A former Dominican priest's take on the Farley Notification.

"But part of it is my general dislike of liberal dishonesty

and the refusal to accept that certain organisms

 have an identity,

one which may not be dreamed up from scratch

 every ten minutes." - ex-cathedra

A story you probably wouldn't find on a Blog-gomerate or any Catholic news portal.

While looking for photos - to be more specific - photos of nuns getting beat up by priests, a strange category I know, but one I wanted to use for another post I intended to write for the Sr. Farley Notification, I came upon the following post which I thought might interest my readers for its honesty.  In fact, the man who writes is a former Dominican priest, who chose to leave the Catholic Church because he recognized that the Church could not change her teaching on faith and morals.

Roma locuta, causa incoepta

Another American nun has had her theological work condemned. The usual tired narrative is provoked: power-hungry old men vs plucky female pioneer. She favors masturbation, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and remarriage after divorce. People act shocked that there's a problem. This "widely respected" teacher disingenuously denies that she was attacking traditional doctrine or proposing a new set. She calls her work "another genre entirely." Her book, Just Love*, is apparently the theological equivalent of "Just sayin'."

The author nails it, doesn't he.  Not a question.  See, there really are honest people in the world - people who've been there, maybe even done that - as far as talkin' the talk; saying the right stuff in order not to be kicked out, maintaining a sense of decorum, while having it your way.  But I digress.

What people forget is how mild and rare Rome's reactions now are, compared to what they used to be.  And I include Rome during Cardinal Ratzinger's term at the Holy Office. How many ideas, practices and/or people had sanctions laid against them during his whole term? It was hardly a reign of terror.

When I left the priesthood and the Dominican Order twenty-five years ago, it was partly based, ironically, on my commitment to Catholicism. That is, despite my sense of personal rightness about my sexuality, I knew very well that Catholicism was not something that you can make up as you go along. Especially if you are vowed/ordained and a public theologian. Just because I wanted this 2000 year old tradition to agree with me did not mean that it would. Or, as I realized, could.  

Part of my irritation at liberal Catholics may be an unconscious resentment at them for having their cake and eating it, too, while I made the painful choice to jump the Barque of Peter in mid-journey. But part of it is my general dislike of liberal dishonesty and the refusal to accept that certain organisms have an identity, one which may not be dreamed up from scratch every ten minutes.

Everything the liberal Catholics want in a church already exists, fully formed, in the Episcopal Church. To me, they lack the balls to jeopardize their "prophetic" status and livelihoods and make honest women and men out of themselves. - ex-cathedra blog