The other day I posted on Nancy Pelosi
saying that she has not
encoutered difficulties in “her” Church about her support of abortion,
ESCR, same-sex marriage. The author of the following article
emailed me an interview he did with her pastor
Monsignor Joe Brenkle of St. Helena in San Francisco last year.
California Catholic Daily: “So you can
throw abortion out the window because you don’t like Bush and the war?”
Brenkle: “No, but you put up with the imperfections of politicians.
Nobody is perfect.”
California Catholic Daily: “Have you met Nancy Pelosi?”
Brenkle: “She’s a part-time member of our parish.”
California Catholic Daily: “Have you ever discussed her positions on
abortion and homosexual marriage with her?”
Brenkle: “I have not had an opportunity to do so.”
California Catholic Daily: “Do you allow her to come to Holy Communion
after the Church has taught that manifest public sinners who are
unrepentant are to be denied Holy Communion?”
Brenkle: “The Church has never taught that.”
California Catholic Daily: “I think the Archbishop of St. Louis would
disagree — and he’s a canon lawyer.”
Brenkle: “Yeah, well I happen to be a canon lawyer too, y’know, and I
think the bishops who said that are in a very minority position.”
California Catholic Daily: “Is that how we decide truth? Even our Holy
Father has said that truth is not determined by majority opinion.”
Brenkle: “You sound like somebody who, at the time of Jesus, would have
said, ‘Why is he sitting and eating with these public sinners?'”
California Catholic Daily: “Hopefully to convert them. Do you plan on
doing anything to try to convert Nancy Pelosi?”
Brenkle: “I’m certainly not going to convert her, but I certainly will
have an opportunity to talk with her as I had an opportunity to talk
with our own congressman here, Mike Thompson.”
California Catholic Daily: “Do you plan on discussing any of these
issues with her?”
Brenkle: “I’m going to look for that opportunity. I’ve only met her
outside of Church for about two minutes. I’m not about to refuse her
Communion, because if I did that, I’d have to take a litmus test on
everybody. We have people there that are totally against immigrants and
all this stuff…”
California Catholic Daily: “But how many of them are people that take a
public stance, seen by the entire free world, supporting the
infanticide of children? There have been over 40 million children
killed by abortion.”
Brenkle: “I think you have my take on this and it’s been good talking
to you.”
So much for the spiritual act of mercy to admonish sinners. I
guess this is trumped by “don’t make waves.”
20 comments
The idiocy of some men in the Church is nauseating. Perhaps some of your readers could take up a collection to send Brenkle some texts on Church teaching. And while they are at it, maybe they could send some to Pelosi as well. Judging from her recent book sales, she may not have the money to spend.
The idiocy of some men in the Church is nauseating. Perhaps some of your readers could take up a collection to send Brenkle some texts on Church teaching. And while they are at it, maybe they could send some to Pelosi as well. Judging from her recent book sales, she may not have the money to spend.
Well, thanks for the example of weakness. I am convinced the Church will survive in spite of the clery (as in this case). Pray, pray and pray again.
As much as this guy burns me up, I can’t help but feel sorry for him. Not just because he is endangering his immortal soul by not standing firm in the face of evil (I swear that’s not a jab at her looks ^_^; ) but because of the position he is in.
Not everyone has the strength to be a martyr. I don’t mean that California has finally descended into “Rome under Nero” levels of corruption where they would execute this priest, but there would be a Mass-Media character assassination. This would no doubt be followed by death threats, defacing of his church, an exodus of fair-weather catholics from the congregation (not entirely a bad thing, but financial painful), and other forms of negative attention.
As a faithful follower of Christ, none of that should matter to him. I feel for him, but he’s in the wrong. He needs some prayer and I have a good idea who should intercede for him to have the strength of a martyr in the face of governmental persecusion.
Viva Christo Rey!
This is closer to malice than weakness. The man speaks his mind freely and doesn’t strike me as a man afraid to confront those he believes are in the wrong. He just doesn’t think what Pelosi has done is sufficiently wicked and is willing to place abortion on a par with voting “the wrong way” on immigration.
Rich seems to have my views on this. This priest is more forthright and obstinant that many of the malicious priests that I am aware of in my diocese. They quible and equivocate on the fine line of heresy but never enough to report them to the ordinary.
This guy seems to have a prideful attitude that won’t allow for spiritual healing.
Rich seems to have my views on this. This priest is more forthright and obstinant that many of the malicious priests that I am aware of in my diocese. They quible and equivocate on the fine line of heresy but never enough to report them to the ordinary.
This guy seems to have a prideful attitude that won’t allow for spiritual healing.
Let’s face it. The priest doesn’t have a problem about telling how he sees it; he appears as if abortion does not really matter to him.
We need to wake up and accept the fact that many priests and nuns today are very comfortable with being both pro-choice and Catholic. They just don’t care about the unborn so why would we expect them to say anything to anyone about the issue.
Besides, Nancy Pelosi, Ted Kennedy are their role models who pick and choose what they want to believe.
Another barkless dog. Question, if he only met her for a few minutes, how does he know that she is only a “part time member”? Something stinks in Denmark!
Look what Brenkle has to say here:
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2003_07_12/2003_12_26_Ryan_NapaPriest.htm
And this:
“The pastor of St. Helena during this time was Monsignor Brenkle, who in 1992, shortly after Zieman was consecrated by Cardinal Mahony, hired a female pastoral associate whose duties included the proclamation of the Gospel at Mass and the preaching of the homily. She has since left that position. Two years ago, however, Monsignor Brenkle allowed a potential deacon candidate, Bob Little, to proclaim the Gospel and give the homily at Mass on a regular basis, reportedly with Bishop Ziemann’s consent. “
http://www.sffaith.com/ed/news/1199news.htm
I can’t pretend to be much shocked by the priest’s attitude (very predictable, really) but I loved the interviewer! Very quick on his feast – the repartee about Christ eating with the sinners to convert them was fantastic!
Pardon me all over the place but he says he hasn’t had an opportunity to speak to Pelosi regarding her positions on abortion & homosexual marriage. As the pastor of her church and direct recipient of any bad press from her flouting Church dogma, isn’t it incumbent upon him to initiate a talk with her? He could start by mailing her a demand to either cease openly flouting the Church’s teachings or face excommunication.
But maybe because she’s such a prominent public figure this monsignor doesn’t have the necessary male appendages for that task.
Unfortunately there are a few rotten apples in every barrel and none of them really care that they are rotten. I wonder if being a priest is just a job to them, a way of making a living, and if their faith has vanished? Obviously, one can’t be a ‘good Catholic’ if one doesn’t follow the Church’s teachings on sex, abortion, marriage, and all the rest and this goes for priests and nuns who follow this path and encourage others likewise.
I have in my time met priests who doubt the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection of Jesus the Christ, and the Real Presence in the Eucharist.
With men and women like these as role models it is no wonder there are fewer priests and nuns these days.
Monsignor Joe Brenkle ~ what an utter lame and weak response on his behalf.
As other commentors have stated ..he said he’s only met Pelosi briefly yet knows she is a part time member. What gives with this statement?
And, wouldnt it make sense that IF Pelosi were a member of your congregation, the you – as Monsignor- would know her very public stance on abortion and homosexuality – all contary to RCC teachings and to Pope JP II and Benedict XVI.
Something is not right. The man was “caught”. He was squirming as was on the hook –and he knew it – that is why he “begged” off with the conversation.
There is no place in the RCC for priests and nuns who are pro-choice and or who support and.or do not correct their members – especially high profile public members- regarding homosexuals who are active and those that support abortion.
Time for these folks to go!
Unfortunately Sr. Maryjohn is right. WE have a name for the good Msgr’s attitude: Weaselesque. It burns my hide to know this guy flagrantly ignores church teachings that coddle his inner-weasel while cherry-picking whatever supports his own opinions. It does have an affect on vocations…turncoats and judases rarely make a guy want to be the Persona Christi. But the good Msgr, who I am sure is oh so popular and gets invited to all the right events, thinks that God will be happy with his rebellious…errr…I mean progressive attitude. Too bad he is about looking good in the eyes of the world and not so much about protecting the flock entrusted to him.
btw Monweasel…yes, Jesus ate with sinners and such…but not so as to leave them in their sin but to help them be re-joined in relationship with the Father. Using Jesus’ anaolgy…when the physician visits the sick it is not to leave them in the same or worse shape. But I guess leaving Ms. Pelosi and her kind where they are is perfectly ok, hmmm? What a shepherd!
This post reminds me of two exchanges I had recently with priests.
In one instance, I approached the pastor after Mass to ask (politely) why, when the parish had a priest and deacon, and two retired priests in residence, a nun had preached (and did so regularly). He got upset, said the others were not available, and asked if I expected him to preach every weekend. Well, it is part of his vocation ….
Just this week, a priest at a weekday morning Mass proclaimed in his homily that missing Sunday Mass is not a mortal sin. It was a blanket statement with no explanations or elaborations. I went to talk to him about it, but had little immediate success (I describe the incident briefly in http://backpew.blogspot.com/2008/08/missing-mass-missing-point.html).
I spoke up, as I always try to do when I see such things, prayed for both priests, and then placed them in God’s care.
Now I have to go off to examine my own conscience. I’m sure there are nits to pick there!
I agree with Sr Maryjohn. Its funny how there is a shortage of vocations to the priesthood, but no shortages of supposed vocations to the papacy.
What a terrible witness as a shepherd.
I have had similar experience with our own priest. My husband and I went to speak to him about the problem of laity purifying the vessles after mass (that indult was NOT renewed, by the way). He said it didn’t really matter. It was more important for him to shake hands with everyone as they were leaving the church (his words). When we asked one of our two deacons about it, he said that he always does it when he serves, but that our other deacon has absolutely REFUSED to do it. My husband was also castigated by our priest when he went to confession for venial sins. The priest told him to come back when he had something real to confess and that my husband was obviously in need of healing if he felt he had to confess venial sins. My husand was trying to make regular first Saturday confessions. He was also looking for some sanctifying grace. When we again approached our favorite deacon about this, he said, “Well, you need to understand that Father — is not much of a scholar. However, he has a tremendous ability for pastoral care.” O.o
So, we’re praying like crazy – for ourselves, our deacons, our priest, and that we get a Bishop – one with a spine – very soon. We have been without for too long.
Enough talk about Pelosi, what we really need now is some spiritual direction and catechesis from the interviewer. Brilliant questions – especially the eating with sinners turnaround.