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| Fr Donat Gionet CJM |
Fr Donat Gionet, an Eudist Father with several decades of faithful and loyal ministry behind him, was accused of "homophobia" by some parishioners after he condemned a homosexual "Pride" parade in Moncton during his homily, which was preached on the weekend of 20-21 August. LifeSiteNews reports that, "his loudest critic was the mayor of Saint-Leolin, Joseph Lanteigne, an open homosexual and member of the parish council, who demanded the priest’s suspension." In an act of cowardice and accommodation to the modern world - "that wicked an perverse generation" (cf Mt 17:17) - the local Ordinary seemed only too happy to obey the "gay mayor". It appears that local government officials and parish councils have now usurped Rome when it comes to authority in the Church! If only Bishop Valéry was as ready and willing to obey Christ and his Vicar on Earth, though, as the Church might actually be now be saving souls, not condemning truth and sending men and women to Hell.
In an open letter asking for justice, Fr Gionet wrote that his August homily was meant to explain that although "the gates of hell" seek to destroy the Church, it seems that some Catholics are the ones who trying to "destroy our Church" today. As evidence of the Church's submission to the world and to the forces that are seeking to destroy her, Fr Gionet pointed to the high number of abortions among Catholics and the presence of homosexuality in the Church. He also said that cohabitating couples and active homosexuals ought not to receive the Eucharist, but are still welcome to attend Mass. In other words, Fr Donat Gionet was preaching the Gospel and the teachings of the Church, as they are meant to be preached if souls are to be saved.
According to LifeSiteNews, Fr Wesley Wade, Vicar General for the Diocese of Bathhurst, told Radio-Canada that Fr Gionet’s comments were consistent with Church teaching, but lacked the proper "pastoral" sensitivity (whatever that might mean!). He went on to say, "It was mainly the pastoral approach that was lacking ... A lack of respect, perhaps, for the people identified, for the groups of people as well, which caused a division in the community. It was a difficult decision." For all his guff on "pastoral sensitivities", it seems that Fr Wade could learn a thing or two about being a pastoral priest from Fr Gionet. For example, one commentator (amongst many who have written in support of Fr Donat Gionet) on the thread linked to the CBC News item covering this story had this to say:
Père Gionet was the priest in my village when I was a teenager. He was not only our priest; he was a friend, to me and to all youth in the village. To this day I always looked up to him even though we lost track or each other for close to 30 years now.
I find it disheartening that those who preach tolerance and forgiveness, and are the first to sit in the front seats at church, are also the first to spit on him while he is down. And that's including the Bishop, who did not even give him a chance to explain himself before repudiating him publicly. I say: Shame on these people…
I rarely go to church anymore. When I did, Père Gionet was the main reason. He made me believe. (Emphasis mine)It seems to me, then, that from the statements of former parishioners (there are several others), Fr Gionet is a faithful priest and has been an extremely pastoral minister of the Gospel for a very long time - whatever those modernists and perverters of the truth who have condemned him have to say to the contrary.
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| The Modernist Bishop Vienneau |
The truth is uncomfortable and always causes people to respond to it differently. Those unable or unwilling to accept the teaching of the Catholic Church and abide in her unity - including, it seems, Bishop Valéry, Fr Wade and Mayor Lanteigne - are entirely free to leave, as did those disciples who could not accept Christ's Eucharistic teaching and "turned back and no longer followed him" (Jn 6:66).
According to French-Canadian media reports Bishop Vienneau explained that the priest had refused to alter his statements, and also expressed regret that Fr Dionet's comments had "upset the faithful". What a disgusting and perverse man this Bishop seems to be! It is precisely because of men like him that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being smothered by the very ones charged with its preaching! It is because of pro-gay liberal modernists like this Bishop and his Vicar General that souls are being lost and that the Church is failing in her mission to convert sinners. It is horrendous and anti-Catholic wolves in sheep's clothing, like modernist bishops, who should be deprived of their clerical privileges - not good and faithful priests like Fr Donat Gionet!
I implore all my readers to complain to this Bishop concerning the way he has treated Fr Dionet. I also ask you to contact the Congregation for Bishops and the Congregation for Clergy to ask Rome to intervene in this depressing and unjust case - where a real and genuine Catholic is being hounded, persecuted and abused by his own Church!
Contact Information:
Most Rev Valéry Vienneau
Bishop of Bathurst
645 Avenue Murray
CP 460
Bathurst, NB E2A 3Z4
Tel: (506) 546-1420
Fax: (506) 548-5565
E-mail: valeryv@nb.aibn.com
HE Cardinal Marc Ouellet PSS
Prefect
Congregatio pro Episcopis
Palazzo della Congregazioni
Piazza Pio XII, 10
00193 Roma
Italy
HE Cardinal Mauro Piacenza
Prefect
Congregatio pro Clericis
Palazzo delle Congregazioni
Piazza Pio XII, 3
00193 Roma
Italy
St Jean-Marie Vianney, ora pro nobis
Pope St Pius V, ora pro nobis
[Images: Fr Doonat Gionet; source: LifeSiteNews. Bishop Valéry Vienneau; source: Les sans ouate blog]
16 comments:
This is such a sad story. I find it difficult to believe that the priest was suspended for just this matter, but, if this is the truth, then those responsible for his suspension will have something serious to answer for at the judgement seat.
Moreover, you are quite right to question the excuse of "pastoral insensitivity". Not only has the bishop been 'unpastoral', but what is 'pastoral' about letting people think it is OK for them to lead sinful lives?! Surely, allowing people to throw themselves into perdition is a terrible sin! Isn't that why the Lord gave us the sacraments, and the priesthood?!
Stories like these help us understand what Blessed John Henry meant when he said he would toast conscious first, over obedience! God bless Father Gionet.
@ Innocentius
I, too, couldn't believe this story when I first read it. It's awful to think that a priest would be suspended for preaching the Gospel! But, sadly, it seems this is not an unique case.
Yes, of course, as you point out, it is the bishop who's being unpastoral - he seems happy to see the ruin of souls and has forgotten that all Christians are duty bound to "admonish the sinner".
A vigorous and ardent appeal needs to be delivered at once. Thank you for posting the addresses, I will use them.
Beloved Saint Padre Pio of Pietralcina, Pray for them!
The 1986 CDF document on homosexuality http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html states:- "We encourage the Bishops, then, to provide pastoral care in full accord with the teaching of the Church for homosexual persons of their dioceses. No authentic pastoral programme will include organizations in which homosexual persons associate with each other without clearly stating that homosexual activity is immoral. A truly pastoral approach will appreciate the need for homosexual persons to avoid the near occasions of sin. We would heartily encourage programmes where these dangers are avoided. But we wish to make it clear that departure from the Church's teaching, or silence about it, in an effort to provide pastoral care is neither caring nor pastoral. Only what is true can ultimately be pastoral. The neglect of the Church's position prevents homosexual men and women from receiving the care they need and deserve."
Vienneau, and so many other bishops, like our own Vincent Nichols, who continues to ignore this CDF document and allows the scandalous Soho 'gay' Masses, are truly hirelings and will have to answer one day for pandering to evil.
The diocese's own words seem to confirm that poor Fr Gionet was removed for nothing more than relaying the Church's moral teaching. It is a shame there is no address to which we might send letters of support.
I disagree on one point: this isn't Modernism. Let's call it what it is. This is homosexual activism. A homosexual activist has complained about a priest's teaching Catholic morals, and a bishop appears to have acted in accordance with the dictates of the homosexual activist's cause rather than the Church's. I have no idea - nor am I especially interested in - whether Bishop Vienneau is a homosexual, but that he has allied himself with homosexual activists against a faithful Catholic priest looks hard to deny.
It will take a great pope - one who will be remembered down the ages - to tear up the poisonous vines which have been allowed to flourish these past fifty years. To entrust such men with the task of the New Evangelisation is like asking paedophiles to run a primary school.
Are we "Canadian Catholics" or Catholic Canadians? How we define ourselves says a lot about our commitment (or lack thereof) to Church teaching. Too often we have gutless clergy and dissenting laity attempting to define Catholicism in the image of Canadian society which is fast becoming Sodom and Gomorrah. At a college lecture by a prominent hierarch a couple of years ago, I recorded that archbishop's response to a family man's concerns about the mixed messages his children were getting when dissenting Catholic (in-name-only) politicians spew their bile and no one takes them to task. When the same fellow floated the idea that those same errant politicians be reprimanded and, if necessary excommunicated, the archbishop's response was that excommunication "somehow just isn't Canadian". I would have thought curbing the influence of unrepentant, obstinate sinners in our midst would have been the overarching concern for a shepherd entrusted with the care of his flock.
Until we get bishops and presbyters who understand that authentic pastoral sensitivity is more than timidity masquerading as "nicey nice", souls will be put in danger. What most cafeteria Catholics mean when they demand "pastoral sensitivity" is a gospel of porridge. A person with cancer needs to hear the unvarnished truth that, unless treatment begins immediately, the cancer will spread and certainly kill him. Likewise, a person at risk of dying an eternal death needs to know that unless she repents of her sins, and that God loves her and wants her to stop treating her body like trash, she will most certainly end up where the trajectory of her life is taking her, i.e., in hell.
Homosexual acts are sinful. Abortion is a grave crime against humanity. "Gay marriage" is a contradiction in terms. The Church must stand her ground against the temptation to lukewarmness.
Esp. in these times where anyone living in a habit of sin needs to be alarmed and/or shocked into realization of thier soul's situation, we have prelates of authority preferring the poor sheep to not only remain in such serious sin but to also feel good about it. A "woe be to those" warning of some time is appropriate here!
Wow. This is scandalous, in the fullest sense of the word. Thank you for reporting this. Holy Church is in crisis.
And also, thank you for providing the contact information - I have emailed His Excellency.
I am sorry to hear about the decision Bishop Vienneau made in this case, but not surprised, I have wrote and questioned why heretical teaching has been going on in the area for years and have been given the run-around, never have I heard that anything positive, or Catholic was done, I know the church will survive, as Father Corapi said, if we haven't made it fail yet it never will. By the way Father Corapi gave the Bishops a hard time and now he to is gone, I would hate to be in these Bishops shoes when they meet God face to face, too late then.
Let's all pray for our priests, Bishops included, we need good priests and I am sure the Holy Spirit will make sure we get them, this is just the beginning of change, Praise the Lord.
God bless
James
As I read these comments it reminds me of something someone once said, "If you're not a thorn in someone's side you're not doing your job" Well it looks like Father Gionet is working overtime, I hope it is contagious.
Pray for our priest.
God bless Father Gionet
For those willing to send him letter of support,
Père Donat Gionet
7 Boulevard St-Pierre Ouest
Caraquet, New-Brunswick,
Canada. E1W1B6
This is where he lives, in the basement of his brother`s house. He is my oncle.
Having talked to Father Gionet by phone I feel blessed to have met this saint, a man blessed by God, choosen to bring the TRUTH to the people in most need of it, but not only them, this incident has opened the eyes of many in the Catholic church, now we know where the bishop and his helpers stand, it seems more like a business decision than a religous one, I believe that they are in need of prayer and this is God's way of getting it for them, remember God loves even bishops and priest who make bad decisions, the Holy Spirit will help them, they will not be lost, Father Gionet is the good shepherd and he has found his sheep, pray for him, pray for all.
God bless
James
After reading this sad story about Father Gionet I just had to talk to him, after talking by phone to Father Gionet I realsized this man is a saint, blessed by God to bring the TRUTH to those in most need, but not only them, because of this incident many Catholics are awakened not only to the fact that they may not have been following the teaching of the Catholic church but also to the judgement and decision making of our bishop and his priests, Father Gionnet is the good shepherd who God has choosen to find the lost sheep, he has done a wonderful job and now the Holy Spirit is at work saving souls, yes God loves even bishops and priest who make mistakes, they will be saved and Father Gionet will have a special place in Heaven for having done his duty without fail or fear.
God bless our Bishop, priest and everyone.
Praise the Lord, He works in misterous ways, but He never fails.
James
Biblical stories are fairy tales. Homosexuality is not a sin.
The correct action was taken.
@ Charles U Farlie
The books contained in Sacred Scripture - which are many and varied - are most definitely not "fairy stories". Whilst homosexuality - whatever that really means - is in of itself not sinful, the Church (the one organisation that defines what it is to be a sin - and believes in the consequences of sin) definitely teaches that homosexual sexual acts are gravely sinful.
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