Priest Forgives His Father, Who Sired Him in Rape

A priest, who was conceived in rape has forgiven his father.  He was penitent and years later came to the Faith and goes to confession with his son.

Loja (kath.net/CNA) A priest who was conceived in rape has forgiven his father.  He did penance and returned to the Faith years later and goes to confession with his son.

“I could have ended up in the dustbin, but I lived”, said P. Luis Alfredo Leon Armijos from Ecuador.  His mother was raped by her employer.  She was 13 years old and worked in his house as a maid in order to supper her family financially.  Her family wanted to abort the child.  She flew to another city where she succeeded in bearing the child.

Later she was able to return with the help of the rapist.  He recognized the child and supported P. Leon’s mother  The relationship to his father was distant, but it was stamped with respect.  At the age of 16 he encountered the Charismatic renewal.  There he deepened his faith.  At 18 he felt called to the vocation of the priesthood and entered, against his father’s wishes, into the seminary.  At 23 he was ordained a priest.  Two years later he entered into the Neocatechumenal Way.  At this time he learned how he came into existence.  P. Leon helped his mother to lay aside her hatred against his father and to forgive him.  And also he learned with the help of the Gospels to forgive his father.

After many years he received a message from his father, who shortly before a surgical intervention was very afraid.  He asked his son, to hear his confession and returned to his Faith after 30 years.  “I said to him:  you have earned heaven, eternal life”,  recalled P. Leon.    His father broke into tears after hearing this.

“If you are a child or single mother, look how God our Father has cared for you in your life”,  recommends P. Leon, when he talks about his life.

Link to kath.net...

Father Jolie Takes German Colleagues to Task

Editor: Father Jolie is head of the German Network of Catholic Priests, which has a wide membership. It supports initiatives coming from Rome, particularly concerning the new translation of the Mass which contains the words "pro multis" for the Consecration. He was also a signatory of the petition which is now being presented to the German Bishops in a room at a Hotel where they are meeting. Never mind that.

Why Celibacy Looks Rigid, Anachronistic and Bizarre.

Father Hendrick Jolie: In sex-crazed Germany priests are viewed with a mixture of consternation and sympathy.


The German battle against celibacy always leads back to the laicization of the country's clergy. This was according to Pastor Hendrick Jolie (47) at the beginning of February in an interview with the Catholic portal 'kathnews.de'.

Today a priest in sex-crazed Germany is viewed with a "mixture of consternation and sympathy".

Father Jolie warns that this expression appears to be exaggerated:

"I experience it on location where it happens and I tell it factually firmly and without a trace of self-pity."

The Old Liberals Gentrified

The clergyman maintains that many priests are not convinced of the holiness and value of their station:

"You could recognize that already in the outer manner of many priests."

Most don't want to be "anything special", let people call them "Mr. XY" and lead average lives that can be hardly distinguished from an unmarried single burger bachelor.

Fr. Jolie tallies it off: "Home, car, vacation, free time, television, hobby -- most are into sports or a trendy hobby."

The address "Reverend" is painful to most priests:

"One of my colleagues, who upon seeing, for example, that I wear the soutane, makes a deep bow and insists on taking every opportunity to joke about it."

Just Not Priestly

The worst allegation in priestly circles is calling a colleague "clerical" -- "whatever that might mean".

Today a Catholic priest can be anything: "Homosexual, a masher [lecher], an apostate, a bird of paradise or a fantasy priest, just not: clerical."

Fr. Jolie continued: "Then they are socially complete."

In Liturgy he becomes fawning and takes great pains to avoid all appearance of distance or Sacrality:

"The more human, worldly and -- as people say amongst us -- "more charming" the priest's appearance the more beloved and folksy he is supposed to be."

Not a few priests go on vacation in the most common areas without the daily celebration of the Mass and not bringing priestly clothing.

What Father Jolie says then is conclusive:

"In the back ground of this manner of life celibacy appears in fact as extremely rigid, anachronistic and close to bizarre.

Link to original article...here.

'We Want to Be Reminded That Sometimes Sacrifice is Necessary'

The Bishops Ackermann and Genn have unveiled a memorial plaque for two Martyr Priest of the Nazi times -- they refused to give Hermann Goering the Hitler salute.

Nickenich/Wassenach (kath.net/Diocese of Trier) For two priests, who were brought to the concentration camp Dachau -- Johannes Schulz and Joseph Zilliken -- the Trier Bishop Stephan Ackerman and the Bishop of Muenster, Felix Genn, unveiled the commemorative plaque on Saturday.

The Nickenicher Priest Schulz and his colleague who was active in Wassenach had refused to give Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering the Hitler salute. They were imprisoned for this reason. Both died in 1942 in the concentration camp Dachau. The priests had already been under surveillance since the mid-thirties. The commemorative plaque is located at the Hotel Waldfrieden between Maria Laach and Wassenach.

Bishop Ackermann, who grew up in Nickenich, said, it is important, to remember and recall a culture, to continue working, in order to care for it and forge on. Finally, there are after 70 years following the event fewer and fewer witnesses, "to whom we can listen". He thanked those, who'd conceived the initiative, that now a commemorative plaque can recall the "Marytr Priests". The plaque does not disturb the charm of the place, which witnessed such "dramatic history" , rather it could be a way, that such things are prevented from happening again.

He and Bishop Genn were filled with gratitude in the unveiling and blessing of the tablet, that both priests had witnessed for the faith, said Ackermann. "We want to be reminded that moral courage, bravery and somtimes a readiness to sacrifice are necessary." The Wassenach native, Bishop Genn blessed the plaque after the unveiling.

At the beginning of the celebration, the Nickenicher Pastor Norbert Missong, alongside representatives of politics, Church and society as well as members of Pastor Schulz's family were greeted and he emphasized, that the 27th of May 1940 was an "essential moment of resistance." "Here the pastors had the courage to recognize, that man owes more duty to God than he owes to man." The commemorative plaque is a challenge to each individual, what he is ready to bring for the Faith.

Original, here...

Foto: (c) www.etm-medienbuero.de