In these trying times for the Church, one of the resulting tragedies has been that a very small percentage of bad priests have given a bad name to so many good ones. This is most certainly tragic. It’s tragic that so many great priests are going unappreciated. And it’s tragic that so many of us aren’t aware of so many of these wonderful priests. And all of this in this Year of the Priest.
That’s why a neat new project I recently became aware of is so appropriate: Letters to Priests - Thanking the Men of the Catholic Church. It’s “an interactive book being written to promote positive public relations of Catholic Priests.” They are asking everyone to submit letters describing how a priest has positively impacted their lives. Anyone can participate.
More from their website: “You can write about divorce, grieving, loss of jobs, happiness, whatever part of life a Priest has helped you with. Thank them for words that guided your life. This book will reflect the values and strengths of the Catholic Church. Priests give up many things we take for granted. Sharing our gratitude will hopefully clarify the depth of healing so many Priests have given to the Catholic community and beyond.”
I like this idea because:
1) It is collaborative and involves the whole Catholic community. This means it can accomplish a lot with few resources.
2) Since it involves such a diversity of perspectives it has the potential to be a comprehensive collection of unique insights into the various ways priests benefit the community. So much of what they do is behind the scenes and not newspaper headline material, so we never hear about it.
3) It leverages the use of new media to easily gather these letters from all over the world and share them with others.
4) It builds up and recognizes a lot of unsung heroes: Our priests!
You can check out the letters that have been submitted so far by going to their website: LettersToPriests.com.
One of their challenges is trying to let the many Catholics who are not yet online know about the project. So they are encouraging us to spread the news in our parish bulletins and any way we can in order to collect more letters.
Sounds like a worthy cause to me!
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I never really cared much for priests. Growing up in Catholic School, priests were very fond of corporal punishment for children, to the point that in hindsight I would call that sadism.
There may be a few good priests out there, but why is it that everyone says that the bad priests, you know, those who rape children, are only a very small percentage while the remaining majority are good priests? I beg to differ. I think the opposite is true. Only a very small minority are good priests who don’t rape children nor they beat them sadistically (as I was beaten), but the overwhelming majority of priests are culpable of either offense or of hiding (aiding and abetting perhaps?) those perpetrators of misery for children.
I know my perspective is cynical, but I have just as much evidence to support my claim as the author of this column has to support his.
I have stopped going to church a long time ago. Anyone looking for God should not enter a catholic church for he is not there. God left a long time ago, and who would blame him? The temple priests of old Jerusalem turned the house of God into a den of thieves. The modern day temple priests of the Catholic Church have turned the house of God into a chamber of horrors… I know this because I have lived it.
Steven - I’m not sure what evidence you have to support your claims. I’ve done quite a bit of looking around and even the worsts critics of the Church have not been able to produce evidence to support your claims. I can assure you that I have plenty to support mine.
Here’s a post with some if you’re interested in considering it: http://www.fallibleblogma.com/index.php/a-catholic-response-to-the-sex-abuse-scandal/
Thanks and I’m sorry for any pain or “horrors” you have had to deal with. I know those kinds of personal experiences definitely affect our perception (and rightly so) of things.
Steven,
First off I want to apologize on behalf of the Church to you. This is an intolerable behavior which the Church takes very seriously. I agree with Matthew that the claims of most priests being abusive in any way sexual or not, is not substantiated what so ever. It’s unfortunate people have this view. It’s one of the largest bodies of people on earth, a few bad apples will unfortunately create a tsunami. I’m truly saddened that this behavior of an obviously very disturbed man has made you leave the church. I am in fact curious what your evidence besides a bad experience is.
No truth Catholic supports this kind of abusive behavior—ever. Anyone that does, does not support the Catholic church, I assure you. The people do not make the Church, the Church makes the Church.
Your brother in Christ,
?ukasz
What a terrific idea! Our Priests who have given their lives to God deserve to understand how very appreciated they are.I just went to the website and read the letter about the Priest from Chaminade who showed the face of Christ to a mother and father whose son had just been diagnosed with leukemia - and how he was with them through their most agonizing times. The mom’s letter was the most beautiful testimony to the compassion and goodness of a holy Priest. It also made me think of several wonderful Priests in my life who have been extremely inspirational. And, the letterstopriests.com website is a great opportunity to share their goodness with others. Since I was a Navy brat and lived in so many places, I don’t even know where some of these Priests might be today. But there were many holy Navy chaplains who were beacons of light!
Letters to Father Joe Turner and ALL the blessed priest in my life. What a wondrous way to share a mass card of Blessed John Neumann with a personal letter written to me on March 28, 1980 from Father Joe Turner, that ‘saved’ my life by pointing the way to Jesus Christ. ( I still carry it with me to this day and I am forever grateful to him.)
Cathy:
Life IS A DUTY DARE IT
Life IS A BURDEN SHARE IT:
God love you and your angel, Natalie.
Look for the silver ling and find the sunny side of life.
Hope and pray you have many rainbow days with Christ, our Risen Savior at your side daily.
-prayerfully, Fr. Joe Turner
Thank you, Matthew, for the link LettersTopriest.com. and for the loving opportunity to thank the ‘many’ priest that have truly helped and inspired me all my whole life.
God Bless You!
Thank you for this information. I have already sent a letter to our local catholic newspaper about a priest in our community who was a very gentle, kindly, and humble priest and pastor in our church; a parish I attended since I was a little girl. I will submit the same to the site.
God Bless!
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