7 Quick Takes #53

See more 7 Quick Takes Contributions at Jennifer Fulwiler's Conversion Diary.

What a strange week this has been! To begin with, it had eight days, including two Thursdays, and I had three days of birthdays! It all had to do with crossing the International Date Line. It has also been a traumatic week, beginning with the accusation of our parish priest of sexual misconduct, so I will start with that and move on to the rest of the craziness this week.

1. I posted the story of our parish priest here: Help! Please, Help! Since that posting, I have been able to communicate with our priest, who has been removed from the parish twice, once by phone and once by internet. I am proud of my parish; not one person is willing to believe this seemingly bogus claim. Another priest called the family "scum." I have never heard a priest, let alone this kindly priest, ever say such a thing about anyone. The name has not been divulged, but I have found out that the accuser is someone with a criminal record. Fortunately, our priest has the best law firm in town; a friend of mine is a partner in the firm, and I was able to find out that the lawyer assigned to our priest is the best of the best. Unfortunately, the diocese has been irresponsible in how it has treated the situation, not explaining terminology and misleading parishioners about the situation, letting them think that our priest has been found guilty when the investigation is actually just beginning. I am grateful to Fr. Gordon McRae and These Stone Walls for important information to help understand this situation. (If anyone doubts that priests are falsely accused, please take a look at this website: www.thesestonewalls.com.) As word has spread about what is really happening, it turns out that the diocese is trying to be even-handed. The parishioners attacked the press for biased reporting, and now the press is being more even-handed as well. Not one parishioner has spoken out against our priest, and a great many have spoken up in support. There is hope.

I found a wonderful prayer I shared with our priest and that I am now laminating to pass out to parishioners and other supporters. I would ask those of you who might feel moved to do so to pray it as well. You will have an entire town of grateful people.

They cried out, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
Pilate said to them, "I find no guilt in him.
Take him yourselves and crucify him." (John 19)

Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, falsely and maliciously accused by the mob,
have mercy on us.

Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, handed over to death by cowardly authority, have mercy on us.

Jesus Christ, Sun of Justice, vindicated by your Resurrection, grant us justice.

Father of Truth, send the light of your Holy Spirit into the darkness of every false accusation and unjust condemnation.

Give strength to the innocent to stand firmly in truth, as you gave to Jesus, in the face of torture and death.

Give courage to church and civil authorities to grant justice and due process to the innocent, in the face of the mob.
Father of Mercy, deliver your innocent ones from evil; grant them speedy justice and vindication, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Victim and Savior.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on all
innocent victims: the abused and the falsely accused.

This prayer was composed by Fr. Mychal Judge, OFM, police department chaplain who died at the WTC 9/11. He fought for the vigorous defense of a falsely accused priest in 1988-89. The priest was acquitted when it was shown he'd been framed and the evidence fabricated.

2. This has been a week of personal drama, as well. We thought we had signed all the paperwork and were on the way to purchasing a house when the bank reneged, wanting us to pay VA-required repairs upfront, but they would not guarantee that after we had done so that they would, for sure, sell the house to us. Over the weekend, we were bullied by the real estate agent (who represents the bank) to agree to paying for the repairs, but since we would be repairing someone else's property, I insisted on certain conditions, to which the bank would not agree. On Monday, the bank put the property back on the market but wanted to keep our good-faith money. We turned to a lawyer (should have done that from the beginning). All of a sudden, within hours, actually, the bank agreed to pay for the repairs, as well as agreed to all our conditions. When I returned from Korea on Thursday, I signed all the paperwork for the closing. Officially, we are supposed to close on Feb 28, but the lawyer believes that there should be no more glitches. I suspect he is right because he is watching!

3. Monday through Thursday, I was in Korea for the third time in the past year. I went there to do a program review. The poor acting site director was so nervous that he was sick -- went home right after we finished. He did an excellent job, and our programs there are clearly in good shape. I realized afterward why he had been so nervous. The previous director had been essentially incompetent and was relieved of duty, which is what brought him to an acting position. While the director's supervisor had worked for months with the director and our human resources officer to get the director to perform responsibility, the director never seemed wiling to make any attempt to do so. So, of course, she failed the program review and was fired. The acting director knew nothing about the inside story. All he knew was that I came for the program review in October, determined that the program was in bad shape, fired the director on the spot, and the director was not seen again. Thinking about that, I understood his panic!

4. February 16 is my birthday. I returned to my hotel after work on the 16th and found that the business manager had left me a birthday cake and gift (spa treatment at a highly reduced fee -- which I did not use, since being a farm girl, my idea of relaxation is chopping wood). Since Donnie had not so much as sent a birthday hello, I wrote on Face Book that I was considering divorcing Donnie and marring the Marriott. He responded with the comment that it was only Feb 15 in the States! Oops!

5. The next day, Feb 16 in the States and Feb 17 in Korea, I got my birthday wishes from Donnie -- and all my American friends. Yippee!! Two days of birthday this year! That was pretty extraordinary because usually I miss my birthday, typically being up in the air (literally).

6. I left Korea Feb 17 at 7 p.m. (Feb 16 States, i.e. my birthday) and had a special trip back -- upgraded to business class. I slept soundly in a seat that folded out flat. I missed the midnight snack and breakfast. No one could wake me up. (My kids used to complain about that; when they were sick at night, they would have to ask Donnie for help.) I arrived February 17 at noon, ready to relive the afternoon (strange feeling). So, Feb 17 at 7 p.m. I was sleeping on a plane and I was teaching catechism at Old Mission, a time warp that was hard to reconcile in my mind. At midnight, however, the time zones came together, and I had only one Feb 18.

7. Got back to work today just in time for a birthday party thrown by my staff! Cool! Three birthdays this year! Fortunately, I did not age three years in three days!

Wishing you all a great holiday weekend!