Comments on: Witnesses to Hope

By: Erin B.

Erin B. — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 01:50:46 +0000

I’m currently reading Benedict XVI, Light of the World, and this post brought me to the following quote from George Weigel’s forward “Our task, he (Pope Benedict) reminds us, is not to demand immediate victories, but to bear witness to the truth, the love and the joy that comes from conversion to Christ.”

Amen, Fr. Gordon, I do believe you are living the crux of the matter.

By: rev. Anthony Tran Van Kiem

rev. Anthony Tran Van Kiem — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:33:54 +0000

Dear friends of accused Priests,

Is sharing troubles with friends considered good therapy? Hoping that the following recollection of my recent nightmare would better my mental heath badly shaken, I beg you to give me a few minutes of your precious time.

In a letter dated Feb 4 2009, the Chancellor of my Diocese informed me that an accusation of Sexual Abuse of a minor allegedly committed in 1984, has been made against me, an 88 years old priest.

Naturally I wanted more information, which has been kept not available despite repeated requests. Finally on August 10, in a meeting with my Bishop while the Chacellor was present, I could put my hands on a dossier compiled on me by the Chancellor.

A cursory inspection of it tells me that the alleged victim was abused by me, Anthony Kiem, after the boy had received his First Communion. which occurred either in 1983 when he was 8 years old, or in 1984 when he was again 8 years old.

Meantime the parish’s archives record tell a different story : X received his First Communion on May 13 1984 when Father Y (not Fr Anthony Kiem) served as pastor…

These data were available to the Chancellor as early as Feb 3. He should stop proceeding further. yet he kept forging ahead, and the following day has inflicted on me ecclesiastical penalties without any previous hearing.

Why didn’t the Chancellor believe the Parish’s Archives and form a sound judgment? Can the Chancellor claim that he acted in compliance with the Bishops’ Dallas Charter?

What can a Catholic priest unjustly accused do?

By: Mary Floeck

Mary Floeck — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:07:21 +0000

Father,
Thanks for this beautiful reminder of this great saint, Maximillian Kolbe. Tomorrow, the 14th, I will travel to a parish here in the Houston area named for him, and offer prayers for you through the intercession of Our Mother Mary and St. Maximillian Kolbe.

How very much you must rely on his intercession, Father, as you live out each day in this prison. Your suffering must truly be offered up as well for those in need of God’s help, I think.

God bless you and may you never lose hope.

By: Ros

Ros — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:02:06 +0000

Continuing to pray for you Father. I am going to Whitby in Northern England UK, next week, and will say a special prayer for you at the ruins of Whitby Abbey to St Hilda. Please pray for my family too, to fully embrace their faith. Thank you Father.

By: Karin

Karin — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:48:08 +0000

Father,
Thank you for this beautiful post about this brave saint and the hope he demonstrates. I will ask his special intercession for you on Aug 14. What you and others like you are suffering is a martyrdom as well- stemming from hatred of the priesthood.
May God continue to bless you.