One of the advantages to being in Rome is that I can catch up with friends and acquaintances who come for pleasure or for work. What work? Sometimes journalistic. Often canonical. There are canon lawyers who come to Rome for various reasons. Some of the better ones come because they are defending priests.
Over the last couple of days I’ve had conversations from advocates of priests that both make your hands ball up into fists and bring tears to your eyes from alternating sadness and compassion. Mind you: none of the canonists have betrayed anyone’s identity or location. In the canonical realm you get good at “anonymizing”.
Such are the things I’ve been reminded of lately, both good developments and also dire, prompted me last night over a languid Roman supper to celebrate Mass this morning for the intention of “cancelled priests”.
There are so many, and many of them have been treated with appalling disregard for rights and canonical procedure. Some situations are heartbreaking.
His dictis, I’ll perform a service here to all the brethren.
FATHERS…
In the case that you – God forbid – get called into the bishop’s office because of an “accusation”, remember this, above all:
- It is vital that you have the advice of a good canonist before heading in for the meeting.
- The first hours after an accusation is made are critical.
Mind you, this is not advice automatically to “lawyer up” and go into the meeting with your canon lawyer at your side, guns blazing. It could be that that is the best way forward. Otherwise, it could be that the canonist will advise you to go, but to prep you about how to respond or not respond. You don’t want to ratchet up the temperature needlessly. You also don’t want to be bullied into doing something that hurts your case because you were caught off guard and in a state of adrenaline fueled surprise and anxiety.
I hear again and again about how bishops/chanceries steam-roller priests, all semblance of process tossed under the roller with the priest in question.
This is terribly cynical perhaps, and one size does not fit all. However, the adage si vis pacem, para bellum has many applications, the desire for ultimate peace having the logical priority. Peace, but not at the expense of justice.
Lastly, I’ll remind you, Fathers, of a good book by a canonist Michael J. Mazza, JD, JCD of canonicaladvocacy.com
The Right of a Cleric to Bona Fama
Everyone, priests too, have the right to a good reputation.
UPDATE:
From a priest friend:
A friend of many years was called in to see his bishop. I told him, “Do not go alone. There is no reason you need to go alone. You can bet the bishop will not be alone! Take someone with you, a priest friend or a lay friend.”
He took a friend who was a retired judge. To this day he says it was the best advice he ever got.
The bishops (who are so fond of beginning their letters with Dear brother priests) have insulated themselves on Mount Olympus with layer ion layer of bureaucracy.
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Our dearly departed Priest had been a Pius X Priest, Ordained By Lefebvre. He left the Order and was responsible to a Bishop in Rome. On his own family property we built a Chapel, that was well attended. The Local Bishop asked him to come in to speak with him. He said , He would come for a face to face with the Bishop “alone”. When he arrived there were half a dozen Clerics and Lawyers. Bishop declared, I don’t want the Latin Mass Here! Priest, It is here and we have been celebrating it for years. Priest stated, Why are you going after me? Your responsible for all the souls in your Diocese. You have Mormans, Jehovahs, Protestants, etc. Bishop replied, they are not my responsibility! Canon Lawyer interrupted to tell the Bishop..Father is correct, you are responsible.
After the Bishop sent a letter to all the Funeral Homes telling them to do no funerals at the Chapel. The Funeral Directors to the Bishop politely what he could do with his letter.
Also, gather up any and all possible evidence to support your cause ASAP in case you lose access (ie: suspended professional email access, parish computers, etc).
I’m in Canada so it’s also legal to secretly record things like meetings as long as one person is aware of the recording (ie: you).
Why become a Priest?
Having sat through a few of these meetings over the years, I have to emphasize the importance of this statement by Fr. Z: “You don’t want to ratchet up the temperature needlessly. “
There are doubtless some priests out there who have ample reason to believe that their bishop is out to get them, personally. In most cases, though, the bishop has no personal animus. He’s received a complaint (ranging somewhere from trivial to very grave) that he has to take seriously and bring to a resolution. The priest can help drive that train, or he can throw himself in front of it.
It may be a “yes I did that” or “no I didn’t” situation, in which case you obviously want to stick politely to the truth (or perhaps remain silent if it’s something really bad and you did actually do it, particularly if illegality is involved). But often it’s a “you really might have handled this situation differently” sort of thing. Be open to that possibility. Yes, our Lord did chase the money changers out of the Temple with a whip, but that doesn’t justify every intemperate act of every priest down through history. If your handling of a situation raised a needless and public stink, maybe you COULD have handled it better. Even if you think you handled something perfectly — well, none of us is so perfect that we can’t consider at least the possibility that there’s room for improvement. If your bishop has advice for you, be receptive. You might even ask for advice, and beat him to the punch.
JustaSinner,
If a man believes that God wants him to become a priest and the Church confirms that divine call, then he should become a priest.