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PDF versionKansas City pastor homily on clarifying thought
by Thomas C. Fox on Jun. 07, 2011
The pastor of Holy Family parish in the Kansas City - St. Joseph diocese, Fr. Matthew Brumleve, spoke the following words last Sunday, Ascension Sunday, about Jim McConnell, a member of his parish who stepped away from the permanent diaconate program, saying he could not kneel before Bishop Robert Finn and offer his unqualified obedience. This is an excerpt from his homily:
Another way ... to clarify one’s thinking on what is valuable and
important in life – is to make a difficult decision – as Jim McConnell had to
do within the last week. Jim and his wife Cindy prayed about and struggled
with his ordination to the diaconate – in light of all that has come out about
what Bishop Finn did, and failed to do, in the recent sexual abuse case
concerning Father Shawn Ratigan.
Jim decided that he could not just go through the motions of the ordination rite in which he would have to kneel before the Bishop and promise to respect and obey a person he no longer had respect for. And I say better that this faith community has lost a deacon than to just have one more person lose their integrity. Someone better than I once said that evil exists in the world because good people stand idly by and say and do nothing. So I say to Jim, and
I hope it is with the backing of this community, thanks, Jim, for leading the way in not standing idly by. Jim from the very beginning, and Cindy, almost from the very beginning, have been members of Holy Family. And so it is with a bit of pride that I hope in some small way it is due to the fact that Sunday after Sunday they were nurtured and formed by the Word of God in this place and were constantly being comforted and challenged by us – and this is what
gave Jim the strength and conviction to do what he did. So standing among the poor, losing someone you love, and making a tough decision are all ways that we can tell if we stand for the things Jesus stood for: compassion, understanding, integrity, acceptance, forgiveness and mercy.
Every day, each of us has to be able to say and do the things that allow us to sleep peacefully at night. In preaching this homily, I will sleep peacefully tonight. In standing against the exploitation and harm of children, Jim will sleep peacefully tonight. I hope that all of us can have a peaceful sleep tonight because we have been effective witnesses of the risen and ascended Christ this day. That today, in large and small ways, we have stood for the things Jesus challenges and expects us to stand for. AMEN!
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God bless Cindy and Jim
God bless Cindy and Jim McConnell. They are good and reflective people. If Bishop Robert Finn was a decent man---he would resign. But I'm not holding my breath waiting for him to move on that.
Amen, Father Matthew! Amen,
Amen, Father Matthew! Amen, brother Jim and sister Cindy! With you may we all "have a peaceful sleep tonight because we have been effective witnesses of the risen and ascended Christ this day.
Paz y Bien, Rolando, SFO.
Hooray for Mc Connell and
Hooray for Mc Connell and wife. There are 17000 married deacons many of whom would accept full ordination. They need to step up and demand FULL ordination before there is another round of parish closings. "arise, deacons the only thing you have to lose is that single sash'
{if you rationalize that you will 'work' from the inside... get over it]
The deacons are already full
The deacons are already full ordained - as deacons.
If indeed someone who aspires to the presbyterate allows himself to be ordained to the permanent diaconate then the parish,indeed, the whole church has a problem -- the bishop did not discern that the deacon was being unjustly ordained.
FYI: parishes are closing, not because there are not enough qualified people to pastor them, but because the bishops act as if only presbyters can pastor. This of course is not orthodoxy, though it might be a good way to control patrimony and power to the bishop's benefit.
I have much respect for this
I have much respect for this gentleman who had the integrity to say that he could not, in good conscience, promise respect and obedience to his bishop. Far too many are the folks who will promise that respect and obedience, then go and do and say whatever they want. Far too many are those who claim to be one thing, but in reality are something very different.
While I personally do not agree with his decision, I do believe that Jim McConnell is a man of integrity.
Integrity is the virtue of
Integrity is the virtue of the future. Without integrity obedience can become simple compliance (self preservation). I personally think we have all had enough of compliance masquerading as obedience
Explain to us why you
Explain to us why you disagree with his descision! If in his shoes, would YOU kneel before Bp Finn and vow obedience to him? Even to the point of covering up for another pedophile priest? Is there ANY circumstance where if you were in his shoes that you would take his course of action? How about if, God forbid, the bishop was hitting up on your wife, or if you have no wife, how about your mother? What would it take for you, besides I assume some sort of heresy in your mind, to reach the same decision that this man reached?
For me, it would have been the minute he said he never read the letter in the priest's file from Ms. Hess because at that point, I'd realize that either he never pulled the file after the suicide attempt or he pulled the file and read the letter and is now having Monsignor Murphy take the fall for him. Either scenario reveals an incompetent or sinful bishop who does not warrant the unquestioned obedience of his clergy. Never mind the fact that his sheeple now look upon him with utter disgust as a new set of trial lawyers move in to garnish the collections, and rightfully so, of the diocese and possibly even the treasury of the churches and school to which Finn assigned this pervert.
I hope that we see more
I hope that we see more honest people like the deacon and his wife standing up against many in the hierarchy who seem to have no conscience about their actions in the sexual scandal which has encompassed the Church. Until the bishops who have participated in the coverup of the criminal actions are brought to justice, the Church will continue to suffer. We also need to hear more priest telling us the truth about what has been going on for many years.
May God Bless Jim and Cindy
May God Bless Jim and Cindy McConnell. They are commended for their character, good judgement and courage. Perhaps someday soon Jim can receive ordination as a Deacon from a new Bishop. Jim and Cindy are in my prayers!
A saint among us. If not
A saint among us. If not that, a very good man.
I really appreciate this
I really appreciate this wonderful post.I am really impressed.
Just a thought here. I also
Just a thought here.
I also comment McConnell on his integrity, but I also got to wonder if the call to Holy Orders and service as a deacon is dependent on who is sitting in the cathedra at the moment in any particular diocese. If not, then perhaps McConnell discerned that he really didn't have a call in the first place, and the decision not to be ordained reflects that. I have no idea, of course.
Finally, there were other men ordained that day, McConnell's classmates. I certainly hope nobody questions their integrity in taking a different course of action.
Every diocese needs men of integrity and courage serving in ordained ministry.
A man of integrity would have
A man of integrity would have walked away from the church, Because non of the hierarchy have any integrity or morals, When those in the vatican are silent about the praise of a bishop who would rather face jail than protect children, There is some thing very wrong in the laities thinking and actions
Of course, it doesn't hurt
Of course, it doesn't hurt that this is exactly what the lynch mob wants to hear, so it's a great way for Father to curry favor with his congregation.
Of course, it is very easy to
Of course, it is very easy to post untrue, hateful comments when you can post them without owning them. You are unable to offer any valid criticism of Fr. Matt, so you resort to this very unChristlike behavior.
I'm not impressed, although
I'm not impressed, although I'm happy this brother decided not to be ordained. We don't need deacons who can only be obedient to perfect leaders.
And, please, spare me the grandstanding. Look at what martyrs we are! Look at how pure we are! We are so pure we can sleep well at night. A little of the humility of a St. Francis would go a long way here.
But now NCR has a new hero who can stir the troops to self-rightous indignation. It's one of the signs of the times. We are the perpetually angry. Our mantra: I am offended, I am offended, I am offended.
Lord, have mercy.
In another time or another
In another time or another world, this priest's courage and comments would have won him the support of the faithful and eventual elevation to bishop. But alas, in the Church of B16 The Worst, such a sermon has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is NOT a company man and CAN NOT by any means be trusted with higher authority in Dolan's American Church and B16 The Worst's worldwide Church.
The only productive result of this priest's courageous action would be if more of his fellow diocesan priests were to de facto declare themselves non bishop material and call for the resignation of Bp Finn. Of course, despite that being the correct moral action, you never know how B16 The Worst will deal with the issue. After promoting Finn to an archdiocese, he could easily send Bruskewitz from Lincoln to KC/St. Joseph's......
Thank God this confused and
Thank God this confused and self-important man did not get ordained a Deacon.
SHAME on Fr. Brumleve for associating the Ratigan affair with SEXUAL ABUSE.
There has BEEN NO ACCUSATION OF ABUSE!!!!
But for Brumleve, and his cadre at Holy Family, the sad affair is just more political fodder - a platform and USE of the folks involved to propel a sad and tired agenda.
There is nothing more tiring and sad than a liberal catholic - they are spiritual geldings. They cannot lead the herd, and they cannot reproduce themselves.
Comments like these make me
Comments like these make me sad. The above writer is wrong on more than one level.
It's one thing to disagree. It's another to be disagreeable.
Since when is taking pictures
Since when is taking pictures of a nude girl's private parts for non-medical reasons not abusive? I think it is clear who is confused! Shame on you.
wonderful story
wonderful story
I'm glad Jim did not get
I'm glad Jim did not get ordained. I firmly believe that he is not called to be a deacon. He knows from his education in preparing to be a deacon to seek the TRUTH. I'm truly sad for him and even sadder for the pastor he has. God Bless.
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