French villagers back priest with partner

[JODO 2]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from...ent/6664861.stm

French villagers back priest with partner

A Catholic priest in south-west France has been forced out of the clergy after admitting to the Church authorities that he was having a sexual relationship with one of his parishioners. The BBC's Emma Jane Kirby says this has set off a fresh debate about celibacy in the Church.

There is a wonderful sense of stillness in the mountains overlooking the little village of Asson - a few swallows surf gently on the upwind currents and a shepherd sits quietly watching his flock of fat, thickly pelted sheep graze on the velvet grass.

It is a bit like one of those bucolic woodcut scenes you find in ancient bibles. But, in this religious landscape, those who break the rules are quickly cast asunder.

To a passer by, Fr Leon and his partner Marga probably look like any other middle-aged couple taking an evening stroll together.

He is twinkly eyed and looks a little like Dustin Hoffman. She seems warm and open and is still a very attractive woman. But in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church, Leon and Marga are sinners.

'Closer to God'

For the past 22 years, the couple have been in a sexual relationship, which is forbidden to a Catholic priest who has vowed to remain celibate. Fr Leon admits he has broken his promise but claims that being in love has brought him closer to God and his congregation.

"I haven't been strictly faithful to all my vows," he says.

"And I worried that by breaking some of those vows I had hurt Our Lord. But I think God can see that my relationship with Marga has brought real fruits to the church - far from being a handicap to my mission as a priest, she's been a great support. I just wish the Church could see that."

There is no doubt that Fr Leon has been an excellent parish priest.

It is difficult to keep him focused on the interview I am trying to conduct with him because every five minutes a parishioner appears at the presbytery door with a hamper of food, a good luck card or a small child for him to bless or kiss goodbye.

Everyone is in tears, particularly when they hug Marga, who is herself overcome with emotion and sobbing.

Far from being seen as the wicked temptress, or the wanton Eve who lured a pure man of the cloth into tasting the forbidden fruit, Marga is seen among the villagers as a great friend. A devout Catholic herself, she is hurt by the Church's attitude to the man she loves.

'On strike'

"They have just thrown him away like a dirty thing," she tells me, her bottom lip trembling.

"When the Church told him they were sanctioning him and that he would no longer be able to say Mass, he was broken. The Church doesn't see that it's hurting so many people forcing him to leave his parish.

"I work with a lot of elderly folk who say their only comfort is knowing that Fr Leon will be with them when they die. Now they don't have anyone they trust to hold their hands at the end."

The parishioners have spent three weeks "on strike" - boycotting Mass and refusing to go to Church with the new priest.

I watched them make huge protest banners from bed sheets and hang them from the belfry and roof, turning Asson's 13th Century place of worship into a giant billboard.

For some it was the beginnings of a revolution, a backlash against hierarchical traditions they feel have long been outdated. For others, peeping timidly over their garden gates at the church walls, the banners were a step too far - a defacement (albeit a temporary one) of God's sacred house.

Praying at home

The parishioners are being torn between their love for Fr Leon and their sense of duty to God and slowly, they have begun returning to mass.

Fr Benat Segur, from a neighbouring parish, told me he hopes things will quieten down now.

While he was a friend of Father Leon's, a vow is a vow and you can no longer call yourself a Catholic priest if you take a girlfriend, he said. You have to become a Protestant.

Fr Leon and Marga do not go to Mass anymore.

Instead, they pray at home, reciting the Lord's Prayer together in a corner of their living room before a wooden statue of the Pyrenean saint St Jacques.

Edited May 17, 2007 by JODO

[almaty 19]

it is a stange and irrational practice imho, that priests cannot have partners..popes were married in the beginning..

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Whoa...from the title of this thread I thought for sure his partner was a he. :

[Sinergy 3]

it is a stange and irrational practice imho, that priests cannot have partners..popes were married in the beginning..

I agree

[Alex+R 0]

Whoa...from the title of this thread I thought for sure his partner was a he. :

hehehe me too...

Seriously, I think this story is extremely sweet. Would make a good subplot to a cute little movie someday.

Asking men to stop being men is just...silly.

[Sinergy 3]

Whoa...from the title of this thread I thought for sure his partner was a he. :

hehehe me too...

Seriously, I think this story is extremely sweet. Would make a good subplot to a cute little movie someday.

Asking men to stop being men is just...silly.

It will prolly be on lifetime in a month

[Alex+R 0]

Whoa...from the title of this thread I thought for sure his partner was a he. :

hehehe me too...

Seriously, I think this story is extremely sweet. Would make a good subplot to a cute little movie someday.

Asking men to stop being men is just...silly.

It will prolly be on lifetime in a month

Actually I'm thinking more like "Chocolat" or some cheesy Euro movie made for Americans. I'm thinking it will be an art house movie you can take your grandma to....

[Emancipation 2]

[

While he was a friend of Father Leon's, a vow is a vow and you can no longer call yourself a Catholic priest if you take a girlfriend, he said. You have to become a Protestant.

Best line in the whole article.. hee hee.. whoops.. just realized i sped read it wrong I thought it said

"you can no longer call yourself a priest if you take a girlfriend, you have just become a protestant".. lol!

READ EMAN READ!

Edited May 17, 2007 by Emancipation

[Sinergy 3]

Whoa...from the title of this thread I thought for sure his partner was a he. :

hehehe me too...

Seriously, I think this story is extremely sweet. Would make a good subplot to a cute little movie someday.

Asking men to stop being men is just...silly.

It will prolly be on lifetime in a month

Actually I'm thinking more like "Chocolat" or some cheesy Euro movie made for Americans. I'm thinking it will be an art house movie you can take your grandma to....

HAHAHAHA, that was a good movie

[JODO 2]

I know when I clicked on the story at BBC I thought his partner was going to be a he as well! So, I started to put girlfriend in the title,but I wanted to keep some of the suspense!!

[broma25 2]

Wasnt this already on TV many moons ago. I dont remember the name of the show but I believe Richard Chamberlain was in it. I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Just remembered it was The Thorn Birds.

Edited May 17, 2007 by broma25

[JODO 2]

Oohh I loveddddddd the Thorn Birds ! Little Maggie and what was his name? Luke? or Richard?