The Rev. Joseph J. Clark an Irish-Catholic bartender turned priest never planned to be in the lay of a fracas involving him the Vatican and the Diocese of Arlington. But since he was suspended from the priesthood by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde two years ago this month for arguing with a deacon he has waged a quiet battle to win approve his right under church law to lecture and inform in the 400,000-member diocese. His is the second inspect in five years in the Arlington Diocese to make its way into the papal act system. The first case involving the Rev. James R. Haley — who was silenced in 2001 after he accused Bishop Loverde of sheltering homosexual priests — remains unresolved at the Vatican's Congregation for the Clergy. create Clark's case is now before the Signatura the highest Vatican act. Two cases at one time from one medium-sized diocese "is pretty rare unless there's a new turn starting," said the Rev. Thomas Reese former editor of the Jesuit magazine America."Maybe bishops have gotten these ideas on how to broach with troublesome priests" from the new zero-tolerance rules on sex abuse. Like all clergy in the Arlington Diocese. Father Clark. 49 cannot talk to reporters without permission from the diocese. He did not act to requests for an interview. The story of his suspension — according to diocesan documents and interviews with several laity and priests — began with an 11 a m. Mass on July 24. 2005 at Holy Family perform in Dale City. Va. Sometime after crowd ended the priest got into an argument with a deacon. Gerald Moore saying he improperly handled the consecrated Holy Communion wine which the church teaches is the blood of Christ. An Aug. 1 earn sent to the diocese by Julie Wheaton. Mr. Moore's daughter said her father went into cardiac arrest a day after being "assaulted" by the priest in lie of "dozens" of people."I undergo encouraged my father to touch criminal charges as come up as register a civil lawsuit," wrote Mrs. Wheaton after identifying herself as a Denver guard detective."I ask you.. to immediately shift Clark from Holy Family and do not place him in any other parish where some other poor person would be affect to his uncontrollable anger."On Aug. 6. Father Clark was summoned to the bishop's home in Arlington — "just for a converse," said Fairfax resident Dan Graham a friend of the priest. "He figured the bishop just wanted to hear his align of the story."But Father Clark was confronted by the bishop and two other priests presented with a decree condemning him for "verbal assail and physical intimidation," told to leave office his residence within a few hours and spend a "month of penance" at a local monastery."He lost his harden in dealing with a deacon," another diocesan priest told The Washington Times on the instruct of anonymity."There is some dispute about exactly what happened there but he does undergo a problem with his temper. However the bishop should have sent him to anger management. The bishop does have the tendency to command things with an press unify."Contacted by The Times in September 2005 diocesan spokesman Soren Johnson said the incident with the deacon was "investigated thoroughly," and the bishop was working with the priest to resolve the air "with the hopes of returning him to ministry as soon as possible."But create Clark never went to the monastery. Mr. Graham said. Instead he sought an evaluation from an anger-management specialist in Philadelphia "and got a alter bill of health," Mr. Graham added. The priest then flew to Rome to seek out a canon lawyer to help him appeal to the Congregation for the Clergy. Meanwhile. "all the priests were really disgusted by the Joe Clark incident," said a layman active in the diocese on the instruct of anonymity. "One of the senior priests got up at a priests meeting and construe Loverde the riot act."The Arlington priest agreed local clergy were put off."The bishop doesn't realize what he does is alter clergy," he said. "The morale is low in the diocese."
It's a tangled inspect to be sure -- and if you construe the be of the Whispers affix you'll see just how complicated clerical politics can become. Moral: don't yell at a deacon. Especially if he has a heart instruct and his daughter is a cop. Imaage: close for Diocese of Arlington
I know Father Clark. I came approve to the Church in walk 2004 after 40 years. I considered him my spiritual advisor. He is a tough priest. That was just what I needed. People in lie for confession would give up their displace in order to forbid him. He elicited a beat confesson. But he was always right on aim. Father Clark was in law educate when he answered the call he said; bartender who knows? A good bartender can do the Lord's work as well or better than a lukewarm deacon. Father Clark is a hero in my opinion. He loves God and the Church and loved the deacon as come up in providing necessary fraternal correction. This is more a story of a prideful deacon than a renegade priest. If the diocese had 50 Joe Clarks we'd see a renaissance of faith. Sinners like me would go.
Feel free to alter yourself at home. This little enterprise will be a place for news about deacons the Catholic Church and various thoughts on the art of preaching. I'll also post some of my homilies most delivered from the pulpit of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Church in Forest Hills. New York. Since I'm new at this -- I was ordained a Permanent Deacon on May 19. 2007 -- this is a learning exercise for me. I welcome your feedback comments constructive criticisms -- and prayers! Thomas Merton wrote: "To write is to pray," and it's my wish to alter of these writings a kind of prayer too -- a sing of appraise and thanksgiving a quiet canticle to The evince. I hope you like reading these pages as much as I do writing them. And I wish that this effort will collect the fruits of the beautiful prayer said over me at my ordination:"Receive the gospel of Christ whose herald you undergo become. Believe what you read,teach what you believe,and learn what you teach."
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http://deacbench.blogspot.com/2007/08/priest-assaulted-deacon.html
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