Parishioners express outrage over priest's anti-war sermon
Meeting called after several church members walked out of Mass Sunday

By Alan Wechsle
Times Union
March 27, 2003

Troy — It was the words of a priest that divided and angered the members of Sacred Heart and St. Williams Church last weekend. And on Wednesday night, members of the parish gathered to air their outrage and the need for healing. Nearly 100 members of the church gathered at St. Williams to tell the Rev. Gary Mercure how upset they were that he chose weekend Mass to condemn the U.S. government for the war against Iraq.

"You anger me and you disgust me," said one parishioner, who identified himself as a veteran with relatives in the military. Some parishioners asked that their names not be used.

"I take it personally," he said. "I won't support any church you're a part of."

But by the end of the 2-hour meeting, members said they felt like the parish was closer to healing.

The parish council called the meeting after about 60 church members walked out of a Sunday Mass that Mercure celebrated at Sacred Heart. The Mass was one of four Mercure served last weekend at the combined Sacred Heart and St. Williams parish, which consists of church buildings on Madison and Pauling avenues.

During the Masses, Mercure warned churchgoers they might not like what he was about to say. Then, after noting how he prayed that American troops were not in harm's way, he lashed out against the war, calling it "unjust, illegal and immoral," according to a transcript provided by a church member.

Some angry parishioners who heard his sermon at the early Mass called television crews who fueled further turmoil at the 11 a.m. Mass with their presence.

Mercure, wearing jeans and a T-shirt under a sport jacket at Wednesday night's meeting, sat with the council, taking notes and nodding as his flock spoke.

He only spoke twice.

Once, responding to a question, he said it was not he who called the television cameras. At the end of the meeting he spoke again, saying he never meant to hurt anyone by his words, especially those with relatives in the military.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany declined to comment on the incident, but is looking into it, said the Rev. Ken Doyle, a spokesman. The Vatican has strongly opposed the war, and there is no prohibition on priests taking a stand on it, he said.

"There are a lot of issues where politics and morality overlap." Doyle said.

Becky Cavallo, 39, who taped the Sunday sermon, said she was passing a petition around to have Mercure removed. She said she refuses to let her daughter attend school at the church anymore.

"There is a problem with him and I've had it," she said before the meeting. "I'm going to do everything in my power to get him removed."

Indeed, Mercure, who has been at the church for more than three years, has been controversial before last weekend due to changes he has made. Those include painting and altering the church without discussing it with the parish, one member said.

Some saw his Sunday sermon as an affront to the Roman Catholic Church, which has already been rocked by the scandal of abusive priests in the Capital Region and around the nation. Some members said they vowed to never return.

But many members have been attending the parish since they were baptized. They come weekly, bring their families and know everyone in the congregation. "I love the parish," one woman said, "but my heart was broken."

Others, though clearly in the minority, saw nothing wrong.

"I support Father Gary's courage in speaking out Sunday," said Doris Carey. "As our pastor, he not only has the right but the duty to counsel us on moral issues."

By the time most people had spoken, members were calling for the church to learn from the incident and move on.

"When the meeting was over, there was a genuine sense of healing in the room," said Janet Johnson, who has been a member for 53 years.