Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Yet ANOTHER "Cancelled Priest," This Time a Traditional Catholic Priest, for Reporting Concerns of Sexual Misconduct

This interview came out today by The Pillar.  LINK

It's a long story, so I will break it down for you.

1. The former Sub-Prior, second in charge, of the Latin Mass Silverstream Monastery in Ireland, Fr. Benedict Andersen, wrote his Bishop his concerns of an alleged decade long pattern of sexual/spiritual/pscyhological abuse by the monastery's founder.


2. As he is required to do by the Church.  The investigation is still ongoing, and the priest in question remains innocent until proven guilty.

3. The result however is Fr. Benedict is not permitted by the Bishop to return to the monastery, but is living with family in the US.  

4. Likewise, he is denied faculties and financial support.  An announcement in a bulletin by the NY Archdiocese labeled him a “perp” to be avoided, stating absolutely no reason why.

5. Likewise, and this is why he is justified to now go public, his Bishop said he was now going to be investigated himself by the Vatican in light of his expressed concerns, and in the same very letter suggested avoiding that investigation by requesting he be laicized—stripped—of his Priesthood.

6. For no other stated reason than reporting concerns about the Abbot, himself being the Sub-Prior, and a priest in good standing, who up to his complaint, was not the subject himself of a formal complaint or investigation.

7. He says he has no idea what will happen to him, or who will take him into another monastery or diocese, saying he has now been "defamed" as a retaliation measure.

That's it in a nutshell, folks.  His story is very credible. Another good priest being cancelled for addressing, within his own authority and rights, apparent violations of Catholic Truth (in this case the Truths governing chastity, in particular in the religious vocation.).

Fr. Benedict, if you by chance read this, I urge you to consider applying to Silver City Benedictine Abbey in New Mexico (yes, affiliated with the SSPX).  That, or network with other cancelled Traditional Priests such as Fr. Rodriguez, or Fr. Waters in PA (see his recent YouTube video).

The Truth being that the Crisis in the Church is so grave--including the persecution of orthodox priests--that the Church herself supplies jurisdiction for “cancelled faithful priests” to continue saying Mass publicly and hear confessions.  There are many groups in need of a Traditional priest, denied their right to the True Mass.

The Vatican, I am afraid, will almost certainly give you the shaft, as will that Irish bishop. They will have tarred and feathered you so much, before they are done with you, likely no diocese or monastery will take you in, not because they don't believe you, but because to do so would be politically incorrect and a "liability" considering the Powers-that-Be.  That is my take. 

Fr. Benedict, have courage, keep saying the Mass, keep up the good fight!