Homosexual Priest Defended by Monsignor

by Christopher A. Ferrara

        George Archibald of the Washington Times reports (July 8, 2002) that "The pastor of a Dallas Catholic church harshly criticized orthodox parishioners over the weekend for ‘hate and vengeance’ in prompting the removal of his homosexual assistant pastor, who told a pornographic Internet clergy chat room that he lusted for Hispanic men and youth."

        To recall the incident - uncovered by the Catholic lay action group Roman Catholic Faithful - Garner posted a message on a website frequented by assorted homosexual infiltrators of the hierarchy, including Bishop Cawcutt of South Africa, who has managed to escape any real discipline by the Vatican. In the message Garner explicitly discussed his perverse attraction to a "youth pastor" at his parish, and to other males of the same ethnic extraction. (I will spare the reader the scandalous details of what he said.)

        Employing the "healing and forgiveness" line the North American hierarchy has adopted, now that its forty-year cover-up of massive homosexual infiltration of seminaries, parishes and chanceries has been exposed, Garner’s superior, Msgr. Lawrence Pichard of St. Pius X Catholic Church in East Dallas, "chastised members of the parish for ‘hatred’ in refusing to forgive the Rev. Clifford Garner, 36 …"

        Forgive? What does this have to do with forgiveness? An admitted sexual deviant proudly displays his deviancy on the Internet, causing an international scandal, and now the parishioners object to his presence in their parish - as well they should. Forgiveness is one thing, but repairing scandal is another. Garner has no place in a parish where he must preach and exemplify the Gospel and be in close proximity to teenage boys.

        But according to Msgr. Pichard, the whole thing should be forgotten because it happened a whole two years ago and "Father Cliff" had promised "to never visit that Web site again." Wow! And as if that were not enough, why, Father Cliff has had to "go through a process of intense counseling."

        Counseling, you say! Ah yes, the modern cure-all for everything. Attend some counseling sessions and then demand "forgiveness." But notice that following his "counseling" - no doubt provided by some liberal psychologist on diocesan retainer - "Father Cliff" has not stepped forward to repudiate his perversion or to apologize for the scandal he has given. Quite the contrary. One parishioner observed that at a meeting with justifiably angry parish members, "Father Garner refused to discuss his homosexuality. We were told it was none of our business. Father Garner said, ‘I'm sorry if this has scandalized you all,’ but he did not ask forgiveness or admit that his conduct had been sinful."

        A doctor who attended the meeting with "Father Cliff" observed that "at the end of the meeting, Cliff had the final opportunity to speak and gave a very arrogant speech in which he told all the parents, ‘And I’ll be watching you.’" He’ll be watching the parents? "Father Cliff" brings new meaning to the word chutzpah. Obviously, this character had to go. The man is positively scary.

        So, despite his "counseling" it seems that "Father Cliff" remains a defiantly unrepentant homosexual. As Stephen G. Brady, president of Roman Catholic Faithful, observed: "Father Garner remained a member of the homosexual chat group through a different e-mail address after superiors told him in April 2000 to stop participating." So, "Father Cliff" can add lying to his superiors to his resume, along with "prefers Hispanic males."

        This is the sort of priest who is defended by his superiors after forty years of post-conciliar "renewal" of the Church. Meanwhile, Father Nicholas Gruner battles a public threat of excommunication from the same Congregation for the Clergy that has slumbered through the homosexual infiltration of the Church and spread of heresy in every nation. Father Gruner, who has kept the faith and kept his vows, is the only priest facing such a threat among all the diocesan priests of the world. Why? Because he preaches the Message of Fatima and bucks Cardinal Sodano’s Party Line that Fatima "belongs to the past." No wonder Sister Lucy spoke of a diabolical disorientation in the Church. What could be more diabolical than the insane double standard of justice in the Church today?