Abbey-Roads2

An engaging priest… 

A priest in Italy expelled a member of his parish for exposing his ‘love affair’ with a local woman.  The priest admits to being in love with the woman in a chaste way, yet denies fathering her child.  He intends to become engaged to her, insisting Canon Law does not forbid it.

According to the priest, “Canon law does not forbid a priest to fall in love or become engaged in a celibate manner. I want to remain in the Church and so I will obey the celibacy rule.” - Catholic World News 

The priest argued in a press conference last month that the Church’s celibacy requirement meant that “only the most closed and narrow-minded priests, the least humane ones, get ahead”.  - Catholic World News

I’m sure he is only following his conscience.

[Photo: Unknown Italian priest.]

In today’s Gospel, Peter protested to the Lord, who had asked him to put out into the deep and lower his nets for a catch, saying, “Master we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing.” - Luke 5.  These words of Peter to the Lord may resonate in the heart of those who have worked and struggled all of their lives and yet feel they have little to show for it.  Yet Peter continued, “but at your command I will lower the nets.”