Funeral Prompts Forced Resignation of Priest

Baltimore's new Roman Catholic archbishop removed a priest who was pastor of three South Baltimore parishes for offenses that include officiating at a funeral Mass with an Episcopal priest, which violates canon law.

Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien personally ordered the Rev. Ray Martin, who has led the Catholic Community of South Baltimore for five years, to resign from the three churches and sign a statement yesterday apologizing for "bringing scandal to the church."

Martin led the funeral Mass on Oct. 15 for Locust Point activist Ann Shirley Doda at Our Lady of Good Counsel with several clergy, including the Rev. Annette Chappell, the pastor of the Episcopal Church of the Redemption in Locust Point, Martin said.

Do people no longer use their God-given intellects anymore? What was this priest thinking?

Sean Caine, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, said this was one example of repeated administrative and liturgical offenses Martin had committed in more than a year...

Figures...another advocate of the "Do-it-yourself" Mass...

Chappell did not participate in the consecration of the Eucharist but read the Gospel at the service, Martin said. Someone at the service reported to the archdiocese that Martin gestured to Chappell to take Communion, though Martin said he did not recall doing so...

Martin, who has not been defrocked, said he has been barred from celebrating Mass publicly. He will go on an extended retreat and counseling at a monastery in Latrobe, Pa., he said.

Good for Archbishop O'Brien! No doubt, he will be subjected to ridicule from those who understand little, if anything, about the Holy Mass or about the Catholic faith - and this unfortunately includes some Catholics.

The statement Martin signed will be read at weekend Masses at the community's three parishes, Our Lady of Good Counsel, St. Mary's Star of the Sea and Holy Cross parishes, Martin said...

"What, are we in the Dark Ages again? This is absolutely ridiculous," [said Joyce Bauerle, a longtime friend of Shirley Doda.]

Decades of catechetical failure may be one of the reasons for such ignorance. It could also be due to an attitude of dissent, especially considering the pries was admonished before and gave such a bad example when it came to liturgical necessities...