Tell And Shame
Must've been one of those infamous 'slow news days'. Or just practising their option to foment a little bit of controversy. The pretense of unveiling and in the process unravelling hypocrisy? Well, certainly there was that in the story to an extent. Perhaps, given later information that distracted from the message contained in the news story, merely illustrating and illuminating just how human we all are.
Some, obviously more than others, as far as fallibility goes. On the other hand, there are some who see it as their role in life to bring hope and cheer to others and they are gifted at doing this. Those who give relief from sorrow and unwieldy concerns to others are indeed special in any society. Those who do not merely stand before others and thunder sermons from the pulpit, but those who display their compassion for others.
And it would appear, from all the protesting letters from parishioners of Father Joe LeClair that he has touched people deeply, to the very core and essence of their being. People who trust "Father Joe", and who stand prepared to forgive his transgressions, for no one, they affirm in their trust of his care for others, is immune from falling from grace.
The front-page article published on April 16 of the Ottawa Citizen titled "The priest, his gambling and trouble at Blessed Sacrament", laid out in stark and living detail the calling of a man who responded to the needs of those who attend his church. Emphasizing the good man's obvious detour from selflessness and pandering to his inner need to gamble.
Details of his salary, his emoluments for services rendered, his home and his vehicle, along with the advances he called upon through his credit to permit him to gamble large sums of money at Casino du Lac-Leamy, totalling some $490,000, of which he repaid Visa $424,000. Whose business and concern is this man's private life? That of his parish to be sure, and they are dealing with it.
Why might it have been seen as desirable to unveil this man's personal life and unfortunate addiction, to the world at large? Sensational news always seeps its way into the news and slithers from one news source to another; fascinating. Father LeClair faced his parishioners after the initial story was published, confessed his weakness, asked for their understanding.
As he gave them compassion and his caring presence in their many times of personal need, they have returned in kind if not quality and quantity what he expended upon them. This man transformed a moribund parish and church into a place of genuine support and worship for his community. He earned the trust and caring that is now lavished upon him.
Allusions to his having possibly lifted church funds to pay his debts are denied by the church hierarchy. The very thought of the appropriation of funds given by church attendees to further the work of the church they depend upon being used in the manner the newspaper article suggested has been strenuously denied by Father LeClair and supported by the church.
If anything useful has come out of this unfortunate decision on the part of the newspaper descending to a rare display of muckraking, it is the opportunity given those who trust the man obliquely accused to demonstrate their own forgiving natures with respect to human imperfection.
Some, obviously more than others, as far as fallibility goes. On the other hand, there are some who see it as their role in life to bring hope and cheer to others and they are gifted at doing this. Those who give relief from sorrow and unwieldy concerns to others are indeed special in any society. Those who do not merely stand before others and thunder sermons from the pulpit, but those who display their compassion for others.
And it would appear, from all the protesting letters from parishioners of Father Joe LeClair that he has touched people deeply, to the very core and essence of their being. People who trust "Father Joe", and who stand prepared to forgive his transgressions, for no one, they affirm in their trust of his care for others, is immune from falling from grace.
The front-page article published on April 16 of the Ottawa Citizen titled "The priest, his gambling and trouble at Blessed Sacrament", laid out in stark and living detail the calling of a man who responded to the needs of those who attend his church. Emphasizing the good man's obvious detour from selflessness and pandering to his inner need to gamble.
Details of his salary, his emoluments for services rendered, his home and his vehicle, along with the advances he called upon through his credit to permit him to gamble large sums of money at Casino du Lac-Leamy, totalling some $490,000, of which he repaid Visa $424,000. Whose business and concern is this man's private life? That of his parish to be sure, and they are dealing with it.
Why might it have been seen as desirable to unveil this man's personal life and unfortunate addiction, to the world at large? Sensational news always seeps its way into the news and slithers from one news source to another; fascinating. Father LeClair faced his parishioners after the initial story was published, confessed his weakness, asked for their understanding.
As he gave them compassion and his caring presence in their many times of personal need, they have returned in kind if not quality and quantity what he expended upon them. This man transformed a moribund parish and church into a place of genuine support and worship for his community. He earned the trust and caring that is now lavished upon him.
Allusions to his having possibly lifted church funds to pay his debts are denied by the church hierarchy. The very thought of the appropriation of funds given by church attendees to further the work of the church they depend upon being used in the manner the newspaper article suggested has been strenuously denied by Father LeClair and supported by the church.
If anything useful has come out of this unfortunate decision on the part of the newspaper descending to a rare display of muckraking, it is the opportunity given those who trust the man obliquely accused to demonstrate their own forgiving natures with respect to human imperfection.
Labels: Human Relations, Ontario, Ottawa, religion, Social-Cultural Deviations
posted by Pieface @ 6:20 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home