www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Sacred Silence

Fr. Dcn. John,

Fr. Donald Cozzens was given a sabbatical to write this book in Collegeville, MN. He thanks Bishop Pilla of Cleveland for the sabbatical and his new teaching assignment at my school, John Carroll University. If he was banished for disloyalty, then it didn't work since this second book was the result of his time there.

His book was not a celibacy book, nor was he interested in how laity or clergy can be more faithful as good Catholics. The book dealt with the historic problem of ignoring damaging problems by sweeping them under the rug. Many seminarians of the recent past who witnessed such problems in the seminary were poo-pooed by others, being reminded that such things weren't true. Then a few million dollars later ...

In his book, "The Changing Face of the Priesthood," Cozzens notes how one town came out to meet the chancellor of a priest who was accused of a sexual offense. The meeting got hot and tempers got angry; there was a lot of shouting going on between the laity and the clergy until ... the chancellor said he was SORRY. The meeting got quiet. The people heard something which was rare - a cleric admitted that he was wrong and that such events shouldn't have happened. The mood and direction of that meeting changed when they heard those words. It was no longer "defensive listening" or denial or pounding one's fist on a table reminding the laity that "I am the bishop!" You see, on one hand, the laity many times brought troubling problems to the authorities, but the issue was turned into another need which had nothing to do with the issue at hand. This is Cozzens' point/thesis.

Unfortunately, many discussions in the past continued the promotion of misguided loyalty, irrresponsibility, and tranquility at all costs and hurt the church tremendously as well as left a number of innocent victims with horrible memories of people they were taught to trust. Loyalty, responsibility, and tranquility shouldn't be focused on preserving status or club rules; it should be what they are: true loyalty, true responsibility, and true tranquility.

Do you think Fr. Cozzens should have remained quiet for loyalty's sake by not publishing these books?

Joe

Joe,

I understand that this can be somewhat effective when dealing with Roman Curia officials not of the episcopal order.

Fr Deacon John,

I'm confused with your comment regarding the universal call to celibacy. Your comment regarding using a person seems to infer that marriage is an accomodation for the sexual urge. Perhaps I misunderstand. I would use "chastity" in place of "celibacy". There is a universal call to chastity. Those who have a vocation to marital love live a conjugal chastity, while those who remain single live out a chastity expressed as celibacy. This is in virtue of our initiation into the Church. (How does a married unbeliever who accepts Christ and is baptized have a call to celibacy?)

I would express chastity in more positive terms. Chastity, although it includes refusing to take advantage of a person for selfish gratification, more postively entails our love to be self-giving and it is in this in which we truly image Christ.

John

"I understand that this can be somewhat effective when dealing with Roman Curia officials not of the episcopal order."

Bisantino,

Good point. Very good point.

Fr. Deacon John,

Celibacy, self-control and the development of positive sexuality are all intertwined, but they are not the same reality.

Husbands and wives may be abusive to one another and have an unhealthy sexual relationship whereby one is used by another for one's gratification etc.

Top-down episcopal power and unresponsiveness to the laity is another issue that needs to be addressed.

Experience is showing us that when the Church won't address internally, the law courts and the media will externally.

Alex

Dear Dr. John (El Greco)!

You would be an excellent "ekonomos" for our Eparchy!

That is, if the Latins don't grab you first to help solve their issues!

Your perfect sense of balance and political sensitivity was totally indicated to me by your mention of food and cooking.

I've been around politicians long enough to know that the most important changes are done over a hearty meal with wine.

In the movie, "A Reluctant Saint" about St Joseph of Cupertino, a bishop escapes a theological discussion on Augustine's Trinity to join a humble brother for a meal.

He tells the brother that the talk he had just attended was on the "Mystery of the Holy Trinity."

"The problem is - it was all so much more of a mystery to me following the talk . . ."

You would make a great politician and change-agent anywhere.

Alex