Belleville bishop removes pastor for improvising prayers
BY MICHELE MUNZ • mmunz@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8263 |
Posted: Monday, June 25, 2012 12:00 am | (13) comments.
The Rev. William Rowe, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Mt. Carmel, Ill. Photo courtesy of Rev. Rowe
Related Stories
Bishop Braxton issues ultimatum, priest says
Belleville priest may be out for good, with Burke unlikely to help
Priest lobbies to get job in Belleville Diocese back
Priest forced out for improvising Missal retracts resignation
Belleville bishop explains priest's resignation
Parishioners in Mount Carmel, Ill., learned Sunday that the Belleville Diocese has removed their pastor of 18 years for improvising prayers at Mass and has appointed a new priest.
Bishop Edward Braxton sent a letter on Friday to the Rev. William Rowe informing him of his removal as pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church. The Rev. Trevor Murry will leave his parishes in West Frankfort and Royalton, Ill., and replace Rowe beginning July 10.
Rowe posted the letter from Braxton for parishioners to read at Mass. The bishop wrote: "I am deeply aware that you, your parishioners and your friends are saddened by this change in your assignment. I am saddened as well. In your years at St. Mary Parish, you have (surely) touched many hearts."
Rowe said he plans to file an appeal with the bishop today. That will likely be denied, he said, which will lead him to file an appeal later this week with a governing body in Rome.
"Maybe they'll decide to give priests a little more latitude," in trying to make prayers more meaningful for their congregations, said Rowe, 72.
For decades, Rowe has deviated from some of the language of the liturgy's prayers to, in his view, better convey the point of his sermons. Bishops have traditionally looked past an individual priest's extemporizing; but in December, the Vatican mandated that Catholics in every English-speaking country adopt a new translation of the Roman Missal — the book of prayers, chants and responses used during Mass.
While this made sticking to the prayers more important, it made it even harder to do, Rowe said. "I just found, especially with the new translation, that it doesn't match what I'm talking about," he said. "The new wording is so awkward, and people don't understand it."
Braxton warned Rowe over the past several years against personalizing the prayers. Rowe at one time offered to resign over the improvising but later retracted his offer. Braxton's decision to use canon — or church — law to remove him came as no surprise.
"Only you and I know the long road, we have traveled during the past six years," read Braxton's letter to Rowe. "Throughout our many conversations, it has been my hope that this action would not be necessary. However, the long, winding road down which we traveled never led to the open door of complete acceptance and obedience to the disciplines and doctrines of the Catholic Church."
About three months ago, some of the nearly 500 families at St. Mary's protested outside of St. Peter's Roman Catholic Cathedral in Belleville against plans to remove Rowe.
Murry, the new pastor, said he knows he is heading to a parish where many don't want to see Rowe leave. "The one thing I want to make clear is that I'm not there to replace him," said Murry, 36. "I'm just here to be their priest, and to serve them the best I can."
Rowe said he is unaware of any other priests fighting to personalize their prayers. "I have heard that there have been a few priests that do what I do ... but I haven't heard of anyone being removed," he said. "This is new ground I guess."
Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/belleville-bishop-removes-pastor-for-improvising-prayers/article_085b67a1-4891-50f2-afa4-53e6f740a45b.html#ixzz1ytubjSDM
IMPROVISING? WAS THIS EVEN A MASS?
Priest association rallies behind ousted Illinois pastor
by Robert McClory on May. 05, 2012
NCR Today
An association of priests in the Belleville, Ill., diocese is supporting Fr. William Rowe in his efforts to remain as pastor at his parish in Mt. Carmel, Ill. Sixteen members of the Southern Illinois Association of Priests signed a press release in late April, calling Rowe "a beloved and effective pastor" and labeling Belleville Bishop Edward Braxton's demand that Rowe either step down or be immediately replaced "irrationally disproportionate to the supposed crime."
Rowe's major failing was his tendency to add personal commentary at some points in the Mass and to recast some prayers in his own words. He did this, he said, to make the Eucharist more meaningful for his parishioners. The matter came to a head last fall, when the new English liturgy translation was about to be introduced. Braxton said no deviations whatsoever would be permissible, and Rowe at the time offered to resign. But when no official acceptance of the offer was issued within 90 days, said Edward Barbier, a member of the priests association, Rowe's resignation offer lapsed, according to Canon 538 of church law. Rowe said he'd like to stay on, but in April, Braxton said he must go.
The bishop's ultimatum "becomes more problematic," said the priests' release, "when we recall his own issues with the diocese." Cited among the issues were a petition signed by 65 percent of Belleville priests urging Braxton's resignation several years ago and Braxton's protracted determination to fight a 2008 court decision in a priest abuse case, which cost the diocese $1.3 million in addition to the fine imposed by the court. In any event, Rowe has said he would like to remain at the parish in some capacity, perhaps as janitor.
You can see the full press release below.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF PRIESTS
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
At an April 24th meeting with Bishop Edward Braxton, Fr. John McEvilly, Fr. Kenneth York, and Fr. John Myler, Fr. William Rowe learned that he will be forcibly removed as pastor of St. Mary's parish in Mt. Carmel. Fr. Rowe has served as a dedicated priest for 47 years in the Belleville diocese, the last 17 years at St. Mary's.
Fr. Rowe's reputation with his parishioners is outstanding: his service, humility, commitment, kindness, and leadership highlight his effective ministry. His parishioners want him to remain as their pastor and he, too, wants to stay. Fr. Rowe plans to appeal his removal.
The Southern Illinois Association of Priests (SIAP) fully supports Fr. Rowe in his efforts to continue his pastoral leadership at St. Mary's.
Bishop Braxton's persistent harassment of Fr. Rowe goes back many years. The focus of this attack is the way Fr. Rowe celebrates Eucharist. Bishop Braxton wants him to recite the words exactly as written in the Missal. Fr. Rowe creates his own version of some of the prayers and adds some commentary during the Mass. He does so because he believes these creative embellishments make the Eucharist more meaningful for the people and more honest to his own prayer. In the spirit of pastoral compassion, he also conducted two civil marriage ceremonies for couples who could not be formally married in the Church. As a result, the Bishop told him he could resign or be removed as pastor.
SIAP believes that the punishment for these slight additions to the ritual and pastoral concern for those couples is irrationally disproportionate to the supposed crime. Bishop Braxton's decision becomes more problematic when we recall his own issues with the diocese. For example, he misused diocesan funds. He unnecessarily remodeled his residence. Sixty five percent of diocesan priests asked him to resign for the good of the Diocese. His decision to appeal a sexual abuse case in 2008 increased the cost to the diocese by $1,300,000 and legally aligned the diocese against the victim. The Bishop has alienated many Catholics in Southern Illinois by his arrogance and lack of social skills. People boycott his Masses. Confirmandi fear him. Pastors avoid him.
And he, in turn, now wants to remove a beloved and effective pastor like Fr. Rowe for enhancing the Eucharist!
Given this action, we believe that many more priests like Fr. Rowe are likely to receive similar unjust treatment. With that in mind, along with our moral support, the undersigned members of SIAP pledge SIAP financial resources to assist Fr. Rowe in his appeal of this injustice.
Edward Barbier
Maury Beuckman
Fr. Richard Daly
Fr. Jim Dougherty
Fr. Jack Frerker
Fr. Clyde Grogan
Lester Himstedt
Fr. Stephen Humphrey
Fr. Donald Lenzini
Fr. George Mauck
Gerald Montroy
Fr. Mark Stec
Thomas Smith
Fr. Joe Trapp
Fr. Jim Voelker
Fr. Jerry Wirth
No comments:
Post a Comment