They've come for Fr. Altman...

miker, I think this situation is above most of us pay grade. That is why, I think it would be interesting to speak to an actual Canon Lawyer, which I will given a chance. I do see it differently, after all, Jesus himself called out in His time the Hierarchy in the church. Called them Sons of satan. He used whips, and turned over the money changers tables. And He was the perfect high priest! So, He was not always so called kind. Why, because there is such a thing called justifiable anger when it comes to the faithful being kept from the true teachings of the church. Real Love is TRUTH! I too believe in obedience, but not when it cost souls their salvation. I could be wrong, and I will ask the Canon lawyer.

 

Prayers for all--priest bishop and parish members.

 

Eric Simmons, Editor in chief of @CrisisMag sums it up quite “nicely”

@EricRSammons
If, upon hearing the news that Fr. Altman's faculties have been suspended, your only concern is the need for Fr. Altman to obey, while ignoring the injustice of the command given by his bishop, then you've succumbed to the distorted one-sided modern Catholic view of obedience.

 

FatimaPilgrim, do you have a link?

 

you can find him on Twitter: @EricRSammons

he’s the most level headed traditional Catholic on that site

 

One man’s opinion

 

thanks Mary. I would love to hear what your pastor says. Peace.

 

You're incorrigible

Thanks be to God it's not just one man's opinion, there's many of us men who feel the same way. For far too many years it's been you women doing all the work, mostly on your knees with beads in hand and contrition in your heart, but there's men rising. Nowhere near as many men as I'd like to see, but I Trust as with God...all things are possible and He has always shown His power by working miracles through the few, against the many

 

Oh, quite definitely, the Church CAN be sued. You can sue anyone, if you can find a lawyer to take the case. WINNING is quite another matter. The judge may dismiss the case because of legal precedence (not being able to sue a church for it's firmly established theology), or because of reasons (lack of standing, for example), but the judge can't prohibit the legal team from taking the case up on appeal in a higher court. At some point, in today's legal system, the people suing the priest/bishop/diocese will run into a sympathetic judge who is willing to review precedence and perhaps carve out a niche for an original reading of the law. And in every case, the party being sued must either succumb, submit, or pay for their OWN legal team to provide for the defense, all of which costs money. The bishop, based on advice from counsel, may just submit and pay whatever the legal teams negotiate, as it will cost less than going all the way up to the Supreme Court (and beyond, if the accusers decide to start all over again with a new set of grievances -- check out the case of that cake shop owner who was sued twice for not creating a cake designed to celebrate something against his religion, won in district court both times, and is now being sued a third time for not decorating a cake celebrating someone's gender transition.)

I'll have to check with the "Faithful Shepherds" website, but if I recall correctly, Bishop Callahan's diocese almost exactly lines up with one of the wealthiest and most liberal-leaning Congressional districts in America. The "financial hardships" he refers to MAY be a sudden and drastic drop in church donations if any one priest in the diocese starts making noises.

P.S. Per the Faithful Shepherds website, on 10 different issues (including Homosexuality, Abortion Politics, and Pro-Life Leadership), there is not enough evidence to say if he supports Church Doctrine or opposes it. In the areas where there is SOME evidence, the statements APPEAR to support Church teachings, but always includes statements about needing to dialog on the subjects.

P.S. Your local friendly Grammar Nazi here: When discussing matters of Church teaching, it is "CANON" Law (note only one "N") that is of concern. "CANNON" Law refers to the size of the shell you're planning on using to charge and take the Bishop's Residence. Call me a traditionalist, but I'm quite fond of the German 88mm shell.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Fr. Altman reacts to bishop suspending his priestly faculties
Jul 9, 2021

 

I support Fr. Altman, FP, as you do. What has grieved him all the more is discovering the heartache these other faithful priests have experienced at the hands of their bishops. What I would say to him is speak out, but don't lash out. Calling them by their first names is unnecessary, and unfruitful. Let us pull together with no trace of vindictiveness.



Lead us on, Lord!

 

not vindictiveness, Deacon. Instead, it’s called confronting evil.

Do you know of any priests in your diocese who are exorcists? They may enlighten you on this. There’s no dialogue with evil. There’s just Truth, and there's lies. And Truth cannot and never will dialogue or accompany his lies

 

FP, I worry sometimes about your approach, but I have to say reading what you said here made my heart swell, as a woman. We sure do need our men to rise up and reform our Church and the world! The battlefield is spiritual, though, so be sure to only go in each day after first fighting the hardest on your knees and against any personal pride or vice that will hinder your efforts. We don't just need bold, angry men, we need men with tremendous strength of soul, humble, virtuous, and deeply in love with Christ.

I have to say, one of the first things that stood out to me at the TLM was the caliber of the men there. I was and still am deeply impressed, because I'm not used to the men I encounter in public radiating such a truly masculine presence. These men pray sincerely, lead their families, take pride in their children... I see them juggle 3 small children at once with such patience, maintaining their prayerful, peaceful disposition, and I see in them the fruits of self-discipline and an ordered heart. It makes me feel...safe, somehow, like the men are in charge. I don't know, it's hard to put into words exactly, because like I said, it's not how I feel around men in general at all. I don't feel genuine masculinity like that except from my own husband, so it's almost overwhelming to feel it from so many men in one place.

It's an amazing sign, I think, of what could be our future, when men step back up to what God called them to be. I don't think men realize how fast women and all of society will change when men get their souls in order and truly lay down their lives in the service of Christ. So thank you for being one of them trying to do so. I will pray that whatever you need, God will help you.

 

Inspired post PF. Truth spoken so beautifully.

 

Mario, you have summed up my own sentiments perfectly. God help and protect Father Altman, and his Bishop, and the parishioners who have lost a beloved pastor. So sad.

David L Gray has a very interesting take on the whole Father Altman situation, and how it affects you and I; well worth a listen. Just 7 minute video.

 

No need to worry about “my approach” as I agree 100% with the rest of what you said...as that’s precisely my approach

 

The title of the video: "Father James Altman Experiences "Buck Breaking""

See the video, first minute he tells you what "Buck Breaking" is....which I did not know.

As for the TLM, a few times I did go to an SSPX church, it's a bit of a distance. The Priests were not but it seems to me some "Sedevacanists" set up a table there or something, they had brochures, they were just attendees. This is about 15 years ago.

 

Is Fr Altman considering a move to SSPX? I guess I missed that. I have not been following his story very closely but this is the second time I have seen it referenced.

 

No he's not, someone mentioned TLM, Tridentine Latin Mass and I just added that in. Maybe I should not have if it is confusing.

 

Yes TinNM, the term "Buck Breaking" was news to me too. But I bet it is known to black Africans especially. Listening to David L Gray, I think the point he is making would be Priests are being made examples of by their bosses in order to scare other Priests from daring to buck the Church system which seems to be going gay friendly, climate friendly and borderless. No more priority on purity, chastity or obedience to traditional beliefs, like the Ten Commandments.

I don't think this man is trying to say anything more than we are entering another phase of the passion of the Mystical Body of Christ upon earth, and we need to Keep Watch and Pray, because things are moving past the Agony in the Garden to the Judas betrayal part, where we the sheep of the flock will be handed over to the temporal powers (our elected governments) by the Judas's in the Church; where we can expect to be flogged and suffer as Jesus suffered in His Agony and all the way to the tomb.

And if you think that is far fetched, look back at the last eighteen months where the Churches have been locked and the flock has been scattered on a world wide basis. It feels like we have already been handed over by our Bishops; betrayed for the proverbial thirty pieces of silver. IMHO