Priest Denied Justice

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TRANSCRIPT

Dozens of Catholics gathered outside the Vatican embassy in D.C. Friday to show support for a punished priest.

Father Mark White of the diocese of Richmond, Virginia has been sidelined by his bishop, for blog posts about the homopredator crisis and cover-up in the Church. Father White is especially outspoken about now-laicized ex-cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

His bishop, Barry Knestout, became enraged and eventually kicked White off the parish property in the spring, and even changed the locks — while also suspending his faculties.

White did have recourse to canon law — able to keep the title of pastor on a temporary basis as his appeal moved along — but he has no authority as pastor.

However, in June the Congregation for Clergy sided with the bishop, saying it would not hear Father's appeal — citing a technicality of how his appeal was submitted.

On Friday, about 60 people gathered in prayer in D.C., appealing for justice to the nuncio — the pope's ambassador to the United States. No one from the nunciature came outside and interacted with the prayerful demonstrators.

Father White says he contacted the nunciature 11 days in advance to schedule a meeting, but received no response.

Knestout has close ties to some of the abusive and cover-up clergy Fr. White has criticized. He was McCarrick's personal secretary in 2003–2004, and was made a bishop by Cdl. Donald Wuerl — who resigned in disgrace after he was caught covering up for McCarrick.

Father White's supporters remain committed to standing for their pastor amid the canonical battle with the bishop.

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