AmericanPapist Comments
I went on a retreat he offered over 10 years ago and methods of prayer and meditation he taught stuck with me all this time.
I am saddened by this and a small part of me hopes - and not without reason - that this is not true... (The allegations that is.)
Either way, I pray that he dies in God's friendship and that all those involved find peace.
Thanks for the comment.
You are in good company, Fr. McGuire evidently was a spiritual adviser to Mother Teresa as well.
It's an important point to bring up, however: the personal sins of a priest, as deplorable as they may be, do not invalidate his good teaching. When he teaches, he teaches in the person of Christ - who is entirely trustworthy and true.
We, sadly, are not so trustworthy and true, and we should pray for this man sincerely.
The charges against him, it should be noted, seem very certain.
Peace.
What you say is true.
The charges turned into a conviction... But those who followed the story note that the two accusers had some issues in their testimony. I seem to recall his nephew being an attorney for the alleged victims also.
Either way, my prayer for him that he die reconciled to the Lord for any and all sins (whatever they were or were not) remains the same.
Any way you slice it, it makes me VERY sad.
I have always struggled with those who would refuse to pray for any sinner, that he die reconciled to God, no matter the offenses he has committed in life.
Some feel that if you were to pray for the salvation of an accused priest, then you aren't supporting the victims. Some take this position even for priests merely accused without considering possible false accusations.
As many attrocities as are attributed to Fidel Castro, he remains in my prayers. He may convert in silence, and in his final moments. At the end of the day, God does not give judgment to us - to say, he does not deserve to ever get in to heaven. We pray for all souls - for those who suffer pain now (victims), and those in the greatest risk of suffering for eternity (people guilty of "sins that cry out to heaven")
Daniel McGuire, as well as the worst of dissenting theologians, pedophile priests, drug and alcoholic priests, and others who have fallen to the ways of the world will remain in my prayers. It is the Christian thing to do.
In no way does this undermine my prayers for those who have been victimized by dissenting theologians and pedophile priests, etc.
I just wonder about this conviction for events in the 1960's. Boy that was a long time ago. I know that damage can be long lasting in some, and almost nothing in others.
I just hope that he has reformed or at least has it under control.
I could not tell from the article whether M was "permanently barred form ministry" or was laicized. They are not the same thing. I sent a note asking the reporter whether she she knew. No reply yet.
Fr. McGuire?! He used to annually give a three-day spiritual exercise retreat near us. My parents took us to the Sunday Mass part of the retreat on occasion, and I still remember his homily on the crucifixion as being incredible, and very influential on my spiritual life growing up.
Me too, Lauren. Me too.
I have known Fr. McGuire for more than 20 years. Regarding his preaching, I could hardly praise him highly enough. I also know that the accusations against him are not fabrications. As recently as a month ago, he was still insisting on his innocence. He needs prayers. This latest story does not include details about his province's behavior--which has been about as bad as it could be. They started receiving written complaints about him in 1969, and did nothing for years. Then they took token actions, which limited his behavior not at all. More recently, they falsely claimed they never received any complaints, until they were legally compelled to hand over his file.
So many bishops and religious superiors have lived lives lacking in integrity themselves. Sometimes in these cases, underlings explicitly blackmail their superiors. In many cases, that's probably not necessary--the compromised bishop or superior simply governs with a feather-light hand, instinctively.
Ed Peters: Isn't it tiresome? Catholics don't even use the term "defrocking," and yet this reporter apparently never found that out? No church person thought to point that out? I know I would have volunteered to explain the terms "suspended," "laicized," "permanently barred..." etc.
Fr. McGuire was already removed from ministry in 2002. I believe this order from the Vatican laicizes Fr. McGuire.
I've known Fr. McGuire for many years. He was my Freshman college professor in the Classics and an inspiration to many other students as well as myself.
Although I did not believe the allegations at first, sadly I now believe them to be true. His nephew Kevin McGuire, was in my class. I do not believe Kevin would be involved in the case if it weren't true.
McGuire's teachings were always orthodox and he was one of the most gifted teachers and preachers I have ever known. His orthodoxy made this a real shock to many.
I will keep him, his family and his victims in my prayers, and pray for McGuire's reconciliation with God.
Fr. Joe, right. AmPhoenix, right.
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