With all that’s going on in Boston these last few days it worth keeping in mind the relative severity of what Fr. Cuenin has been accused of and admitted to. For example, here’s a story from this past June:
A Roman Catholic priest was sentenced Tuesday to five years of probation after he pleaded no contest to charges he embezzled around $135,000 from a Waltham parish where he served as pastor, prosecutors said.
Charges were brought against Fr. Joseph Byrne because “he periodically transferred parish funds into his personal bank account and wrote himself checks and made debit card purchases from accounts containing parish money.” It’s not exactly the same thing, but close.
The attorney general and the head of the state’s campaign finance office filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, alleging she had not reported nearly $27,000 in donations and refused to explain more than $18,000 in personal reimbursements.
Looks like there’s a lot less money in dispute in this case.
Yes, the amounts vary. With Fr. Cuenin $75,000, with Fr. Byrne $135,000, with Archbishop Weakland $400,000 and change, and with Bishop Ziemann in Santa Rosa it was millions that were unaccounted ford not sign this letter. Humorously enough, many of those planning on signing the letter do not know Fr. Cuenin. As for those who do, they do not even live within OLHC’s parish boundaries (apparently, they sought him out.)
I would like to point out that BC’s theology department is not all bad (although it is mostly bad). There are still a handful of orthodox professors up there, including the medievalist Steve Brown, the patristics scholar Maggie Schatkin (who’s a Lutheran oddly enough), Fr. Harvey Egan, and a few others. Until a year or so ago, we had the good fortune of having Fr. Matt Lamb. Unfortunately, he found it necessary to escape to Ave Maria University. We also have the good fortune of being able to cross-register at St. John’s Seminary, where we can receive the excellent teaching of such masters as Fr. Romanus Cessario.
I knew “call me Walter” Cuenin to be a phony as early as 1995, and am glad that he has finally be ousted. I only fear that the damage that has been done may be next to impossible to reverse.
The revised 7th commandment: Thou shalt not have strange financial arrangements.
On the contrary: It’s theft. People go to jail for it.
Incidentally, Dom, one of my choir buddies made the same observation as this BC student: there are other parishes that pay their priests extra too.
I’d advise them to come clean to the archdiocese or they could be next.
Now ‘they’ are saying it’s a big conspiracy that even goes to Rome…
http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=104692
“Priest one of 20 critics of Law
By Marie Szaniszlo
Thursday, September 29, 2005
The Rev. Walter Cuenin, who was pressured to resign last week from his Newton parish, has one thing in common with 19 other Archdiocese of Boston clerics forced from their parishes in the past three years: He signed a letter calling for the resignation of Bernard Cardinal Law.”
Hello Ad,
You have my sympathy and condolences.
Certainly a few orthodox young scholars have successfully navigated the BC doctoral program in recent years. It’s also true – as I understand it – that with the passing of Fr. Fortin and the departure of Fr. Lamb, it’s gotten tougher to be a place to do solid, orthodox theology or something approximating it. You are blessed to have the opportunity to study under Fr. Cessario at St. John’s.
Otherwise everyting you said comes as no surprise. They know that Cuenin was really sacked for his doctrinal dissent. Given all this I don’t see why O’Malley didn’t just come right out and admit it. The financial nonsense is just icing on the cake.
In Michael Paulson’s Globe article,9/28/05,regarding Bill Cotter’s letter from Bishop Lennon, Paulson states:“A leader of the parish’s delegation to the Gay Pride Parade said Cuenin did not author the bulletin announcement”. The truth is that in the Pastor’s Corner message, just above the Gay Pride March invitation which was put in the bulletin of 6/8/03 by “The Gay and Lesbian Faith Sharing Group and the Justice and Peace Committee”, Fr. Cuenin writes:“In keeping with that, I am happy to see that some of our parish will be walking in the Gay Pride March to affirm the dignity of gay people……Please see the article below for more details.” He is referencing the notice inviting parishioners to the Gay Pride March. He can say that he didn’t author the notice with the details of the Gay Pride March but he fails to say that he, Fr. Cuenin,himself, is the Coordinator of the Gay and Lesbian Outreach Group that did author it! Further, Fr. Cuenin certainly knew that the banner with the parish’s name and slogan on it was very visible at the Gay Pride March as Fr. Cuenin fully intended. In fact, when preparations were being made for the 2004 Gay pride March, Chuck Colbert wrote in “Sharper Focus:Boston’s Jesuit Urban Center should parade it’s pride”(Apr.29,2004)
http://www.innewsweekly.com/Pages/NewsStories/current week/1336/chuck042904.htm
“And for a second time in a row, a contingent from Our Lady Help of Christian…will be out and about- marching . During a recent telephone interview, Our Lady’s pastor, Rev. Walter Cuenin, expressed enthusiasm about his parish’s participation. The reason for marching and the message of Our Lady’s is this: “Gay people are welcome in the Catholic Church”,said Cuenin.” Needless to say, Fr. Cuenin did not and never has said that those who have been engaging in same-sex sex acts need to decide to lead chaste lives according to the Holy See as is clear from the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.
Also, does someone have the answer as to how open supporters of same-sex sex are allowed to be on the Parish Council of a parish? Both Larry Kessler and Rosa Buffone, a self-described lesbian, are on the Parish Council. Doesn’t a person have to be a practicing Catholic to be on a Parish Council?