Vancouver Island Catholics are escalating their feud over the departure of a gay church administrator and the reassignment of a priest who refused to dismiss him.A group of dissident Catholics have lodged a complaint with the Vatican's senior representative in Canada and 100 bishops across the country.
On Dec. 29, the administrator resigned from the 650-member parish of Holy Cross. He was given a modest settlement, according to parish members, and agreed not to discuss his departure.
On Jan. 18, after serving for three years, Rev. Mike Favero abruptly left the parish after a meeting with Bishop Richard Gagnon.
Father Favero has said he was forced to resign because he wouldn't dismiss the gay employee.
The dissident parishioners are furious that Bishop Gagnon had a letter read out at Holy Cross late last month in which Father Favero takes "responsibility for not honouring confidentiality, and at times, for the misrepresentation of events."
However, the letter did not say what the misrepresentation or the breach of confidentiality are, and the parishioners want more details.
The one-page document was from the Catholic Diocese of Victoria, and bore the signatures of Bishop Gagnon (pic'd alongside) and Father Favero. It did not say why Father Favero left the church, nor did it directly mention the gay church administrator who resigned.
In the letter, Bishop Gagnon wrote that he "should have been more sensitive to the needs of Father Favero during this painful period of time." The letter does not explain these comments.
The letter also "emphatically" states that there "have been no allegations of inappropriate behaviour directed toward Father Favero."
Parishioners are demanding answers from Bishop Gagnon, and on Monday, a group of Vancouver Island Catholics asked the Pope's representative in Canada, Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Luigi Ventura, to launch an independent investigation.
The Ottawa-based Archbishop Ventura could not be reached yesterday.
The group also sent a statement to the more than 100 Canadian Catholic bishops.
There has been no response, but the group will explore other ways to get answers from the church, Holy Cross parishioner and group member Kate Sharratt said.
Usually, when priests get their fingers rapped by the bishop for being disobedient, they cease their comments. However, Father Favero broke his silence when he spoke to the news media in early February.
After the Feb. 25 letter was read to parishioners by Holy Cross's temporary priest, Monsignor Michael Lapierre, a parish member made copies.
Bishop Gagnon's administrative assistant said the bishop would not comment because the letter fully addressed the matter.
Father Favero is visiting relatives in California for at least two more weeks.
Upon his return, he will begin his "mutually acceptable pastoral ministry," filling in for Vancouver Island priests who are sick or on holiday.
In July, he will begin a one-year sabbatical.
The gay administrator who left Holy Cross, however, said he still remains troubled by the events that took place.
"The anger hasn't gone away," he said from his Victoria home.
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Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce