Ed Peters vs. George Neumayr vs. Cardinal Wuerl

Canon lawyer Ed Peters thinks George Neumayr is making a bad situation worse with regard to his criticism of Cardinal Wuerl over the prelate's handling of Fr. Marcel Guarnizo refusing Communion to lesbian activist Barbara Johnson at her mother's funeral. As one who agrees with George Neumayr, I think it's accurate to say that the cardinal himself made a bad situation worse when he apologized to the lesbian through his auxiliary bishop and then punished Fr. Guarnizo. Talk about scandal -- helping to advance the gay agenda! 

Ed Peters says the conversation has gone on long enough, that everything that could possibly be said has been said (according to his point of view at any rate). He has consistently insisted that his interpretation of Canon 915, etc. is the correct one and that the laity who disagree just don't get it. 

Well, he's right about that from my point of view and many other faithful laity who believed Fr. Guarnizo was correct and Ed Peters was wrong. Call it the "sensus fidelium" if you like. At least one canon lawyer, an anonymous priest, disagrees with Peters and supporst what faithful laity believed all along. He entered the fray to defend Fr. Guarnizo and publicly dissent with his colleague's interpretation of the subject canon laws. One can argue that anonymous opinions carry less weight than public opinions, but in view of what powerful prelates can do to their disrespected underlings whose rights are often violated, anonymity is probably a prudent course of action for a priest. And if this priest serves in the Archdiocese of Washington or another diocese with a bishop who operates llike Cardinal Wuerl, his action is more than understandable. After all, Fr. Guarnizo was denied due process. Why would Cardinal Wuerl hesitate to do the same to any priest who disagreed with him?

Priest Canon Lawyer Defends Fr. Guarnizo, Takes Issue with Ed Peters

Many laity have questioned the conclusions of canonist Ed Peters about Fr. Marcel Guarnizo's decision to deny Communion to lesbian Barbara Johnson at her mother's funeral. A new opinion is now online published by an anonymous priest who is also a canon lawyer. Read his opinion here. I want to publicly thank this priest for expressing such a clear defense of Fr. Guarnizo's actions. Those of us laity who are not canon lawyers had the "gut feeling" that denying Johnson was correct. Father's reasoned step-by-step explanation illustrates why. Two thumbs up, Father!

Who Owes the Apology? Barbara Johnson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Media Contact: Paul Rondeau
March 13, 2012	540.659.4171 | e-mail: prondeau@all.org
BARBARA JOHNSON OWES MOTHER AND CATHOLIC CHURCH AN APOLOGY Liberal Media Complicit in Fake 'Lesbian Communion' Controversy:  ALL
Stafford, VA - Self-identified lesbian Barbara Johnson was denied Holy Communion by a Catholic priest at her mother's funeral. Within two weeks of Johnson taking the story to the media, Father Marcel Guarnizo was relieved of his priestly faculties at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland, for reasons that the Archdiocese of Washington claims are unrelated----but also have not explained. Judie Brown, president and co-founder of American Life League, released the following statement: The only controversy here is that manufactured by Barbara Johnson. The gay-friendly media havepainted her the teary-eyed victim with grossly misrepresented and omitted facts about Ms. Johnson and Catholic teaching in order to further attacks on the Catholic Church. Ms. Johnson knows full well that the Church considers practicing homosexuality as "intrinsically disordered" and a grave sin. This by itself would bar her from presenting herself to receive the blessed sacrament of Communion. Moreover, in an interview just last year, Johnson claimed Buddhism as her way of life, not Catholicism. Either of these states disqualifies her from Communion. She nevertheless presented herself and then took the denial of the Blessed Sacrament to the liberal media for political purposes where she was welcomed with open arms to conjure yet another anti-Catholic story. Holy Communion is not some ceremonial wafer as denigrated by gay-friendly liberal media. The Catholic faithful believe the Host to be the true body of Christ. One must be in a state of graceaccording to Catholic teaching in order to partake this most holy sacrament. The priest has an obligation to make sure that the sacraments are respected and no one is entitled to the Eucharist. Ms. Johnson selfishly manipulated the funeral of her own mother, a lifelong Catholic, in an attempt to force Father Guarnizo to allow a sacrilege, then accused him of bringing politics into the Church. This selfish anti-Catholic activism shows that Ms. Johnson's statement that Catholics should put aside "political points of view" is sheer hypocrisy. So no, it is neither Father Guarnizo nor the Catholic Church that should be contrite. Rather, it is Ms. Johnson's disgraceful behavior that obliges an apology to both her mother and her mother's lifelong Church. ###   Media inquiries, please contact Paul E. Rondeau at 540.659.4171 or prondeau@ALL.org. Judie Brown is a three-time appointee to the Pontifical Academy for Life and author of The Broken Path: How Catholic Bishops Got Lost in the Weeds of American Politics.

No Letup in Fr. Guarnizo Persecution

(Sigh...) It goes on and on. An article on the Washington Post Blog on Sunday discussed the Archdiocese's letter suspending Fr. Guarnizo for actions "unrelated" to refusing Communion to Buddhist lesbian Barbara Johnson at her mother's funeral Mass last month. Fr. LaHood, pastor at St. John Neuman where Fr. Guarnizo was serving before his removal read the letter on Sunday at Mass; then, according to the Post, said, "I realize this letter is hard to hear. Please keep mind that this is a first personnel issue, dealing with issues of ministry in the church. Father Guarnizo will have every opportunity to present his position."

Really? Excuse my cynicism, but I've seen how bishops allow priests to "present [their] positions." Fr. Guarnizo is now being accused of "intimidating" somebody at the parish. Wow! Nice little two-step there. All the revelations coming out about lesbian activist Barbara Johnson has made it hard to hoist Fr. Guarnizo on that petard, so the Archdiocese chooses a more general accusation that is hard to define or refute. What was his "intimidating" behavior? Did Fr. Guarnizo lose his temper and make somebody feel bad? Gosh, I've had priests' "intimidate" me with angry responses when I gently challenged their liturgical abuses. One leaned over and contemptuously said in my ear, "You're full of it, Honey." He then stomped off giving me the single digit salute over his shoulder. Hmm...I should have accused him of sexual harassment, but it didn't occur to me. Do you think his bishop would have suspended him?  So what did Fr. Guarnizo do, roll his eyes at some loony-tune comment? Did he kick a can in the parking lot that scared a liberal wimp? -- They have such tender feelings.

As one who's been accused of "violence" by liberal dissenters for daring to disagree with them,

From the "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words" Department

Too true and too sad. Two thumbs down for Cardinal Wuerl. Visit Catholic Cartoon Blog for more interesting graphic commentary on issues that interest Catholics.

Are We Surprised? Fr. Guarnizo Suspended

Fr. Guarnizo has been suspended. Surprise, surprise. See below the letter to the the priests from the Archdiocese announcing the suspension. One more good priest bites the dust. Now, does anyone suppose that Barbara Johnson, the lesbian Buddhist, has received a letter from the Archdiocese telling her she should not receive Communion in the Catholic Church?

Terry at Abbey Roads posted the suspension letter yesterday and today he posted a quote from Our Lady's apparitions at Akita that predict the suffering of her faithful priests. I'm adding to his quote. Mary told Sr. Agnes:

"The Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord....The demon will be especially implacable against souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sadness. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them."

For those unfamiliar with Akita, the warnings of what will happen next are terrifying.

"As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by My Son. Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the bishops and priests."

The Blessed Mother also told Sr. Agnes to recite this prayer with her sisters:

"Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, truly present in Holy Eucharist, I consecrate my body and soul to be entirely one with Your Heart, being sacrificed at every instant on all the altars of the world and giving praise to the Father pleading for the coming of His Kingdom."
"Please receive this humble offering of myself. Use me as You will for the glory of the Father and the salvation of souls."
"Most holy Mother of God, never let me be separated from Your Divine Son. Please defend and protect me as Your Special Child. Amen."

It is long past time to seriously fast and pray for the conversion of the world. When the message of Fatima was ignored, the result was a World War II, a conflict that claimed the lives of  50 - 70 million people, 2.5% of the world's population at the time. Read the signs of the times and take seriously the call to conversion. Meanwhile, pray for priests, all priests, but especially those unjustly persecuted by their bishops.

Surprise: Barbara Johnson is a Liar!

News Outlets Failed to Reveal Lesbian Denied Communion at Mother’s Funeral … is a Buddhist and Gay Rights Activist

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.

Will the Media Correct the Lies Injuring Fr. Guarnizo's Good Name?

Exclusive: Inside sources provide new info on priest censured for denying lesbian Communion