Bad Behavior Is Sometimes Punished

by Dick Mac

Rev. Marcel Guarnizo, the Gaithersburg, Maryland, Catholic priest who denied Communion to a lesbian woman at her mother's funeral, has been "barred from ministry."

In a letter dated March 9, 2012, Bishop Barry Knestout, an Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., which the Maryland suburbs, concluded that Guarnizo engaged in "intimidating behavior toward parish staff and others that is incompatible with proper priestly ministry."

It is news to me that "intimidation" is improper in the Catholic hierarchy. I thought there were two thousand years of the Church using intimidation to run their business. I guess times have changed.

That aside, it is impressive that the Catholic hierarchy would respond so publicly to political pressure in the media.

The Diocese was quick to equivocate, of course, and published an op-ed in the Washington Post that actually supports the notion that it is OK for a priest to deny Communion to a homosexual.

In their insulting equivocation, the diocese expects us to accept:

a person should be in the state of grace, which means that they are not conscious of having committed a sin serious enough that it ruptures their relationship with God.

See, Barbara Johnson and the importance of Communion: A statement from the Washington Archdiocese

This is ludicrous!

When I watch hundreds of Catholics from my diocese in Brooklyn line-up for Communion, I know that the state of grace in which they live varies dramatically from person to person. I also know that the majority of them have no idea what it means to be in a state of grace; and that perhaps even more of them are completely "conscious of having committed a sin serious enough that it ruptures their relationship with God." They may have confessed that sin and received absolution, but one only need visit a Catholic church on Saturday afternoon, when confessions are being heard, to know that a very tiny percentage of the people in line for Communion have seen the inside of a confessional recently.

No, the Diocese of Washington does not want to deny Communion to heterosexuals who are not in a state of grace, and would never dare to presume that one is a sinner. No, the Diocese of Washington is making it clear that they can deny Communion to homosexuals, as long as they don't behave in an "intimidating" manner.

I applaud the Church for suspending Guarnizo, but I believe they have done themselves, and all Catholics, a disservice by trying to frame the incident in the context of all homosexuals being sinners.

And the concluding statement: "The Second Vatican Council proclaimed that the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. As such it is a sign of unity, but it must be a unity that is based on authentic Church teaching and mutual respect in charity."

The use of the word "unity" seems to mean the exact opposite in this article. The Church's inability to see past their own homophobia is embarrassing. Even when the Church wants to make an inclusive statement about the rights of all Catholics, they can't get past their fear of sex and homosexuals.

This is a sad state of affairs.

Again, I applaud the Diocese for removing the offending priest from public ministry; but I am disheartened (again) by the Church's equivocation in the matter of homosexuality.

Bad Behavior At A Catholic Funeral

Gay Catholic Leaders Applaud Priest's Removal from Ministry, Repeat Calls for Dialogue with Church Leaders

Gaithersburg Catholic priest placed on leave for 'intimidating behavior'

Priest Who Denied Lesbian Communion Suspended

Bad Behavior At A Catholic Funeral

by Dick Mac

The rituals practiced during and after the death of a Catholic are not complicated, and include (generally) three steps: Extreme Unction, Funeral, and Internment.

Extreme unction is the bedside blessing at home or in the hospital. The funeral is the ritual and celebration of life at church. Internment is the burial, which includes prayers and blessings graveside.

During a funeral Mass in Washington, D.C., a priest denied Barbara Johnson, a Catholic woman, the sacrament of Communion because she is lesbian. He then left the altar while she eulogized her mother, and then he refused to attend the burial where he was expected to complete the rite of Christian burial. All three actions are a clear and direct violation of human decency, Christian behavior, civil rights, and Church policy.

His employer, the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., released a statement that reads, in part:

Any issues regarding the suitability of an individual to receive communion should be addressed by the priest with that person in a private, pastoral setting.

The Church is handling it as a personnel issue. Sadly, the Church's track record of employee discipline is very poor. (See, Catholic sex abuse cases.) The only acceptable action is to remove the priest from direct contact with lay people as the first step of laicization (more commonly known as defrocking).

There is nothing in Church doctrine that forbids a homosexual from participating in a Catholic celebration or receiving Communion.

Especially in the United States, the church is open about ministering to all Catholics, including homosexual Catholics. Fifteen years ago (yes 15), the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a pastoral letter to the families of homosexual Catholics. In part, it reads:

How can you best express your love—itself a reflection of God's unconditional love—for your child? At least two things are necessary.

First, don't break off contact; don't reject your child. A shocking number of homosexual youth end up on the streets because of rejection by their families. This, and other external pressures, can place young people at a greater risk for self-destructive behaviors like substance abuse and suicide.

Your child may need you and the family now more than ever. He or she is still the same person. This child, who has always been God's gift to you, may now be the cause of another gift: your family becoming more honest, respectful, and supportive. Yes, your love can be tested by this reality, but it can also grow stronger through your struggle to respond lovingly.

The second way to communicate love is to seek appropriate help for your child and for yourself. If your son or daughter is an adolescent, it is possible that he or she may be displaying traits which cause you anxiety such as what the child is choosing to read or view in the media, intense friendships, and other such observable characteristics and tendencies. What is called for on the part of parents is an approach which does not presume that your child has developed a homosexual orientation, and which will help you maintain a loving relationship while you provide support, information, encouragement, and moral guidance. Parents must always be vigilant about their children's behavior and exercise responsible interventions when necessary.

What it says is that homosexuals are God's children, too; and that it is our job to love all of God's children. It tells us to avoid passing judgment or condemning a person because of their sexual orientation, and it acknowledges that homosexuality is not a "choice." It tells us to minister to all Catholics, especially those who most need spiritual support during a time of great transition. It is a remarkable document, and can be read here: Always Our Children: A Pastoral Message to Parents of Homosexual Children and Suggestions for Pastoral Ministers

What this priest did was wrong. He doesn't get to decide who is and isn't in a state of grace and eligible to receive Communion. If he has doubts or questions, he is expected to meet privately with that person to discuss the issue. No priest is to use the sacrament of Communion as a political tool against someone he doesn't like.


Read more:

The Sacraments: Eucharist

Lesbian Denied Communion By Priest Who Quits In Middle Of Mother’s Funeral

Father Marcel Guarnizo, Maryland Priest, Denies Communion To Lesbian Parishioner At Her Mother's Funeral

Father 'No communion for you!' — Not the whole story

Lesbian Denied Communion At Her Mother's Funeral