Fr. Walker was murdered and Fr. Terra was assaulted so badly that he is in critical condition. These priests worked among the poor of Phoenix in a pretty dodgy part of town.
They are beloved of their flock and they exemplify what Pope Francis talks about: priests must be among the people.
Has the news-outlet, the Fishwrap (aka National catholic Reporter) been on this? No. They borrowed a story snipped together by CNS.
I wonder if they haven’t given more attention to this story because these priests are of the FSSP, because they act like priests, they dress like priests, they preach like priests, they are faithful to the Church’s Magisterium.
But hey! Fishwrap has their own hand-crafted coverage of a very strange priest in Vietnam who got himself excommunicated for heresy. They are all upset about him. They are also upset that US bishop are still being “defensive” about “culture war” issues such as abortion.
Surely Fishwrap knows someone in Phoenix who can cover this.
These priests don’t fit the Fishwrap’s frame about priests who say the Extraordinary Form.
These priests, as a matter of fact, exemplify everything that they fear.
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“Fear” – exactly. Young, loyal, traditional priests who serve among the poor and are loved by their parishioners. The only future the Church has.
It’s probably for the best that they ignore this, the only thing worse than Fishwrap columnists, are the liberal comments on their stories. I don’t think we need to know what their views on this are.
Of course, far worse than the story are many of the comments made by readers. But, they are birds of a feather. Or fish in a common pond? ;)
My goodness! “Fishwrap” indeed. The comments over there are astonishing. Apparently the Church needs to embrace same-sex marriage, contraception, and, I presume, womyn’s ordination, too!
They’re even ranting about the Koch brothers!
I know these attitudes are highly representative of a significant portion of the laity, at least in America. My own brother and nephew make audible sounds of derision at Mass when the priest says anything negative about same-sex marriage or abortion. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them commenting at Fishwrap one of these days, too.
I really don’t understand what’s happening anymore.
I have always thought that a group of young priests who were 100% faithful to the Magisterium, offered Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form, were fluent in Latin and Greek (and probably Spanish at need), knew the Fathers of the Church and St. Thomas Aquinas like the back of their hand, and went out to work among the very poor, the homeless, and the gangbangers could change the world in such a way that nobody could imagine right now. A hard life no doubt but it would be something to see.
I’m actually amazed that this story is getting as much coverage as it is. Back in 2009, a priest in Chatham, New Jersey was murdered and I only remember seeing local coverage of the incident. The priest, Fr. Ed Hinds, was stabbed 32 times by a janitor at his parish after a dispute regarding his employment. Fr. Hinds, a kind and gentle man, had given my granddaughter her First Holy Communion, so I took a personal interest in the case. The janitor is question was not doing his job properly. I remember an incident where Father had asked him to put out more chairs before the start of a Christmas play in the school’s gymnasium. I happened to be in the first row and was a few feet from the two of them and witnessed the janitor just staring belligerently at the priest and not answering him. After a bit Fr. Hinds said with exasperation, “Look, would you just do it?” . The janitor, after more glaring, went and set up the chairs. In other words, the bad situation was already there and the murder took place when the priest told the man he had to let him go.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/2009/10/25/church-janitor-charged-in-murder-nj-priest/
Why are priests put in such vulnerable situations? Fr. Hinds lived alone which made his security nil when dealing with such a situation. In Fr. Walker’s case, it sounds as if there was more than one perp involved – did the Rectory have an alarm system in place? Most homeowners these days give a lot of thought to security and have alarms, or dogs, or something else to deter and stop criminals. Do the dioceses give any thought to the security of their priests? Bishop Olmsted sure gave the impression that he hadn’t thought of it. My feeling is that this issue needs to be addressed to reduce the chances of our priests being killed or maimed by intruders. Let’s ask our own priests what level of protection they have and contact the bishops’ offices if we find it’s not sufficient. Meanwhile, priests should start taking steps to protect themselves. We need our priests here on earth for as long as possible.
I agree with comment made by Jackie L.. It is a time of prayer and mourning, not point scoring. Tonight I will offer a Requiem Mass for the repose of Fr. Walker’s soul. By the way, I was very impressed by the announcement of SSPX : http://sspx.org/en/news-events/news/prayers-requested-phoenix-priests-4218
I have to agree with Gracie that this gets little attention, while sometimes manufactured faults of the bishops stay on the front page for weeks. This January last a priest was beaten to death in Eureka CA and got only passing mention in the MSM. It was noted by wire service and then quickly disappeared from the media. Here is the story:
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/07/22217337-california-priest-murdered-in-church-beaten-to-death-autopsy?lite
May God grant eternal rest to his servants.
Augustine Thompson O.P. says:
little attention
At the same time, I noted this morning that the (not very Catholic friendly) BBC put this story out on their news app.
If the BBC can take notice, then you would think that an American outlet that claims (in defiance of the ruling of the local bishop) the title “Catholic”, might do just a bit more.
The recent murder of a priest in Eureka received a fair amount of coverage locally here in California and perhaps across the country, but since the perpetrator was immediately identified and apprehended it’s not a surprise perhaps that the coverage quickly ebbed. Since I make it a point never to read the NCR, I can’t say whether they gave more or less attention to this fine (OF) priest’s life, witness and end. RIP, Fr. B.
Let the record state that at least for the moment, the story seems to be getting some very fine coverage in the Phoenix area. True, it’s local and it’s recent, but the respect they’re showing is what any decent person — not to mention a priest of Almighty God — used to be entitled to in the quality press.
What the “National ‘Catholic’ Reporter” has to say about anything whatever holds little attraction for me. Considering what I’ve been told by my betters, for me to read it would be an occasion of sin.
The last homily given by this young Priest has been put on Gloria.tv. The last words of it are particularly poignant to see knowing what was to happen to him so tragically. May he rest in peace.
I remember a cynical Italian movie, I can’t recall the name, where a journalist, a member of the Italian Communist Party, discovers corruption in the government. When the Party accepts the Government’s rejection of the allegations , the journalist asks the party boss, “Why? It’s true!” The party boss replies “The truth is not always revolutionary.”
For ideologues, the ideology comes first and whatever serves the ideology. So Fishwrap.
Just as the President queried in the wake of a shooting of a congresswoman whether there was an issue with our nation’s civil discourse, fishwrappers and their adherents wherever situated must examine to what extent their disseminated anti-Catholic bile, the fishwrap’s raison d’etre, foments aggressive acting out towards authentically practicing, faithful Catholics, clergy or lay. The level of anger one finds towards, say, people who believe children and preborn children ought to be able to live in peace, displays quite an irrational, obsessed, and hate-based streak.
Traditional Latin Mass “slum priests”… fishwrap’s worst nightmare.
While we are mentioning murdered priests, there is the unsolved 1998 violent murder of a beloved traditional, pro-life priest of the Diocese of Madison, Fr Alfred Kunz who was the pastor of St Michael Church in the rural town of Dane. He was an associate of some well known figures including Fr John Hardon and Malachai Martin, and apparently was involved in investigating satanic activity and the homosexual priests network at the time he was murdered. He was murdered in his parish school building and it did not seem to be a burglary, the killer is speculated to be someone he knew, but the trail is cold. It is not unlikely Fr Kunz was murdered for knowing too much. His memory and presence remains very alive in the Catholic community here.
Incidently, within a day of the murder of Fr. Walker, there was a break-in at rectory of the church in Eureka CA where the murder of another priest (that trespinos mentions above) took place earlier this year.
http://www.times-standard.com/breakingnews/ci_25949574/break-at-st-bernard-church
Only the perp was injured this time and he apparently didn’t menace anyone. But still…
Here’s a sermon by Fr. Walker, entitled “Mercy & Justice”: http://youtube.com/watch?v=seXdJ_XxeBA
What a beautiful sermon by Fr. Walker. He speaks simply and specifically about sin and God’s saving grace and urges prayer, penance, holy living, and going to confession. No musings on books he has read or movies he has seen. Just straight Catholic doctrine. He must have touched many souls. Requiescat in pace!
Thank you for posting the link to Father Walker’s sermon.
On the Vietnamese priest. There is something very odd here. Heresy is NOT a delicit subject to latae sententiae excommunication. The NCR reporters should have pursued the story to find out what the actual crimen was. The number of delicts subject to latae sententiae excommunication is short and very clear in canon law. That the diocese is vacant, makes it is unlikely that a canonical trial was held for “heresy.” Whatever this priest did, there are problems with the canonical status of the case.
On the tragic murder of priests, I did not mean to suggest that the murder in Eureka was ignored in California–it was well reported. I was referring to national attention. And, it does seem that all the mainline media have picked up the sad events in Phoenix. And, at least as far as I can tell, reported responsibly.
Let us continue to pray for God’s servants, living and dead.
gracie, I think it’s the parish priest who makes decisions on security; my parish is a cathedral and there may be more security as it’s a historic site and popular destination. The sanctuary is on an alarm save during Mass and the times before and after when people are preparing it and putting things away; the church, therefore, may be open during the day. The rectory is locked, with a camera on the entry so people can be buzzed in to the waiting area, the receptionist alerts the person they’re visiting and that person opens the inner door and there’s an alarm system. There are men roaming the site during open hours, with a particular focus on the outside and parking lot during Mass. When Apb is there, so is more security. I don’t think that’s in response to anything in particular.
Generally I don’t think churches are as security conscious unless there’s a problem; we have regular reminders in the bulletin that not everyone is coming to Mass so be sure not to leave valuables visible and lock your car.
I am surprised you did not give the link to the chopped article.
We should post edifying comments and ignore the political trolls.
Give the readers more info.
Boost the number of views. This is great for advertisers.
http://ncronline.org/news/people/priest-killed-another-injured-downtown-phoenix-church
I don’t know Fr. Walker, but his death and Fr Terra’s condition got me so depressed these last several days. Thankfully one of the books a FSSP priest gave me in the confessional is helping me to get by.
About that strange Vietnamese priest, I was trying to figure out what he’s teaching that was wrong, but I’ve not found that yet. There’s just so many YT videos to go through. Anyhow, it’s strange to me the diocese there didn’t include along with their public statement the specific details as to what that priest was teaching that was contrary to the faith. That priest claims that even he himself was not corrected. However, I believe that it was wrong for him to have spoken about the the matter after Mass and riled up the people/ supoprters as shown in one video. It seems that the “lamenting”event after Mass in a YT video was organized as some had the chance to read their written opinions and support for that priest.
Father Augustine said, “Heresy is NOT a delicit subject to latae sententiae excommunication.”
I’m fairly sure that it is. Or am I misreading Canon 1364 § 1?