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Sunday, March 4, 2012

Two Thumbs Up for V for Victory's Analysis of Fr. Guarnizo/Barbara Johnson Controversy

V for Victory blog has a spot on analysis of the Fr. Marcel Guarnizo/Barbara Johnson funeral flap. Two thumbs up. I particularly appreciate his response to canon lawyer Ed Peters. I respect Peters, but by his description his own analysis falls. Most of the people at that funeral were no doubt aware of the disordered relationship of Barbara and her lesbian partner. The women have, after all, been together for about twenty years. So at the very least the family members at the funeral and all the personal friends of Johnson and her partner knew about the scandalous relationship. If the funeral was typical, that had to be a substantial percentage of the participants. To deny Johnson Communion under those circumstances was an act of prudential judgment and, I believe, a judgment that was correct. Thanks, Anita, for your astute analysis. I particularly appreciate your picture illustrating the indelible mark imprinted on the priest's soul at ordination. It gives me much food for thought and a reminder to pray hard for priests especially for their courage when they experience target practice from their bishops.

3 comments:

  1. If you follow the comments on Fr. Z's blog entry re: Ed Peter's analysis, the good doctor agrees that his own defense of the lady's obscurity does not hold up very long in light of everything else.

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  2. Thank you for the link and the review of my analysis, Mary Ann. I hope God raises up thousands more priests like Fr. Guarnizo.

    Baron, I will go back and look at that comment thread. Fr. Z's comment threads get to be difficult to follow.

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  3. I admit to being rather tired of Mr. Peters.

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