Dissenting Priest Fr. Thomas Rosica Chosen to Lead FL Seminary Retreat

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BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (ChurchMilitant.com) - Homosexualist priest Fr. Thomas Rosica has been selected to lead a retreat for U.S. clergy early next year in Florida

Saint Vincent De Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida, in Bp. Gerald M. Barbarito's diocese, will host its annual Priest Winter Institute, a week-long retreat for parish priests, January 28–February 2.

Titled "Hearts Catching Fire: How to make the Scriptures come alive for our people," the aim of the 2018 conference is to help "those who proclaim and preach ... understand the meaning of the message of God's Word."

For faithful Catholics, the fact that Fr. Rosica is being given a seminary platform, however temporary, from which to mold the minds and souls of priests is cause for grave concern. The strikes against his suitability for the position are legion:

• Father Rosica has publicly declared his "hero" (his term) to be arch-heretic and openly gay former priest, the late Fr. Gregory Baum. Baum, who died on October 18, publicly rejected Church teaching on contraception, homosexuality, devotion to Our Lady, Church authority and the nature of the Catholic priesthood. Faithful Catholics describe his influence on the Church in Canada as utterly malign. Monsignor Vincent Foy, the foremost expert on the Canadian bishops' dissent against Pope Paul VI's reiteration of Church teaching on contraception, wrote that "If it had not been for the black shadow of Baum ... his influence over some bishops, the Canadian theological establishment and pressure groups, the Winnipeg Statement of the Canadian Bishops on Humanae Vitae would not have refused to endorse the teaching of the encyclical as it did."

• During the October 2015 Synod in Rome, Fr. Rosica caused scandal by granting gay activist Francis DeBernardo of dissident "Catholic" group New Ways Ministry — a group censured by the Vatican — a press pass, despite the fact that DeBernardo is not a journalist. Credentialed, faithful Catholic journalists, meanwhile, were denied entry into the press hall.

• Father Rosica was caught in a deliberate falsehood during Pope Francis' 2015 visit to the United States. Rosica claimed the Pope had not met privately with Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk jailed for refusing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Later forced to backtrack, Rosica said the Holy Father had, in fact, met with Davis, but insisted the meeting was one of several that day.

• In February 2015, Fr. Rosica threatened to sue Catholic blogger David Domet for criticizing him as dishonest and unethical. Church Militant first reported the incident, which soon spread across Catholic media, sparking widespread denunciation of Fr. Rosica's bullying of a simple blogger.

• Father Rosica, a robust defender of Fr. James Martin and his pro-gay book, Building a Bridge, went to bat for the heretical Jesuit after Abp. Charles Chaput of Philadelphia penned a correction to Fr. Martin for discarding Church teaching on homosexuality.

These and a host of other theological and ethical red flags dog Fr. Rosica's years in the Church, and his placement in a position of influence over U.S. priests is prompting concern among faithful Catholics.

Church Militant reached out to St. Vincent De Paul Regional Seminary's retreat contact for comment but as of press time received no response.

Bishop Barbarito is the subject of a lawsuit by whistleblower priest Fr. John Gallagher, who alleged the diocese retaliated against him for turning in a fellow priest caught showing porn to a boy. In 2015, Gallagher reported Fr. Jose Palimattom, who had confessed to showing a 14-year-old boy pornography on his cellphone after Mass, later sending him a note on Facebook reading "Good night. Sweet dreams." Palimattom was eventually sentenced to six months' jail time for the crime.

Although Gallagher received praise from the police for his cooperation, the priest claims he was "frozen out" by the diocese, demoted to a different parish, and placed on medical leave.

The diocese is denying the charges, claiming Gallagher was placed on medical leave at his own request after suffering a heart attack.

Gallagher sued the diocese in 2016 for defamation after it publicly accused him of "blatantly lying." A Florida court ruled in July that Gallagher's lawsuit could move forward, after the diocese moved to dismiss the case.

Beyond the prominence assigned to Fr. Rosica at the seminary retreat, literature currently available suggests a heavily feelings-based theme.

The brochure counsels priests "not to look like sourpusses" when delivering the Word of God and suggests the key to effective ministry is to become more animated.

Pope Francis, it says, "challenges us to be witnesses and not teachers, so the more excited we become about our message, the more excited our congregation will become, and in that way, the message gets under their skin and has a lasting effect."

The brochure makes no distinction between fleeting, self-generated enthusiasm and divine ardor driven by the Holy Spirit.

In short, the Fr. Rosica led retreat will prescribe emotionalism in place of catechesis as the way "to make the Scriptures come alive" for U.S. Catholics.

Executive Secretary to Bp. Barbarito: Email

Phone number: (561) 775-9595

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