Suburban Priest Muzzled over Remarks on Female Priests, Chicago Catholic News, November 15, 2010

Suburban Priest Muzzled over Remarks on Female Priests

Chicago Catholic News
November 15, 2010

http://www.chicagocatholicnews.com/2010/11/suburban-priest-muzzled-over-remarks-on.html

(POSTED: 11/15/10) An Oak Park pastor who made sympathetic remarks about women joining the Roman Catholic priesthood has apologized to his congregation -- after reportedly being told to do so by his bishop.

The Rev. Larry McNally, pastor of Ascension Parish, caused a stir in September when he signed a petition expressing "solidarity" with "those who support women and married men who are called to ordination."

McNally (pictured here) personally delivered the signatures to his boss, Cardinal Francis George, and later told a reporter the petition was designed to ask, "Why can't we talk about women's ordination -- why isn't there dialogue?"

Only men -- usually unmarried men -- may become priests in the Roman Catholic tradition because, as the argument goes, Jesus selected all male apostles. Debate on allowing women priests is forbidden in official Church circles. It's considered a resolved issue.

Accordingly, Auxiliary Bishop John Manz (pictured here) met with McNally last month and told him he wanted a public apology, and a pledge not to challenge Church doctrine again, according to a Church official who wished to remain anonymous.

Manz, McNally's direct supervisor, indicated he was speaking on behalf of the cardinal, the official said.

Fearing he would be stripped of his job at Ascension (pictured below), McNally decided to apologize in a letter published in the Oct. 31 weekly Church bulletin.

The letter stated in part: "I want to apologize to you . . . for my words and actions that challenged this doctrine [on who may be ordained to the priesthood] that may have brought about confusion and misunderstanding. I am sorry that my words and actions may have caused some upset and some inner turmoil among our parish family."

He added: "With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will do my very best to support this Church Doctrine."

In the Nov. 7 bulletin, a follow-up letter from the cardinal to McNally was published, stating in part: "Thank you for all that you do to unite around Christ, in His Church, the people who have been entrusted to your pastoral care. You are remembered in my prayers each day and I count on the support of yours."

Neither the cardinal nor Manz responded to a reporter's inquiries on the topic. Reached on the phone, McNally said he did not want to comment.

The incident was similar to another dust-up involving the Rev. Michael Pfleger, the controversial activist-priest who pastors St. Sabina Church on the South Side.

This past spring, Pfleger briefly remarked from the pulpit that priests should be allowed to marry -- and that the Church should ordain female priests. The comments made their way onto YouTube and shot around the blogosphere. One of the cardinal's other top aides demanded that Pfleger apologize, which he reluctantly did, saying:

"On Sunday, April 11, while preaching a sermon on the power of fear, I was referring to the fear that paralyzed the apostles, locking them in a room, leaving only John and the women at the foot of the cross. I stated that is why I believe women ought to be able to be ordained, as well as priests ought to be able to get married."

"While this is my personal opinion, I do respect and follow the Catholic Church teachings and I am sorry I failed to do this."

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