I debated asking this here but, so many of you are much more knowledgable than myself, and really, I didn't have the heart to ask my uncle.
My uncle was a Catholic priest up until a few months ago when it was revealed that he had fornicated with a woman, and she was now pregnant. He went to the bishops with this news, and they told him to go on a month long retreat to think about what he would do, stay in the priesthood or leave. Well he ended up leaving after that month.
His girlfriend, I guess that's what she is, is a doctor. I guess, I just can't believe such a smart woman would ever think of doing that with a Catholic priest. I'm not saying he isn't to blame as well, but I just feel like she took advantage of him. He entered the seminary when he was only 11 years old out of pressure from his mother who felt that her youngest son had to become a priest to save her soul. Now, I have no idea why she felt that way, but alas, that is what happened.
He hadn't been ordained too many years ago, I suppose he had his chance then to leave but I sometimes wonder if he stayed out of that pressure from his family? I don't know, I'm not trying to justify what he did but I just can't help but wonder, what does the church say about someone like him and what he did? Will he go to hell?
My uncle is a good man, and when you see him now, he looks like he's about to jump off a roof. He's not the happy person he used to be, now he looks distant, like his mind is somewhere else, and I don't see him as being very in love with this pregnant girlfriend at all. I don't know if there is no affection there because they're ashamed of what the family will think or say, or what, but it seems so loveless.
I just don't know what to think of it all. His parents aren't even speaking to him really, everyone is terribly upset about it. I don't know what to think, my instinct is to blame that woman, I just think it's disgusting I guess.
I'm sorry, I just had to get this out. It's been very emotional. There are other things, but I'm afraid if I told you the things my uncle has said in the past about the priesthood, that you'd all be terribly upset as I was.
My uncle was a Catholic priest up until a few months ago when it was revealed that he had fornicated with a woman, and she was now pregnant. He went to the bishops with this news, and they told him to go on a month long retreat to think about what he would do, stay in the priesthood or leave. Well he ended up leaving after that month.
His girlfriend, I guess that's what she is, is a doctor. I guess, I just can't believe such a smart woman would ever think of doing that with a Catholic priest. I'm not saying he isn't to blame as well, but I just feel like she took advantage of him. He entered the seminary when he was only 11 years old out of pressure from his mother who felt that her youngest son had to become a priest to save her soul. Now, I have no idea why she felt that way, but alas, that is what happened.
He hadn't been ordained too many years ago, I suppose he had his chance then to leave but I sometimes wonder if he stayed out of that pressure from his family? I don't know, I'm not trying to justify what he did but I just can't help but wonder, what does the church say about someone like him and what he did? Will he go to hell?
My uncle is a good man, and when you see him now, he looks like he's about to jump off a roof. He's not the happy person he used to be, now he looks distant, like his mind is somewhere else, and I don't see him as being very in love with this pregnant girlfriend at all. I don't know if there is no affection there because they're ashamed of what the family will think or say, or what, but it seems so loveless.
I just don't know what to think of it all. His parents aren't even speaking to him really, everyone is terribly upset about it. I don't know what to think, my instinct is to blame that woman, I just think it's disgusting I guess.
I'm sorry, I just had to get this out. It's been very emotional. There are other things, but I'm afraid if I told you the things my uncle has said in the past about the priesthood, that you'd all be terribly upset as I was.