Yesterday I had the email below from a young man in another part of the world who had been thinking of becoming a priest and who is now afraid that he would not be able to cope with all the scandal and corruption he would find in the church and priesthood.
Hello! Good morning to you in UK/Ireland Bishop Pat
Peter here from Xxxxxxx,
What are your thoughts about Mother Angelica, the founder of Eternal World Television Network (EWTN) in the United States??
She had a program on her own TV network called “Mother Angelica Live”. I used to watch her program because of her stance of defending the traditions of the Catholic Church, she’s anti-liberal and pro-life,
Also, I used to watch EWTN due to its wide range of Catholic teachings, also, they have a daily mass on TV.
However, things have changed when I looked upon the website this week called, bishopaccountability.org, a website that exposes priests’ involvement in sexual abuse scandals based on evidence.
EWTN and Mother Angelica is one of them. They didn’t know the background of some priests involved in sex abuse, every time when they had guests or working behind the scenes.
EWTN involved in politics and partisanship especially, they are involved with Republican Party, nowadays. Bishop Pat, what is your response about EWTN and Mother Angelica??
I would like to know that after I read your blogs both in Blogspot and in WordPress,
I am devastated and shocked at what happened in the RCC internal circles. I never expected that these scandals would expose and expose even more after several decades of hiding. I am saddened and even angered that the higher-ups were involved in the cover-up of priests to stay in power.
It shattered my dream and fear of losing hope of becoming a priest someday like you in the future. Do you have any suggestions on where are the best seminaries to study and become a priest?
How I can handle these stresses and headaches that brought upon by the Vatican, the Pope and the Church if I will become a priest, how could I endure these?
Thank you for your sincerity, for swimming against the current because of your disagreements with the doctrines of the Catholic Church and open-mindedness.
I hope we will have a great conversation in the future. Thank you for your responses. Stay safe!
PAT’S ANSWER TO PETER,
Dear Peter,
Thank you for your lovely and sincere email. You sound like a good and principled young man.
I know several people in your country and indeed people from your country who live in my country.
I started saying that I wanted to be a priest when I was 4 years old and never wanted to be anything else.
This year I am 45 years ordained and today I love being a priest more than I ever did.
My priesthood has a simple double focus:
1. To love and serve God as best as I can in spite of my sinfulness.
2. To love and serve others, especially the most in need as I can also despite my sinfulness.
However, I have found I can be a better priest and do God’s work best OUTSIDE THE ROMAN CATHOLIC ORGANISATION.
The Roman Catholic Church and its hierarchy and clergy are totally corrupt.
Of course, there are good priests in it and some good still being done.
But in my experience, over 51 years the RC church has abandoned the Lord and His Gospel and settled instead for man made teachings – much like the Pharisees of Jesus’ time.
I see no hope of this changing.
We, and especially people like you in the future, will need to refind the the church that existed in Jesus’ time and in the first two or three centuries.
And when we find it fight hard not to allow it to become institutionalised and hijacked again.
And what an almighty task that will be.
If you go to a seminary, of any kind, anywhere, at this time, you will face being corrupted personally yourself and being sucked into the greater corruption.
You could lose your soul as many of our seminarians and priests have.
I’m reliably told that things are as bad in the Roman Catholic Church in your country as they are anywhere else.
So, pray, think deeply and proceed with great caution.
We can keep in touch and correspond and if you realky want to be a priest, I think you should think, for now, of doing it independently. Get a job. Find a loving partner for your life. Treasure your family and friends. Do all the good you can do in your own community.
As we communicate and I get to know you better I will be in a better position to advise you practically and specifically.
Your older brother in Christ.
Pat.
PAT’S HOMILY SUNDAY 7 TH FEBRUARY 2021
JOB – FROM DESPAIR TO JOY.
I’m listening to The bishopbuckleyspodcast | PAT’S SERMON Feb 7, 2021 12:57 on Podbean, check it out! https://www.podbean.com/ea/pb-9xqve-f9f205
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 