‘Fired Up for the Faith’: 3 Brothers From 1 Family Set to Become Catholic Priests
- Posted on July 25, 2012 at 7:35am by
Billy Hallowell
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MILWAUKEE (The Blaze/AP) — When Luke Strand started college nine years ago, he wanted to earn a marketing degree, a job in the business world, then a house and children. But all of that changed — and in a profoundly transformational way.
Now he‘s a priest and that’s not all. His brother, Vincent, is on his way to being ordained a Jesuit priest and their youngest brother, Jake, was ordained in the spring.
The family calling is remarkable at a time when fewer men, especially in the U.S., are choosing the Roman Catholic clergy. More than 3,200 of the 17,800 U.S. parishes don’t have resident priests, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University. As of last year, the total number of priests in the U.S. had decreased 14 percent from 2000.
A July 23, 2011, photo provided by Bernadette Strand shows Father Luke Strand, center, after marrying sister Theresa and Christopher Krausert in Dousman, Wis. Also shown is Jacob Strand, left, and Vincent Strand, right. All three brothers have decided to become priests. (AP Photo/Courtesy Strand Family)
So why did three men from one family sacrifice what they thought they wanted in their lives to become priests? Even their family was blindsided. The brothers’ parents, who live in Dousman, Wis., never encouraged it or discouraged it — they just never discussed it.
“It takes you off guard, (having) one after the other come and talk to us,” said their mother, Bernadette Strand.
The boys went to Catholic grade school, attended church every Sunday and prayed before dinner but weren’t “eccentric,” according to their father, Jerry. Their aunt is a member of the Poor Clare Sisters in Kokomo, Ind. His mother, Ruth, said she and her husband hoped one of their grandsons would join the priesthood.
“Grandma would always say, `Maybe one of you boys is going to be a priest‘ and I think we’d just laugh: `Whatever, grandma.‘ I mean we’re not going to study to be a priest,” Luke Strand said.
They say they all discovered their calling at the end of high school or college. All three wrestled with the decision for years, mainly because of the celibacy vow.
The first to attend seminary was the oldest, Luke, now 31 and described as the peacemaker and most social.
He said he started getting involved in the campus ministry at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and found a lot of young people “getting fired up for the faith.” But he found the priest shortage intimidating, he said. He worried he would have to serve an entire county by himself. But it was also one of his motivations.
By his senior year he found himself living with a priest in a homeless shelter “radically serving the poor and applying to the seminary. And I remember thinking to myself: `How did I get here? Like, what’s this all about?’ And ultimately it was about service in the church.”
He’s now working as vocations director for the Milwaukee Archdiocese, recruiting priests.
Described as the family academic, Vincent Strand, 29, is studying German in Austria as part of his 11 years of formation before he’s ordained.
He said his calling came at Marquette University, a Jesuit school in Milwaukee. Much like Luke, he wanted to make a lot of money as a neurologist, get married and have kids.
“I do distinctly remember thinking: `Oh good. (Luke’s) going to be the priest. I don’t have to now.’”
But a theology professor’s teachings showed him “God was real in a way I hadn’t (realized) before,” he said. And he realized he could have an intellectual life that involved God.
He considered devoting himself to God even if he got married but he knew he’d only go halfway and he wanted to “completely empty” himself. He broke up with a longtime college girlfriend to pursue his calling.
“The celibacy and that vow of celibacy has been one of the real things I love about the life and one the very freeing things about the life,” he said.
The youngest brother, 26-year-old Jacob, had the hardest time deciding. The idea frightened him.
He started thinking about the priesthood more in college, though. He originally looked into ways to serve while still being able to have a family. Then God told him to give up everything. He said he decided at the end of his sophomore year in college that he would enter the seminary.
“Initially, I was like, `Well, it’s impossible that I could also be called because Luke and Vince are taking care of that duty. I don’t need to do that.‘ But what I found it wasn’t a duty at all. It was a gift.”
He was ordained this spring and he’s now at St. Charles Parish in Hartland for the summer. He will then study another year in Rome to complete his theology license.
They all say they’re happy.
“I think society, when it looks at the priesthood, it thinks it‘s a bunch of really ancient people that are angry and aren’t enjoying life,” Luke Strand said. “Man, go look at the reality of priests’ lives. They love what they do. They are joyful. They’re happy. They are free. Isn’t that what people are looking for?”
Their parents say they have found peace with their sons’ decisions and let go of their dreams for a herd of grandchildren, though they still have their 23-year-old daughter, Theresa Krausert, who married last summer.
“We let go of that, it’s not about us,” Jerry Strand said. “It really has nothing to do with our joy because we will or won’t. That’s part of the sacrifice.”
Krausert said nothing has changed with her older brothers, who always watched out for her.
“I think they swear more than I do,” she said.
And they still pick on each other.
“We used to call him the boy deacon because he has a baby face and now we have to call him the boy priest,” Luke Strand said about Jacob, sitting nearby.
“Your one hair is out of place,” Jacob kidded Luke, who is balding.
Bernadette Strand said the family has heard lots of reactions like, “Is your daughter going to become a nun?“ Or ”I can’t believe how normal you are.”
“It‘s almost kind of ridiculous because of course we’re normal and all of the boys grew up totally normal,” she said.
The brothers say it’s a mystery to them why they all were chosen.
“Why is it so important?” Luke Strand said. “Because we realize there’s something beyond ourselves.”
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Comments (102)
OregonLAM
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:14pmTeddrunk, There are plenty of scandals in other demoninations. Ministers and Pastors having affairs, marriages breaking up; not to mention stealing etc… I‘m a converted Catholic and until you have studied the teaching you don’t really know what the church stands for. My husband is a cradle Catholic and dosen’t know as much about the church as I do. With all the SundaySchool teaching I did as Methodist, as a youth and adult, never was GOD ever so present to me as when I completed the RCIA program and joined the church. My son attended 9 yrs. of Catholic School and will continue his education in a Catholic High School. You see, my husband wants our son to go to college and I want our son to go to Heaven. With all the new priests coming from other countries – Africa, etc… to fill the need, it is nice to see these brothers answer the call.
Report Post »destrecht
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:23pmI agree- The only reason I know as much as I do is because I was my wife’s sponsor. I’d left for several years, eventually becoming a borderline agnostic. If I’d been taught what was learned in RCIA when I was younger, I’d have never left.
Report Post »Sugabee
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:33pmCongrats and welcome! We are fellow “Tiber-swimmers”! :)
Report Post »DWilliams08
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 3:43pmIt’ll be a great story for their parents to tell their grand-kids.
Report Post »zigzag
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 5:44pmDid anybody else click on this story just to check out the chick in the picture?
Report Post »by faith
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 2:24pmAs simple as I can make it.
Report Post »Jesus chose 12 men to be his Apostles.
For approximately 3 years he taught and groomed these men.
He taught them in more detail than when He spoke to the public.
Not everything Jesus told them was recorded
He told Peter he wanted to build a church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it
He gave Peter the “keys to the Kingdom”
He gave the 11 remaining Apostles the power to bind and to loose
After His death and resurrection, Jesus appeared to hundreds of people but mostly to the Apostles
The Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles, opened their minds and gave them courage
As Jesus had instructed them, they went out and preached.
He said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”
All but Judas were martyred for teaching what they taught. They would rather die than turn from Jesus.
The Catholic Church is the only Christian Church in existence today that can trace an unbroken lineage to these 12 and the Church Jesus promised.
You either belong to His Church, or you belong to a group that splintered away from His Church.
destrecht
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:26pmActually it was John. He was the only one who died a natural death. Judas wasn’t a martyr, though.
Report Post »givemelibertyorgivemedeath
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:29pmBY FAITH:
Right on my friend. Every other church can be traced and one can name the “man” or “woman” who started that religion. Each and everyone is an offshoot of the Catholic Faith.
Report Post »mikefromaltoona
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 12:31pmUnlike myself, where if I was to enter the priesthood it would be a tragedy for the female population; based on their picture, this is no great loss for womankind
Report Post »ComingUnglued
Posted on July 29, 2012 at 12:57pmS head. You think your Gods gift to women. I wonder what all the women think.! I think that all are beautiful, there is a light in them
Report Post »exit108
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:43amCongrats to the three gentlemen in their dedication to GOD, but Catholicism is steeped in idolatry. (Of course the argument can be made of many different christian orgs).
Jesus says call ‘no man’ your Father (spiritual Father) but Paul writes to the churches of Asia that he is their father. So in a match between Jesus and Paul I will go with Jesus. This doesn’t take away from how GOD used Paul in a wonderful way! Where does Jesus say to pray to his mother Mary? Also, who is it that has a “seat” that when sat in causes all speech to be infallible?
Please understand, I am not bashing Catholics! There are sickos in all groups that call them selves christian and even more sickos in pagan religions. The true church of GOD is made up people from all christian religions that in their hearts are striving after GOD.
GOD gave man one way to reach him and that is Jesus the Tree of Life!
Report Post »Havok
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 12:16pmYou believe what you want but here are your answers.
Report Post »http://www.catholic.com/tracts/call-no-man-father
That page has links to all the others…
Good luck.
Sugabee
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 12:19pmYes, you ARE bashing Catholics and the faith when you tell us we do things when we don’t. You said, “the true church of GOD is made up people from all christian religions that in their hearts are striving after GOD”- what do you think Catholics are doing??? We are striving after God.. helloooo. We ask Mary (& all those in heaven) to pray for us, just like we would call a friend and ask them to pray for us; the only difference is she is in heaven and happens to be Jesus’ Mother and the spouse of the Holy Spirit…why WOULDN’T you ask her to pray for you??
greggo
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 12:29pmMerciful Lord, who prayed that there be one flock and one shepherd,
I ask the light of faith
for those who are related to me
and do not know You in Your Eucharistic Presence.
Give them the joy of Your protecting presence.
Bring them into the one fold
of which You are the master and Lord.
Forgive them their sins and teach them the way of repentance.
In the end bring them into the larger circle of Your family,
to God our Father,
to Mary our Mother,
and to You our beloved Brother.
Amen.
Report Post »exit108
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 1:30pm/Sigh
Obviously GOD has used Catholicism to spread HIS word! But again, the ONLY ONE way to access GOD is through HIS only begotten Jesus – NOT Jesus’ mother, nor Abraham (friend of GOD), nor a priest, rabbi, pastor, or friend. There is more than just a small difference than “asking” a friend or complete stranger to pray for you than “praying” to Mary or some saint! Praying to anyone other than to GOD or to Jesus to intercede for us is still idolatry. Your friend, priest, pastor, or rabbi can NOT save you.
Pray to anyone you feel to pray to…it won’t affect me one way or the other.
Idolatry come in many forms and shapes.
Side note – It is great to see news like this because even with political, economic, and religious chaos GOD still seems to keep people discussing HIM.
Report Post »by faith
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 2:18pmWhen Jesus refered to Father Abraham was he sinning?
Report Post »exit108
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 2:35pmI have the belief that Jesus didn’t ever miss the mark (sin). GOD clearly rewarded Abraham with his seed being the chosen people. So yes Abraham is the father of Judaism.
Report Post »Sugabee
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 3:06pmExit: NO-ONE here who is Catholic has EVER said that a priest, or a rabbi, or a friend will ‘save’ them.. where in the world did you get that idea?? If you believe that the people who have fallen asleep in the Lord are Christians, why wouldn’t you ask them to pray FOR you to God when you need prayers- and that includes Mary, Augustine, Martin Luther, C.S. Lewis & any other Christian you know who has died?? I do not understand why that is so difficult to understand or agree upon. The Catholic Church does not teach idolatry in any way, shape, or form – so why are you saying she does?? So, by your logic, if my husband is in a terrible car crash and is in the ER, it is idolatry to call my mother or my friend and ask them to pray to the Lord for my husband’s recovery. How absurd.
Report Post »/Sigh!!
Caleb-Texas
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 5:02pm@Exit108
I though your comment about Paul and Jesus was an interesting one but it begs the question if you believe that all scripture is inspired by the Holy spirit? If so why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write something that is wrong?
Report Post »by faith
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 5:09pmExit
Call no man father, but Jesus refered to “Father Abraham”
Peter and Paul also refered to “Fathers” who where not the Lord
If they did not sin in doing so why do you condem Catholics for doing the same thing?
Report Post »ThoreauHD
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 5:11pmYou are confusing worship with speaking. Because I am speaking to you does not mean I worship you or your lack of intellect and comprehension. In fact, it means I don’t like you very much. Jesus praying to Abraham did not make him an idolater. Perhaps if you prayed more you would get this.
Report Post »by faith
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 5:16pmThe same passage says call no man Teacher, but what do you call the person at the front of the class instructing the students
It also says call do man doctor, what do you call the person in charge of you medical needs?
Cherry picking parts of scripture and spreading them out of context is decietful and the work of the evil one who wants only to seperate us.
Report Post »by faith
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 5:24pmWhat is the biblical reason Catholics pray to dead saints for intercession?
No one prays to dead saints, because those in heaven are more alive than we are. The Lord is God of the living, not of the dead.
The fervent prayer of a righteous man is very powerful (Jas 5:16).
Those in heaven are surely righteous, since nothing unclean can enter heaven (Rv 21:27).
Those in heaven are part of the Mystical Body of Christ and have not been separated from us by death, but surround us as a great cloud of witnesses (Heb 12:1).
They stand before the throne of God and offer our prayers to him (Rv 5:8) and cheer us on as we run the good race.
Intercession among members of the body of Christ is pleasing to God (1 Tm 2:1-4) and even commanded by him (Jn 15:17).
Those in heaven have a perfected love, so how could they not intercede for us? Christ is the vine, and we are the branches; if we are connected to him, we are inseparably bound together as well. Can the eye say to the hand, “I need you not”? Neither are we to say we don’t need the prayers of our brothers and sisters (alive here or in heaven), because salvation is a family affair.
Report Post »by faith
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 5:30pmPerhaps a little logic will help open some doors.
What is your reaction to this comment from a Catholic: “While I was attending a Protestant service the other day I noticed a woman praying to the Bible!” What would she say about that characterization?
Would she say the Catholic misconstrued what was going on, that the woman was not praying to the Bible which she held in her hands with her eyes closed and the Bible pressed to her heart as she prayed, but to the God who inspired the Bible?
No one would jump to the unwarranted conclusion that this woman is treating her Bible as an idol.
So why would you jump to the unwarranted conclusion that Catholics treat Mary as an idol?
The same goes for having a picture of a deceased relative on the mantelpiece of her home. Would any reasonable person accuse you of ancestor worship? Of course not.
Report Post »destrecht
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:30pmHavok- what do you call your father? It also says call no man teacher- for that matter, they were encouraged to call Abraham father, and Paul implied that he was Timothy’s father. What he was saying (in hyperbole) is that you need to put God before everything. he also said you need to hate your father- yet that would be a direct violation of the 4th commandment. (5th for you). Remember, text without context is a pretext.
Report Post »dcshadows
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:07amThis is a nice story for once that someone wants to do a good thing rather than a bad.
Unfortunately when they look back at the end of their life if they are lucky enough to do so they will see that they led people away from the truth by twisting God‘s word around for the Catholic Church’s sake. Jesus says no man cometh unto the father but by me. (not a priest). Paul said “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (for Born Again Christians) (you can’t spend enough money nor be prayed into heaven as taught by the Catholic church). God talked about the saints surrounding his throne in praise and worship after the rapture. (that isn’t depending on if the Catholic church says they are saints or not). Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Light”, God said “Thou shalt not put any other gods before me”. (The catholic church puts Mary before Christ on the Rosary… I am tired of typing,… The truth is out there, unfortunately these men don’t know it. I can only pray for their soul to find Christ as their Savior… Oh yeah, Jesus did make wine for his first miracle on earth, but it wasn’t fermented. Do a study on the context of those scriptures and then the Hebrew Aramaic word used there and the Greek word used there. It will destroy your excuse for drinking as encouraged by the Catholic Church. God can’t contradict himself, if Alcohol was approved by God then he wouldn’t have written 1 Peter 5:8 and Proverbs 20:1…
Report Post »greggo
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:21amSt. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen..
http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/index.htm
Report Post »Sugabee
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 12:05pmDC: There are so many misconceptions about Catholic Church teaching here…. perhaps I can help, having come from a Protestant denomination to a decision to worship Jesus in the Catholic faith. First, the use of John 14:6 is out of context. Jesus was talking about the divinely revealed reality of the Father manifested in the person and works of Jesus. The possession of truth confers knowledge and liberation from sin (Jn 8:32). The passage has nothing to do with priests. Second, nowhere in Catholic teaching is it said that you can buy or pray your way into Heaven. Third, nowhere is it taught by the Catholic Church that only persons designated as saints are the ONLY ones to enter Heaven; in fact, the Church teaches that no human knows with certainty who enters Heaven and who doesn’t; the persons honored as saints are merely honored that way because of their extraordinary lives and holiness. The Catholic Church does NOT put Mary before Jesus in the Rosary or anywhere else – the Rosary is a series of prayers of BIBLE VERSES (Luke 1: 28, 42, 43) that meditates upon the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. And, as far as drinking goes, the Bible condemns drunkenness, not drinking alcohol – it’s not intrinsically evil. The book of Genesis tells us that all God created is good (Gen 1: 11-12, 31). The verses you cited are about being SOBER and INTOXICATED, not the drinking itself.
Please inform yourself through Catholic websites about our faith. There you will find t
Report Post »Halloween
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 2:33pmThey have that pedophile look about them. It must be a prerequisite to be a Catholic priest.
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 3:05pm@ DC – I think you might want to research an study Catholism rather than relying on what you may have heard. I am a Baptist and have learned a great deal about the Catholic Church on my own. I have found that the things I had always heard were not correct. A good place to start is to watch the channel EWTN. It will show you things you did not know and many things to research because you won’t know what it means.
My first intellectual adventure was to try to figure out what the “big deal” was about the Rosary. I won’t be praying the Rosary in my worship but now I understand the beauty and worshipfulness in it.
I didn’t understand what appeared to me as “Mary worship” I now know better. I won’t be asking Mary to pray for me, but I understand the beliefs and reasons why Catholics do.
I had taken a similar journey to understand Judaism. The rituals of both Catholism and Ancient Judaism (As would have been practiced by Jesus himself) are quite similar.
Both journeys have improved my faith walk and have made the bible more clear and rich to me.
There is but one flock and one shepherd. As long as we are following the same shepherd (Jesus) towards the same place (heaven) with a ticket purchased by His blood, that should be sufficient. Once we get to heaven, if after a couple thousands it still matters, we can ask which denomination was really right. Somehow, I think there it won’t matter. Can’t we make it the same here while we wait?
Unity Now
Report Post »Sugabee
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 3:08pmHalloween: You do realize your username means “All Hallow’s Eve”, right – the night before All Saint’s Day?
You are a jerk.
Report Post »by faith
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 6:35pm“The truth is out there” this is the only thing you got right
Because nothing you typed about the Catholic Church is true.
Jesus did not make non-alcoholic wine either. You got that one wrong too
Report Post »by faith
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 6:39pmUse your own logic on this one…is wine ‘wine’ if it does not have any alcohol content?
Report Post »edmundburk
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 2:24amevery man his own pope is the protestants battle cry, 35,000 deminationsand counting!
Report Post »South Philly Boy
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:02amGod Bless
Report Post »horsefeathers99
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:51amThey have one up on our priest who’s brother is also a priest. Both of the them are just wonderful and very much loved.
Our priest has inspired a lot people to have a closer relationship with Jesus, to love and care about one another through many ministries. We are very happy with our faith and our church is growing strong.
Report Post »ForMyKidsVA
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:54amCongratulations to these three men. I wish more would join the clergy. I‘m having a hard time finding a church where the pastor truly believes what he’s saying and is in his job to serve his flock. Most churches seem to focus on the weekly collection above everything else. What I wouldn’t give for a pastor as sincere as these three men seem to be.
Report Post »Sugabee
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:16amCome to Houston, Texas; I know of quite a few, including mine :))
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:48amPriest, homosexuals, what’s the difference. The Catholic Church was infested with homosexual priests, as well as Communists, with their number really rising in the late 50s, early 60s. Answer me this, would you let your priest babysit your kids? I thought not.
Report Post »Sugabee
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:54amYES I WOULD!!!!! My parish priest is AWESOME! Not all priests are molesters or Communists. STOP the bashing!!!
Report Post »greggo
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:02amTeddrunk
St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen..
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/michael.htm#ixzz21duWSoXY
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:08amLighten up Ted. We don’t know anything bad about these three. You may be bashing righteous men.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:25amGonzo, sorry, but considering not only the molestation, but worse, the Church’s covering it up for decades, clouds my consideration for fairness. Until I see some other religion do something as disgusting or depraved, I’ll rank it along with the Muslims.
Report Post »Jake Wilde
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:35amTed the problem here is you have skewed your opinion by media hype. Molestation of any kind is a horror and should be dealt with as if it is murder in my eyes. You neglect other demographics that have a higher frequency of molestation such as teachers, sick uncles, mamma’s new boyfriend. Open your eyes……
Report Post »FoxholeAtheist
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:47am“The boy priest”. How fitting. LOLZ
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:47amI’m not Catholic Ted, but I know there a lot of good Catholics out there. I also know not all priests are perverts. Sadly, the church did this to themselves. So I know where you’re coming from.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:48amJake, exactly WHO covers up for teachers, sick uncles or mamma’s new boyfriend. Don’t you think a Church should be held to a higher standard. Considering the decades of abuse and cover up, as well as the Churches allowing members to flaunt their own rules and ideals without recourse, (Kennedy, Biden, Pelosi), there shouldn’t be a Catholic even opening their pie whole to anyone else about their wonderful religion.
Report Post »Sugabee
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:59amTed, there are lots of coverups by lots of people for lots of reasons. Did the Church fail their people and those kids? YES. Does that negate all of the men, women and children the Church has helped physically, spiritually, and emotionally over the last 2,000 years? NO!!
Just because there are a FEW priests and bishops within the Church that either hid or committed those crimes (and AGAIN, for the GAZILLIONTH time, the percentages are fewer than in general populations), it does not mean that the Catholic Church is bad as a whole or that she does not deserve to be defended. I will not shut my piehole about my chosen faith!! It is one that is AS FLAWED by humans as any other, but is the fullness of the truth of Christ!!
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:23amSug, the Catholic Church is run by the Vatican. The Vatican has it’s own intelligence agency. Do you really think the Vatican had no knowledge of the molestation problem, or the cover up? Question, if Penn State officials are bad for covering up 1 molester, why is the Catholic Church good for covering up hundreds of them?
Report Post »Sugabee
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 12:23pmTed, you must not have read my response. I said that the Church failed those children, did I not? And I haven’t mentioned Penn State; you did. You are generalizing both of those institutions.
Report Post »Caleb-Texas
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 5:05pm@Gonzo
Thanks for the respectful responses!
Report Post »destrecht
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:34pmAbsolutely I would. He would decline unless there was another adult there, but I trust him thoroughly.
Report Post »zorro
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 10:34amTEDDRUNK
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:25am
Gonzo, sorry, but considering not only the molestation, but worse, the Church’s covering it up for decades, clouds my consideration for fairness. Until I see some other religion do something as disgusting or depraved, I’ll rank it along with the Muslims.
———————————————————————————————
You might want to do a quick Google search and you’ll find plenty of abuse in many denominations. They don’t make the “news” because it’s only exciting when it’s a Catholic priest. Look specifically for Jehova Witness abuse and cover-ups. Then try Mormons.
Report Post »gunssavelives
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:48amThe criticism of Catholics I have seen in these comments make me so proud to be Catholic and further solidifies my belief that Catholicism is Christ’s Church on earth. Christ was persecuted by his enemies and his friends, just a Catholics are now. Thanks for the affirmations and the great laughs!!
Report Post »The_Cabrito_Goat
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:48amCatholicism is the most anchored to scripture. Plus, if our enemies hate Catholics the most, then we have to be doing something right.
Report Post »edmundburk
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 2:36amafter reading some of these comment by evangelical posters and atheist posters is it any wonder that not
Report Post »many catholic posters on this site? I only go on this site to better defend the faith. how would you people
feel if you posted about evangelical beliefs and you were attacked as hertics by the catholic majority?!
@TED DRUNK- you sir are a hate filled bigot. if your so offended b y child abuse what about all those female teachers?
riaf-decnalab
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:44amWow, may God bless these young men for maknig such a huge sacrifice. What a true testament to the one true faith that Christ Himself instituted. The Catholic (or Universal) Church is the only one not named after a person or cause and was given the name when the early apostles wanted to make an appeal to all nations (not just the early Church Jews). God bless these young men for their beautiful example. We can all learn from them.
Report Post »Listen_then_think
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:37amThe dad or someone else probably molested all three sons. The vow of celibacy does NOT free you. As we have already seen the huge flaws in that line of thinking with the catholic priests and sandusky. They break Gods’ command of multiply and replenish the earth. So they should marry rather than trying to deny or put away their God given gift of procreation. They will just do it so no one can see or molest someone. If you are going to take a vow of celibacy that you intend to keep, you should also become a eunich and castrated to prevent you from destroying little boys lives.
Report Post »gunssavelives
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:49amissues?
Report Post »Sugabee
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:52amWhat an unbelievably hate-filled comment!!!! I direct your attention to the comments from “The Jewish Avenger” lower on this thread – his numbers do not lie.
As someone who not only is Catholic and is friends with a good number of priests, but also the Aunt of a seminarian, I take offense at the idea that you think that just because someone is celibate they were abused in some way. MY TWIN SISTER is never married and is celibate – and she has not ever been molested. Just because someone CHOOSES to be celibate does not mean there is something wrong or abnormal about them!!!! WHAT ABOUT 1 COR 7: 8-9???? If someone is called by God to devote their entire lives to Him, why could it not include their sex lives?
And Sandusky is neither a priest nor unmarried, so I’m not even sure why you brought his name up. Wow.
Report Post »DeOppressoLiber
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:05amGreat they come from the Jesuit line, a bunch of Liberation Theology leftists. Just because you wrap it up in a white collar, it still can be bad and evil. Check out the dates of the articles. The last one is the oldest and it is about the Vatican telling the Jesuits to stop with the liberation theology and the other two are at least a year after explaining on how the Jesuits are still pushing it.
http://ncronline.org/news/theology/jesuit-liberation-theology-will-endure-and-grow
http://americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?blog_id=2&id=BF67420F-1321-AEAA-D33BE2D27DC3AB28
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vatican_puts_stop_to_work_of_jesuit_liberation_theologian/
Report Post »joboww
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:01amsaying all Jesuits are bad is a blanket statement with no backing. There are plenty of good Jesuits but you dont hear about them because the media are not interested in the real representation of the faith. Sources like NCR and America are like Daily Kos. There are poor Jesuits out there, some that have no interest in the actual teachings, yet there are many that do care and are in fact orthodox in their vocation. Its like complaining that your left guard doesnt get attention, thats a good thing, means hes doing his job.
Report Post »destrecht
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:36pmThere are some amazing Jesuits.
Report Post »BOMUSTGO
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:01amWish Catholics would obey Acts 2:38 as preached by Peter.
Report Post »Sugabee
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:37amYou must be misinformed. Catholics do. On a regular basis, by the way.
Wish Protestants obeyed what Jesus commanded in Matt 26: 26-28, Mark 14: 22-24, Luke 22: 19-20, & John 6: 51-57, and what St. Paul wrote in 1 Cor 11: 23-26. Just sayin’.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:00amCelibacy is is one of the things he liked most about the priesthood ????? I’m sorry, but these guys are wierdos…..celibacy is not normal, and rarely if ever practiced……..it’s usually used to hide homosexuality or pedophilia……..I came from a large catholic family, not one of us is a catholic at this time…..I remembers them forcing us into confession, the priest later turned out to be father Perv….”
Report Post »PPMStudios
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:29amDude, normally you have great responses.
But, “it’s usually used to hide homosexuality or pedophilia”? Really? You have absolutely NO proof of that!!
I too, come from a staunch Catholic family who has provided Nuns to the church and my best friend from high school is a Parish Priest. None of whom are either gay or pedophiles….
Please STICK with fact vice fiction…
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:11am@ppmstudios, im sorry, didn’t mean to offend, maybe going to Catholic schools all my life has affected my negative views of that religion, I just don’t buy the celibacy thing, I just don‘t think it’s the way God would want it……and I believe it is he reason they are having problems attracting normal people to the calling…..honestly, I think I made my mind up in second or third grade that this was not for me, but I am a believer in God, for sure !!!! But some religions , seem more like businesses to me.
Report Post »The_Cabrito_Goat
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:53amCatholic schools rarely seem to accomplish what they set out to do. I think they need to take a look at their methods, because I’ve known some catholic school girls in my day and, one word to describe them, FUBAR.
But it was not what the school had did to them, they had done it to themselves. But not one lesson seemed to sink in. I just can’t comprehend why, but I’m guessing it is the pervasive culture of temptation. It’s just too hard to resist for younger hearts.
Report Post »mopman64
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:54amSo what, on my Dads side of the family we have three brothers that all became preists. Never made a big deal over them. They been at it for over 30 years now. Fr. Joe Rush, Fr. Jim Rush & Fr. Mike Rush. All from Gibbsborough NJ.
This is news?
Report Post »joboww
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:04amcan only hope it becomes so common
Report Post »PPMStudios
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:25amSo much for carrying on the family name….
Report Post »gs425
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:18amNice rack
Report Post »The Jewish Avenger
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:48am“SHE” is beauitful, isn’t she?
God Bless her and her family
Report Post »kadster01
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:58amI was thinking it, but I wasn’t about to say it. :-)
Report Post »Sugabee
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:15amHow totally awesome and wonderful that these three guys are looking “beyond themselves”, as they said, and serving God and His people through the priesthood!! My nephew is at this moment discerning whether he is being called – and I KNOW he would make an excellent priest! I have three sons, and it would be an honor for any one – or all- to be called to this vocation!
And to those of you who have already begun the bashing and criticism (including the “Catholic”; although you need a serious refresher course in your faith), may you one day be relieved of your hate and learn the truth of the majesty of the Catholic Church.
Report Post »The Jewish Avenger
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:47amThis is an awesome sight. Haters hate, nuff said….
Report Post »watashbuddyfriend
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:15amSo what, they want to become priests!
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:10amDo not feed the trolls please
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 7:57amQueue the trolls
Report Post »marks2marks
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 7:51amI pray they read some basic College science first to know LGBT people are normal and it has been proven and black people are not the missing link and the Sun does not come up each day and revolve around the earth. The earth revolves around the Sun but heads used to be chopped off for not believing the science so let’s pray for SANE Priests who do not stir up hate by preaching homosexuality is a sin when it is in fact NOT. This current Pope is a SIN for his comments a couple Advents ago on gays right at Christmas time! He has increased hate crimes and unless he repents, he will burn in Hell for eternity.
A real Catholic posted this!
Report Post »Mapache
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 7:59amReally? I think you got issues.
Report Post »ZAP
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:05amInstead of listening to your homosexual priests maybe you should read the Bible…Romans 1 26 Because people did those things, God left them and let them do the shameful things they wanted to do. Women stopped having natural sex with men and started having sex with other women. 27 In the same way, men stopped having natural sex with women and began wanting each other all the time. Men did shameful things with other men, and in their bodies they received the punishment for those wrongs.
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:10amIf you‘re a real Catholic you wouldn’t have to say it. Just maybe your actions don’t support what your mouth is putting out.
Report Post »tradcatholicgirl
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:28amIt is sad to read comments like yours.
A “real” Catholic, huh?
Report Post »The Jewish Avenger
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:46amHomosexuality in the Church has always and eill always be a hot topic.
Forgive the sinner not the sin.
Simple as that.
But the complex part is that you have to remember that NEVER in the Bible did it say that SOCIETY will forgive the sinner and not the sin. In fact it states quite clearly, the sin will become the norm and the sinner will just being doing its “normal” thing. Ethic and Norms are put into place by society. This nation that has for over two centruries has followed Christian norms and ethics… FIFTY (50) years ago, an influx of communistic “Critical Thinkers” and socialists in the name of the “Greater Good” has bombarded people with guilt and civil rights and shaming people for “Suppressing” the minorities.
Now dont freak… some they got was right:
Freedom of Slaves? Big win there.
Womans right to vote? Again, very nice.
AFTER that… is when things wen’t all boo hoo its unfair… boo hoo…
And laws that should have NEVER been made have become the norm… and now they are the NEW eithics and morals of this country… But people have yet to forget how the standards used to be but they are now treated as old and out of touch (Remember the tv sitcoms in the 80′s when they went to great lengths to disrespect old people and their old “weird” ways?) This no different. They do it supposedly for the name of progress but we know now that progress equals confinment, suppression of the Christians…. Its horrific and truly truly sa
Report Post »Platonician
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:48amOnly a depraved soul can call himself catholic and at the same time insult The Holy Father.
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:16amBest become an Episcopalian priest. You will be happier.
Report Post »destrecht
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:42pmTechnically he isn’t a real Catholic since the term Catholic means that you agree with the teachings of the church. The actual name of the church is ‘The Church of Christ’ Catholic was injected in the second century to separate false teaching.Oh, and LBGT are not natural. If they were, they could have kids with each other. You apparently don’t know much about the church and science. It invented the university. It’s one of the major supporters of science. Big Bang theory- a priest came up with it.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 7:48amWatch out children. Triple teamed.
Mapache
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 7:58amYou ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:18amWhy? Better to teach you kids to be wary, then raped. I grew up Catholic. My younger brother suffered thanks to priests.
thetruthlives
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:50amdoesn’t happen in any other faith? or maybe at a famous college, or summercamp. creeps cover the gamut.
Report Post »The Jewish Avenger
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:56amWhat a BIASED statement.
I grew up in Catholic/Irish/Puerto Rican neighborhood and the only pedophiles were the homosexuals.
Should I assume that ALL homosexuals are pedophiles?
How many priests now have been raked over the coals for their crimes?
- One was even kiled in prison and cheered.
- One person in Maine after he died was accused by 3 unknown men to have been molested.
The next week the took down the signs and renamed the bridge that was renamed after him
Their names? “We cannot disclose that information”
Sounds like a “witch hunt” to me.
So forgive me for being doubtful about your claim on your brother but I have seen too many accusations with no proof be instantly fact these days and because of that find it difficult to take people at their word without something backing it up.
BTW…
How many pedophiles have been announced that they have a homosexual lifestyle?
Exactly…
If your brother was truly raped, I am sorry but personally I think you are trolling nothing but BS.
Report Post »Sugabee
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:58amI‘m sorry your younger brother suffered because of someone who obviously was not listening to God’ voice or will. That does not, however, mean that ALL priests are capable of such evil. Yes, we need to teach our children to be wary of suspicious behavior by ANY adult, no matter their vocation. But your comment infers that by the mere fact of being a priest, children are in immediate danger. The percentage of priests who have done this evil are far less than the general population of non-clerical adults.
Report Post »ForMyKidsVA
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:48amThere seem to be a lot more public school teachers than priests preying on children these days so perhaps we should shut down the schools.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:26amFormy, really? Well in my area of the country you can’t seem to walk without tripping over a molester priest, including the former archbishop.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:27amFormy, by the way my area of the country is the very city these guys are from.
Report Post »Caleb-Texas
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 4:51pmTed
I will be praying for you!
Caleb
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