As per a previous post, it was noted that Fr. Gofigan said he has a letter in hand from the Archbishop stating that there was never any "decree" terminating his office as pastor of Santa Barbara Parish; and some parishioners are wondering why, given this revelation, that he just doesn't simply reassume his duties as pastor!
So there may be no need after all for a canon lawyer or a challenge to the Archbishop's actions of July 16, since there appears to have been no "real" action at all. We now know that Fr. Gofigan's priestly faculties were never removed (he said Mass this past Sunday) and also he was never removed as pastor.
Thus, apparently, everything is as it was before. Of course there is the little matter of the appointment of the parochial administrator but it is obvious now that the appointment was an error and may have been made in haste since the Archbishop, at the time, was preparing to leave for World Youth Day.
Someone messed up. Stuff happens. But it appears there is no need for the war to drag on. And we also know that the ex-con/parish volunteer, over whom this whole dust-up arose, can no longer, at least according to the Archbishop (other than attend Mass), be active in parish life.
And that leaves us with the real question yet to be resolved by the Archdiocese:
HOW TO INCORPORATE EX-CONVICTS, ESPECIALLY PERPETRATORS OF SERIOUS CRIMES, BACK INTO THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH (should it be their desire), AFTER THEY HAVE SERVED THEIR SENTENCES.
Given the treatment Fr. Gofigan got, it seems that no pastor will want any one with a criminal past to have anything to do with the parish other than attend Mass and immediately leave. This, in fact, may be the forthcoming policy, and it may be necessary given the present paranoia over sex-related offenses in the Church right now.
(Paranoia that was brought about by bishops and pastors themselves, by the way, by looking the other way, for years - or NOT LOOKING AT ALL - at what was going on in parishes and classrooms, seminaries and rectories, and further, by shuffling problem clergy around. One wonders what problems we might have avoided (AND MONEY SAVED) had problem clergy - and other adults in leadership positions - been dealt with as severely as the ex-con lay person at Santa Barbara.)
And one also wonders how the aforementioned ex-con would have been treated had he attempted to join the Neocatechumenal Way. There are children there too.
Note: the ex-con's crime had nothing to do with children, but the Archdiocese has continued to emphasize the danger this man supposedly presents to children.
AMEN....I agree....So lets just move on and have Father Paul continue to do his duty as a servant of our GREAT GOD!!!
ReplyDeleteAs far as the parishioner ....everyone deserves a second chance and what does the Good Lord do....He turns the other cheek and LOVES US ALL no matter what!!!!
Let's get Father back so Santa Barbara Parish can continue to thrive, especially the YOUTH...
I have observed that when Father Paul started the Life Teen in Santa Barbara, the youth were coming back to the church and are becoming an ACTIVE participant in the Mass. We need a strong pastor and especially one that cares for the Youth and mold them to become Servants of the Lord.
I'm not aware of what Fr Paul was accused or what happened but one thing is for sure: every adult in any Catholic Church or school or lay ministry volunteer should undergo background if they are to be working with our children at the minimal. And people serving as leaders of these organizations should also be responsible for failing to perform background information.
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