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Sunday, May 31, 2009

A Priest in Crisis: Fr. MacRae

While we're on the topic of the Priesthood, I want to take this moment to remind everyone that priests ALWAYS need our prayers. We tend to pray for people when they are experiencing some kind of difficulty, priests included, but our prayers slack off in general if we think things are going well.

The reality is that prayer is a constant need. In the words of St. Joan of Arc, whose feast day was yesterday, regarding the question whether she was in a state of grace: "If I am not, I pray the Lord get me there, and if I am, I pray he keep me there!".

We must always pray, in the good times and the bad. Yesterday, and in this season of ordinations, we are all pledging prayers for our new priests...let's not slack off! The reality is that this Vocation is one that will conform them so closely to Christ that, in fact, they may be led into crisis...or prison.

There is a website I have been meaning to bring to you for it is dedicated to priests in crisis. We know the world hates the Catholic Church, and we know that, especially since the scandals broke, priests have been both justly and unjustly accused. The problem is that the system is still broken, and there are priests who have suffered unjust accusations and continue to suffer sentences imposed without basis in law.

One such case is that of Fr. Gordon MacRae. His story was sent to me last night; he has been imprisoned for 15 years of a 33 year sentence, and is in need of encouragement. If we are to pray for priests, why not spend some time this Blessed Pentecost praying for him?

You may read Fr. MacRae's story here, and post some encouraging words.

I also encourage you to read the other blog posts and explore the website, Priests in Crisis, even pass it on to priests you know, whether they are in crisis or not. It could be that they know a priest in need of assistance, and this apostolate exists for them.

Spread the word! And pray unceasingly for priests!
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7 comments:

Unknown said...

Our Lord never ceases to amaze me! Yesterday you and I tweeted briefly on this topic of praying for priests. As this intention has been weighing very heavily on my heart lately, I was about to ask you if you had any resources for this, but I got distracted. Well God heard the prayer because here is you post this morning on Fr. McRae. I just finished his heart-wrenching story and posted a prayerful note to him. I'm going to write my own post linking to the Priests in Crisis site as well as a link to your blog.
Thank you for bringing Fr. McRae's story to our attention.

Julia said...

That's a great reminder. I will read Fr. McRae's story.

When I don't have a particular intention in mind for Mass, I either offer it in thanksgiving to God or I offer it for our priests. Regardless, I pray for the priest before every Mass and every time I go to Confession. I think/hope lots of other people do the same!

Mrs Doyle said...

Thanks for pointing this out Adoro, I had absolutely NO idea that this was such a problem in the US. I read the court docs briefly and I just can't believe that the case even got up - it's got so many holes you could run a waterfall through it.
If anything, it's given me even more reasons to finish my law degree, perhaps I can help in some small way to protect our priests from false and malicious accusations all for money.
One wonders whether these accusations would get anywhere if compensation was capped and the chance to claim was limited.

Adoro said...

Karianne~ God does that! ;-)

Julia ~ I so hope others do what you do!

Mrs. Doyle~ Amazing, isn't it? The reality is that our system of law is based on bad philosophy, and thus...precedent. So if there is precedent, good luck overturning it. It's just going to continue to disintegrate.

We need good lawyers, those who know the system, yet aren't ruled by it and can change the direction of the precedents being set.

Things need to be capped. And our Bishops need to be more supportive of accused priests, instead of taking a "hands off" approach and throwing them all to the wolves, even the innocent. There is no "due process" being followed in the Church. We have the wolves that call themselves SNAP and CTA and others, but they really are out for themselves, damn the priests they use as pawns for their agenda.

Please complete your degree. Maybe St.Thomas More society can use you?

(Heck..maybe they can employ me over the summer, part time, to put my investigative skills to use and take down the enemies of the Church?...)

God bless you...get that degree!

Suzanne Sadler said...

Adoro,

The irony is that the defense would not have selected me for Father's jury because I come from a law enforcement family, have an undergrad in Administration of Justice, am conservative and tough on crime.

Adoro said...

Suzanne ~ I wouldn't be selected, either. CJ degree, exp in law enf, probation, women's issues in 2 countries, gun owner, etc.

I'm quite certain most attorneys would HATE me.

Praise God.

But damn our system.

Suzanne Sadler said...

Hi Adoro and Adoro's friends,

Just an update. Father wrote a note of thanks for all your great encouraging messages to him.

You can read it here:

http://www.priestsincrisis.com/blog/abuse-scandal/rev-gordon-macrae-thanks-priests-in-crisis-readers-on-his-ordination-anniversary/