Frank and others who hold his views fail to understand is that they still view the factors which created the mass exodus as the very solution for the mass exodus they caused! Frank’s rebuttal demonstrated a complete misunderstanding of the post-conciliar crisis and resulting widespread apostasy: When all of this was brought to his attention, Fr. Frank’s anti-clerical bias is the self-loathing Catholicism of a past generation that we firmly reject today. It isn’t the person, but the priestly office. The presence of the priest in cassock, as the earlier quotes above attest to, draws people to him. What is accurate, and I know this from the hundreds of comments and thousands of shares generated by my article, is that the faithful long to see our Catholic priests looking Catholic. His point of view on this matter is out of step with almost anyone born after the Council. Outside of the staunchest ideologues from the Vatican 2/baby boomer generation, no one believes what Father wrote. Frank’s comment isn’t simply its lack of charity (though that is telling), but rather his complete misinterpretation of the current ecclesial environment and sensus fidelium. The divorced father of three, and now grandfather, required an annulment before entering Saint John XXIII National Seminary for the Diocese of Springfield. Frank, ordained at the age of 57 in 2014, garnered attention at the time for his unusual path to the priesthood. Prior to entering seminary, (then Deacon) Lawlor was the development director for the Newman Catholic Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.įr. Mary’s Parish and School in Westfield, Massachusetts. Although ordained just three years ago, he is currently pastor of St. Frank’s attitude is all the more troubling considering his past and present responsibilities. Lawlor could only offer the following assessment:įr. Amidst the amazing testimonials regarding the walking priest’s apostolic outreach, Fr. He chose to do so on the Facebook wall of a brother priest, and specifically in response to my article about Fr. But when it is a priest doing the attacking, it’s even more distasteful.įather Frank Lawlor of the Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts has decided to publicly insult priests who wear the cassock. Look to drive their visible presence out of the public square (consider the outlawing of clerical attire so common to totalitarian regimes). It’s a given that the world will attack our priests. They are choosing traditional attire as a visible sign of their priesthood. Unfortunately, while most of the laity welcome the return of the cassock, some priests do not. They are looking to be beacons of light in a world darkened by sin. All day with the hugging, and the kneeling to speak to children, and the leaning in for the selfies.Īn increasing number of Catholic priests are wearing the cassock again. ![]() Weirdly, the priest’s outfit was the most physically demanding uniform to wear. ![]() An assertion of connection, an acknowledgment of some commonality I could not fathom. It happened to me twelve times, just a tap in the middle of a conversation. …when you wear a uniform, no one will touch you. In recent years Monsignor Charles Pope has written on why he wears the cassock, as well as my friend Father Jay Finelli, and even the secular magazine Esquire published an article in which a journalist donned a cassock for the day only to discover that: Highlighting this reemergence of the cassock, and the (overall) positive effect it has upon both priest and laity, shouldn’t really surprise anyone. The priest is Father Lawrence Carney, ordained for the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, who for the past three years has devoted much of his time to street evangelism: strolling down inner city streets, praying the Rosary and sharing the Gospel with those who approach him. ![]() Joseph, Missouri, and you may have a memorable encounter with a tall young priest wearing a black cassock and Saturno clergy hat, a rosary in one hand and large crucifix in the other. Profiling the incredible apostolate of the “walking priest”, Father Lawrence Carney, the article from last March touched upon the compelling presence and powerful witness of a priest in traditional clerical garb: The Priest in Cassock is a Living Sermon struck a chord with my readers. ![]() As it turns out, the top post from 2017 was about the return of the cassock. This past week, at the Liturgy Guy Facebook page, we counted down the most viewed articles of the year.
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