While Newark Archbishop Defends Letter, Some North Jersey Catholics Feel Alienated from Church
By Abbott Koloff And Monsy Alvarado
In the letter, Myers called on Catholics to refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they are in a marriage that is not recognized by the church or if they publicly oppose any of the church’s teachings. He also said all Catholics should avoid events that “endorse or support” people or groups that reject or ignore those teachings. Myers, the leader of the Archdiocese of Newark, issued the letter quietly to pastors after signing it on Sept. 22. That was the day Pope Francis arrived in Cuba on his way to the United States, where the pontiff expanded on a message of inclusiveness that has been the hallmark of his papacy. The letter was made public Wednesday as 270 bishops from around the world met at the Vatican to discuss ways to adapt church teachings in a changing world, including such issues as whether to welcome gays and lesbians or allow remarried couples who have not been granted annulments to receive sacraments. Related: Newark archbishop affirms doctrinal tradition; emphasis differs from Pope Francis on U.S. trip As even some conservatives called into question its timing, Myers said through a spokesman that the letter had been “taken wildly out of context by many — some viewing it as a challenge or a ‘setting of the agenda.’Y” The spokesman, James Goodness, said in an email that there was “no special reason” for the timing and that Myers issued the letter when he did because he “knows from his priests that there is confusion and misunderstanding on the teachings of the church with regard to marriage — all influenced by what is going on in secular society.” He did not clarify those remarks but appeared to be referring to the Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage across the nation. The letter comes amid a heated debate as Pope Francis has called on the church to be more welcoming to people who are gay and to Catholics who have been divorced. The meeting at the Vatican, known as a synod and focusing on issues related to families, was distracted this week by the publication of a secret letter to the pope signed by 13 bishops — including the New York archbishop, Cardinal Timothy Dolan — that claimed it was organized to favor reformers. Several Catholics interviewed Wednesday said they were upset by Myers’ letter, and that it appeared to contradict Pope Francis’ call for the church to be more inclusive. Al Francesco of Waldwick said he has decided to stop attending Mass at St. Luke’s Church in Ho-Ho-Kus and does not plan to return until after Myers retires. He said that gay people are “people of God, too, God created them like he created me and you. How can you say I can’t receive Communion because I support that they should be able to get married? It’s crazy.” He added that Myers’ letter appeared to be “undermining the pope” and his message of inclusion. “Who is he to do that?” Francesco said of the archbishop. “The pope said that we have to have more forgiveness, more openness … and that’s what I believe,” he added. “I believe that this guy is going exactly against what the pope said.” Carolyn Huelster of Hackensack said she opposes same-sex marriage but doesn’t believe Catholics who support it should be prevented from receiving Holy Communion or participating in other sacraments. “If somebody has a child or relative in a gay relationship and they support them, I don’t see why they should be denied having Communion because of it,” she said. She added that people should be allowed to receive Communion “as long as they are not participating in the act of being gay,” and that “the world has come a long way, and you have to accept people for who they are.” Several priests in Bergen County declined to be interviewed about the letter on Wednesday, with one saying he had not read it and another saying, “We basically have been doing those things all along.” Bill Donohue of the conservative Catholic League said the letter’s timing was “curious” and appears to align the bishop “with the more Orthodox camp” as the synod meets in Rome. But he added that Myers had not broken new ground, noting he did not call for priests to refuse Communion to anyone. Instead, the archbishop said Catholics who “publicly” reject church teachings “are asked to be honest to themselves” about whether they are allowed to receive Communion. Myers, Donohue said, appeared to be focusing on political leaders who have positions at odds with the church along with Catholics who are in marriages not recognized by the church. Donohue noted that the synod is expected to take up the question of whether to allow remarried Catholics to receive Communion, a practice now barred. “If things change in Rome, he’s going to have to adjust his sails,” Donohue said of Myers. Donohue acknowledged that one portion of the letter was so broad that it is open to a wide range of interpretations. Myers said in the letter that Catholics, “especially ministers” should not “participate in or be present at … events intended to endorse or support those who reject or ignore church teachings and canon law.” Critics said this week that could mean that Catholics would be barred from attending their children’s same-sex marriages. Donohue said priests typically would not have a problem with Catholics simply attending such ceremonies. “I do think it’s deserving of greater clarity,” Donohue said of that portion of the letter. Goodness said the letter is not considered law or a “dictate” by the bishop, but was written to provide “advice and direction to priests and others involved in parish ministry as they deal directly with people who are facing some of the challenges about married life and living according to the faith.” Myers has previously drawn criticism for controversial statements and actions, including a 2012 call for Catholics to vote for candidates who oppose same-sex marriage. He was under fire after ordering a $500,000 expansion to his Hunterdon County retirement house, including a “therapeutic whirlpool,” as the archdiocese closed scores of Catholic schools, citing financial difficulties. He also was heavily criticized in 2013 for returning a priest, Michael Fugee, to active ministry after the cleric admitted sexually abusing a teenage boy in a Wyckoff parish, and then failing to properly supervise Fugee as he violated a court order by working with children at a Rochelle Park parish and elsewhere before being defrocked in March 2014. At the height of that controversy, some New Jersey lawmakers and advocates for victims of clerical sexual abuse called for Myers to resign. Email: koloff@northjersey.com
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