in Hawaii)
Anon (visitor sent at 11:27AM)
Thank you. This wisdom from St Francis has been in the back of my mind from the first moment I heard this news, and is why I allow no speculation/gossip on my blog on this topic.
Jackie,
That quote (and I could not remember where it came from, but "The PIETA" http://www.olrl.org/pray/pieta/ was where I had long ago read this admonition) is also the rationale behind why I have not put many anonymous comments here.
Thank you!
God bless!
Prayers for Fr. Francis Mary. That he may find the strength to continue living his vocation. Having been a big fan of LotR for many years, I will definitely continue to pray for him. Priests are tempted just as you and I are, unfortunately they are in public roles and therefore always under scrutiny. May God be with his servant. Fr. FM.
I agree we shouldn't attack a priest, but in this case, since it is public. there needs to be some clarification about the importance of sticking to your vow. If no one is willing to say, "Fr. Francis needs to give up the girl and stay in the priesthood, others may think they too, priests as well as married couples, can abandon their vows. T
there is a difference between judging actions and judging people. No one is condeming Fr. Francis, no I, anyway, but we his spiritual sons and daughters have a duty to encourage him to be faithful to his vows. There is an issue of scandal here...THOUSANDS of young people look up to him.
We don't need any details than what we have been given in order to say that. We also don't really need anymore clarification in order to say it.
We certainly do not need speculation and guessing about the situation to say it. I have already said it, and so have many others. But we are not going to be heard by him unless he gets online and googles himself to read our blogs/forums.
But God can, and will, hear our prayers. That is, I believe, the only duty that most of us have in this situation.
As for what married couples will think...the mumber of divorces among Catholic couples over the past thirty years is tremendous, as well as the number of priests and religious who have left their own vows behind.
Some of us have been saying for many years that Marital Vows are til death do us part regardless of what man's divorce courts OR our US Tribunals have to say about it.
I agree totally. Someone needs to begin to tell ALL of us this fact, from the pulpits, and to our faces when we begin to turn our backs on them.... Some of us have been begging them to do this for thirty years.
God bless!
Hi, Kristin,
Judging actions (Admonishing the sinner) is a Spiritual Act of Mercy. Judging the person (Condemnation)is sinful, and something that only God can do.
We have a duty to pray for him. Those who are able to also have a duty to remind him of his Vows and Holy Orders. The possiblity of Scandal is exactly my concern.
God bless!
Anonymous commenter from 5:22 AM,
I am glad you found my blog, too. I will honor your request not to publish your comment. I will also honor your request to pray for you, however (smile) I have already been praying for Fr FM, the widow and all of the EWTN family.
My email is on my profile.
God bless!
Check out this great advice for women who interact with priests and married men on Dymphna's Road blog.
http://dymphnaroad.blogspot.com/2007/11/sad-sad-sad-today.html
Thank you. I had seen that the other day while blog-hopping.
Let us pray for Fr. Francis as he discerns. We are not in such a position to judge. He has definately touched my life. None of us are subject to temptations or trials. I espire to be a priest Keep Fr. Francis and myself in your prayers.
St. Therese: Pray for us.
Joseph Cyril Therese.
mother Angelica has stated that any man that did not have some desire to become the father of children and or be married had no place in the priesthood we must understand the great sacrifice it takes to serve as a preist and that a preist leaving ministry is not all that uncommon however much we dont like it. fr francis has been a great blessing to us all and i suggest we all say a rosary that gods will be done in his life. ifeel very sorry for his situation it is a reminder that our preist are only men with the same desires as the rest of us they are just called by god to submit to his will which is something we all have trouble doing. John
Joseph Cyril Therese
I love your 'handle'...
I had intended to respond to this yesterday, but Life intervened..sorry.
All of us are subject to temptation and trials is what I think you meant (none of us escapes them, in other words), and I agree.
I will honor your request to keep you in prayer about your aspiration to priesthood, also, as well as continuing to pray for Fr FM.
God bless!
John,
Yes, we need to pray for him. We do all have trouble submitting, too.
I am uncertain about the context of Mother Angelica's words that you cited, so cannot comment on them.
My concern is that people will 'assume' that it is God's Will if he leaves and marries just as they 'assume' that a divorce is 'God's Will'.
Obedience is what Padre Pio has said is the first step toward Sainthood. When one takes Vows, it is not God who breaks them.
God bless!
He already has a family and
I have to agree with a previous post that stated " I think that he may have already crossed over that dangerous line". Either way, I will pray for Fr. Francis and the network. Only the Lord knows how many souls will be affected if he choses to leave. God bless.
I remember Father Francis talking about Mother Angelica saying that....she said to "walk out now" if there isn't a part of you that doesn't want to be married and have children." I thought at the time, she was worried about gay priests, but she also wanted priests that would understand that desire.
Our priest today talked about the vim and vigor you start off with, you are a priest and love it, and then years later, a dryness sets in, you let apathy reign, you want that feeling again and if you aren't careful, the devil leads you to other pastures. Sometime faith isn't feeling good, it's perservering when it's bad, like a marriage. I hope whether its Father Francis or another priest, "if" they leave, it's for the right reasons, not because grass looks greener elsewhere. This wasn't a "job" where you decide to change from retail to business.
I agree, this isn't a 'job'. And though I never heard the comment attributed to Mother Angelica, I also would think that it had to do with gay priests.
But I also do not know what 'the right reasons' would be for leaving Vows behind.
In marriage, Canon Law does recognize that at times, separation/divorce may need to take place in order to preserve life. I don't have the citation handy, and it isn't necessarily worded that way. But it is a way for spouse and children to be safe if there is violence involved. That still does not mean condoning dating/second marriage, etc.
I can see a need to step back and recoup. Retreat for a time, and perhaps change the ministry from public to more cloistered/private.
But Holy Orders/Vows are Sacred, just as are Marital Vows.
I agree. In the "olden days" before the 70's, priests sometimes became priest because of family pressure, an "idea" of what it would be like or not having in their mind other options. I was amazed and naive when I heard stories of unhappiness and not so wise choices. It's a misnomer to say all priests are called....a priest who goes in for himself and the power isn't, a pedophile looking for power and young children isn't, and so many more examples. Obviously many seminaries don't prepare or weed out ones that aren't really capable. Maybe today that wont happen as much; we will have fewer but better. As far as falling in love and dryness, etc. that is normal and hopefully can be dealt with internally with a good advisor.
I am disapointed in how EWTN handled it...unless there is much more they didn't say, they should have said he left, period or he is discerning his future and left the door open. What kind of example is removing him the day they read the letter from everything? How could he really come back? He is erased from archives, photos, etc. It's almost comical (in a tragic way) how heads are cut off or altered to remove him from video or a pictures. There might be 2 that were almost impossible, so they are still there until they can replace them probably. I'm sure there were people that didn't want that but Father Francis can't be the prodigal son at EWTN. They should have said he left after discerning or he would be staying. When you think about it, it doesn't make sense. Unless everyone knew, they could have told him to leave with a letter if he wanted to go or sent him to help some needy area to "discern" and then let them know what he decided.
I know of several men in our area who were turned away, and then went to Bruskewitz or to Emmitsburg, and another growing area of vocations. They are now priests, or close to ordination. That was sad, but it happens.
Life isn't roses no matter where we are, and there will always be hard times, whether as 'singles', 'marrieds', widowed, divorced, religious, or priests. But we do have it in our control to choose to be the best we can be where we are. We can choose to forgive, to stay committed, to love even the unlovable. Many saints have done this.
Marrieds can learn a LOT from the Diary of Elizabeth Leseur (whose atheist husband became a Dominican priest (Fr Felix Leseur) after her death--and gave retreats that even Bishop Sheen attended!
Mother Teresa struggled for so long to know that God was there, yet her work continued, and no one outside of a select few ever knew about her struggle.
Ven Solanus Casey wanted to be a priest and was prevented from being more than 'simplex'. He could not hear Confessions or Preach! Yet he touched more lives as the Porter for the monastery than he may have if they had allowed him to do so.
I am sure that he wasn't happy in the struggle to be ordained.
Today, people forget that God never told us that we would be 'fulfilled', 'happy', etc. Rather, He told us to pick up our cross and carry it. He told us that we would suffer as He did. And they forget that our vows are witnessed by Him...
As for being called, or not being called, once the Ordination and the Final Vows are professed, it is too late to 'rescind' them without Scandal, IMHO.
Any priest, brother, sister, or lay person who is involved in pedophilia, that person should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. (Most of the Church Scandal was pedophilia, though. Pedophilia is pre-pubescent children...most of the victims were teens/pubescent, and victims of predator homosexual men. This type of predator also should be prosecuted as soon as it is discovered/reported.)
From what I can see with the younger priests of today, we are being blessed.
I agree, hopefully the problems can be resolved with true compassion, including speaking Truth to those in all walks of life.
God bless!
Anonymous of 10:17 AM,
The amount of speculation that has gone on with what he DID say is so beyond the pale, that I cannot begin to imagine the amount that would have gone on had they said NOTHING but that he was going on a sabbatical to discern, or suddenly left for a 'needy area'!! THAT is precisely the kind of thing that was done with the priests involved in the Scandal!
I don't agree that would have been better, at all.
I have no idea if the archived programs are 'gone forever', but would tend to think that they may be available some day long in the future IF Fr FM upholds his Vows. Will HE be back on EWTN? Probably not, but again, that is speculation.
A prodigal son--yes, he certainly CAN be. But something people ALSO forget when they choose Sin is that there are ripple effects that go way beyond our little part of the universe. Reality says that there are consequences to our actions.
He can choose to uphold his Vows and remain active in the priesthood, but the wisest thing MAY be to be less 'public', with less chances of future 'occasions of sin'. That isn't up to 'us' to choose how the Order chooses to deal with this issue. One of his Vows is Obedience.
EWTN also isn't obligated to have him resume as though nothing has happened.
Or he may choose to leave behind his priesthood and Vows, just as some choose to break their marital Vows and divorce their spouse. Should he choose that, then I am sorry, he doesn't belong on EWTN.
His role in that Order was VERY important. He was Vocation Director, Postulant Director, and Novice Master!! Responsible for the Formation of Postulants and Novices! On EWTN, he could be called a 'Youth Minister' in the role he had on Life on the Rock!
Sin has consequences, and Temporal Effects...and this is far-reaching!
As for EWTN, I do not fault them for their decision. Just as I believe that those who choose adultery should not be treated as though the SPOUSE is to blame for their sinful act, I don't believe that anyone but Fr FM should be held accountable for the situation he has put himself in, and the widow.
EWTN and his Order are possibly just as much victims in this as the faithful spouse of a cheating spouse.
A married person who finds themselves being drawn closer to someone outside of the marriage has the responsibility to remove HIMSELF/HERSELF from the situation and get as far away from it as possible (avoid the occasion of Sin, remember?) That should be done BEFORE it makes one want to leave a marriage! You do not 'just fall in love' with someone who is not your spouse--you ENJOY the temptation long before you succumb to it by your own choice.
Just as the faithful spouse can choose to take back an unfaithful spouse, choosing to forgive, so can the Church, the Order. But it is then up to the offending spouse to show that they have changed, to earn the trust of the other.
And just as in a marriage that has had a rupture, it will take time to heal THIS rupture in the Order, and at EWTN.
Fr FM brought this on by his own actions and choices. Actions always have consequences, good or bad.
His responsibility in the Order was high. His visibility on EWTN was wide-spread. The fact that he has put himself into a situation where he now has to discern what he is going to do is serious.
He needs our prayers. I hope that he upholds his Vows. The Prodigal Can always return. Humbled, however, due to the very fact that he was in such highly responsible positions. He has broken the trust of many people.
God bless!
I agree to a point. Forgiveness is needed and if Father wants to come back, he should be able too. If they say he isn't a "good example" fine, the father in the bible didn't say his son was less his son "but welcome home". I understand he set an example, he was a disapointment, but pretending priests don't go through this is silly. So many have similar situations and it's never talked about. Seminarians are not taught in some seminaries how bad it can get. Fr. Groechel mentioned how unprepared some are for the realities of religious life, they feel with grace, they will never really yearn or want things that aren't viable for them in this vocation. They are hit with a two by four sometimes by how much temptation touches them. Better prep, less pretending it doesn't exist and learning to deal with temporary failures is needed. Maybe more retreats. No priest is perfect, some have hidden faults, some not so hidden, but if a teen is turned away from the priesthood because of Fr. Francis's fall, he was disillusioned with what a priest is primarily...human.
He disapointed me, but I wasn't surprised either. It's very difficult in our world and without a LOT of prayer and a lot of support, it can be an uphill climb. I was very disillusioned as a child seeing priests drink excessively, swear, act mean, etc. My mom told me quietly, "under the robes, they are as human as you and I, don't make them God, they are his servants, but not him". I pray prayers for them daily, but they need support from each other too.
Anon 6:34 PM
Priests are men, yes. And we are all sinners, yes.
A married man or woman has considerably less time of preparation for their Vocation than any priest, or religious. There are 'predators' who think that a married man/woman is especially attractive, and seduce them.
Do we say that men and women are not aware of the dangers out there after Vows are spoken, and give them a pass when they choose to give in to the temptations? Justify that behavior (adultery) by saying that the person 'is only human'?
The Prodigal Son story does not say that he was returned to any specific job. It does say that he was restored to his father.
Restoration does NOT mean that all returns to exactly what it was before!
If I, as a nurse, become addicted to prescription pain meds, and am called before the Board of Nursing, my license is in jeopardy. If I am later in recovery, and have followed all of the recommendations, I MAY be able to return to nursing.
But no one will simply 'trust' me near Federally Controlled narcs, and my own recovery should prevent me from accepting any position where temptation reigns.
An employer who 'fires' a person with a 'morals clause' is not required to return that person to their position after that person repents.
His Order needs to reinstate him in full, but not necessarily by putting him in charge of new entrants and their formation. He can witness to the fact that there ARE temptations, yes.
A marriage that is restored will never be the same marriage it was before. It cannot be. The unfaithful spouse has hard work ahead to show that he/she can be trusted, and the faithful spouse has hard work ahead to learn to trust again. It has to, in the end, become stronger than it was before, but it will be different.
Much of what you say is needed for priests who are tempted is needed by all of us as humans. One of those is learning that we need to learn to avoid the occasions of Sin.
I see your point, like a wayward husband, you can't pretend everything is normal (the church really failed in doing that with the pedophile priests) but if he does want to stay, he would be a strong example. He wouldn't be pretending to know, he would know. We have had hypotcrital priests, saying one thing, doing another, he would at least know what they were going through.
My gut tells me that EWTN knows he is leaving but felt like saying that wjould be too much too soon. They knew of course before the show, which is why so much of him was erased so quickly that day. Weird in a way how they got a call from a viewer last week from a young man that was discouraged from his priest in becoming one, said he'd regret it, he thought it was awful, etc......Father Francis;s face was so full of emotion, he looked down, didn't answer for a while and then said, he was glad he found someone else, antoher priest. I think Father Mark looked away. That is not verbatim, I just remember thinking he had ambiguous feelings too. I guess they might have knew then, must have been hard.
Yes, the Church leader's in the US did fail very much in that way. And yes, like a wayward husband.
If he leaves, it will be very sad, for sure. If he stays, yes, he can definitely eventually witness to the powerful effects of not being wary, and giving in to temptation.
I didn't see the episode that you are speaking of, so cannot really respond to that aspect. I did watch his interview with Eduardo Verastegui and the other with Leo Severino. As deeply devoutly Catholic as those two are, I did not notice anything out of the ordinary. Eduardo said a couple of times that 'we are called to be Holy'... His testimony is very powerful. I was more focused on what HE was saying, I guess.
God bless!
everyone must stop posting comments about fr. francis stone.
just leave the man alone / completely alone .
his personal life is NOT the worlds business after he graciously stepped down.
on judgment day jesus won't be asking you if your poor , precious feelings were hurt regarding fr . francis stone.
he'll be asking you who you loved and who you didn't.
NO ONE IS LOVING FR. FRANCIS STONE .
'' LEAVE FR. FRANCIS , HIS PAST , PRESENT AND FUTURE THE '' HE....
... HEAVEN ALONE
NOT ONE MORE COMMENT... NOT ONE MORE BLOG ... NOT ONE MORE MORTAL SIN OPINIONATED , APATHETIC , SEEMINGLY SINCERE REMARK......
JUST LEAVE HIM THE HE...HEAVEN ALONE
Oakland7
While I understand, I also want you to remember that this is my blog.
There has not been any unloving comment made here. To say that I am praying for him to uphold his vows is not unloving. And yes, Jesus just MAY ask if we spoke the Truth to someone in danger of sin. Remember the Spiritual Acts of Mercy? Admonish the sinner?
On this blog, there has been no speculation or gossip allowed. Feelings hurt? I don't think that was said here, either, though I cannot remember.
Mortal Sin? No. There has been no sin here. If you have not read the comments here, then do. If you have, and you have been offended by anything that is written here, then you may be reading things like gossip/speculation into it.
Vows are important to God, whether they are marital or religious vows.
"So when you make a promise (or a VOW) to God, don't delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all
the promises you make to him. It is better to say nothing than to promise
something that you don't follow through on. In such cases, your mouth is making you sin. And don't defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved."
~~ Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 New Living Translation
There is also:
Ezekiel 3:
17: "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.
18: If I say to the wicked, `You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.
19: But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you will have saved your life.
20: Again, if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.
21: Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and you will have saved your life."
God bless!
We will always love Father Francis and will always pray for him. His way was the clear shining light of what we all need to do to reach our goal of Heaven. He taught us well, He brought God's Love to us, He set the example of what a good priest does to lead his flock. We pray that the Holy Spirit will give him the wisdom to continue to make wise choices. God may have a different role for him to play now as he continues his mission to save souls. It is one thing to do so on television, but it can also be done when he is down in the trenches leading his Catholic brothers and sisters there, for he is a Priest forever...
Always remember Our Blessed Mother will one day crush the evil serpent's head. God's Word will triumph and His Words shall live forever with Mary as a Co-Redemptorix beside Jesus her beloved Son. Father Francis will be ok with Her help..Pray for Father Francis as he discerns his next steps in Life- on the rocks..And Pray for the Franciscan Order for they do such great good for the world. They are the glue that is helping to hold this fractured world together. Take Heart..and as good Pope JPII the Great said: Be Not Afraid !
Bill Fl wrote:
"We pray that the Holy Spirit will give him the wisdom to continue to make wise choices. God may have a different role for him to play now as he continues his mission to save souls. It is one thing to do so on television, but it can also be done when he is down in the trenches leading his Catholic brothers and sisters there, for he is a Priest forever..."
I am not sure what you mean by God having a different role for him to play to save souls. IF you mean a different role in his active priesthood, this could be very true.
IF you mean leaving his Vows and Priesthood behind, we have to remember that God does not always get His way in people's lives. He gave us Free Will. He does not violate that Free Will, ever.
Just as He hates divorce, men and women still choose to do so. Then, many try to say that this is God's Will. Not true, but because He does not violate Free Will, we have many people justifying their choices and actions.
Yes, in the end, He does triumph. We continue to pray for him.
God bless!
I hope Fr. Francis remembers this speech from last year. I know from experience, if you let prayer go a bit, if you rush through things, it starts to ebb, to change. I think (but don't of course know) that started to happen here. He is very honest though.
Another speaker, Franciscan Father Francis Mary Stone, told the audience he is energized by the fact that, “I see more men coming out and willing to share their faith.”
But as a “recovering narcissist,” Father Francis warned those in attendance about this disease of the soul that “plagues men of the world.”
“I thought the world was about me, myself and I,” said Father Francis, the host of the Eternal Word Television Network show “Life on the Rock.” But the priest has since learned, through transforming his life, that is not the case.
His message to men? Jesus Christ has “to become real to you. We have to experience him in a real, true, personal manner.”
One way of doing that, Father Francis said, is through the Eucharist. “Heaven is the Mass. That’s what heaven is. … We need to develop a hunger for it.”
Father Francis also recommended developing a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. “You have to have Our Lady in your life. You’ve got to cultivate that relationship. … Cultivate that devotion. It will change your life
Anon of 11/25 2:27 PM
Do you have any reference to the article that the quotes came from? (For copyright reasons)
Thanks!
God bless!
Link to article:
https://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2006/10-06/mens.html
Thank you, VERY much!
God bless!
This man and priest, should have known better than to play with fire by allowing himself to get close to a women.
I have defected from the Catholic faith over its attitudes of laxity towards marriage and the commitment and protection it deserves but does not receive in the Catholic Church.
His vows should have been well thought out before he took them as a Catholic priest.
My vows, in marriage, place upon me the same obligations as does his priesthood, in my now celibate state. But at least this man's vows were voluntary.
Now he wants to pray and take time to "discern them". No doubt he will be released from them if he so chooses, just as the Catholic Church accepts my wife and her lover, for the good of their children of adultery, as long as they make a good confession each time they make adulterous love to each other, in an act that rapes me each time and violates our vows.
I cannot rightfully say that his dilemma disgusts me but it is of his and her own making and they should simply walk away from each other, immediately. Any other course of action is a scandal.
There is nothing he or she can do to scandalize me further as I have already defected from the Catholic Church but naively I retain some respect for how I was raised and the vows I spoke in 1980.
I wish he and she would read these comments to see other realities that people face and how despicably we are treated by the Catholic Church while these "poor innocent souls" will be given serious deference in their "difficult choices", just as the Pope in his completely evil ignorance shows his "compassion" for the "poor souls" who "find themselves" in adulterous situations after abandoning their rightful spouses through the encouragement of Catholic Priests and the Divorce/Adultery/Annulment/Remarriage Machine called the Tribunal System.
He welcomes them in the Catholic Church as they openly and unrepentantly violate their public vows, taking no actions at all to encourage their repentance thus encouraging them to continue their persecution of their abandoned spouses and the children of the abandoned valid marriage.
God speed, good Father, you are faithfully following the examples of the Popes and Bishops who encourage adultery and all its crimes in order to ensure that the unrepentant can continue their havoc and still be as much a part of the Catholic Church as a little adulterous sex and confession will allow.
I am inspired indeed!!!
Karl
Hi, Karl,
You know I agree with you almost entirely (I won't call the Pope evil, nor leave the Church).
But I am in total agreement about our 'forgotten' children from first (and valid) marriages in this world of no fault divorce. Seldom are the words applied to why the first marriage is to be reconciled 'for the sake of the children'.
And in a case where the decree HAS been VALID... it is truly unacceptable. God bless you, Karl. I pray for your situation often.
Anonymous of 10:50 and 10:52PM with the IP Address 205.188.116.19 (America Online)and the nauseating comments... they will not be printed here.
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