Anti-ecumenical priest kicked out

[Mexican]

NOTIMEX 10 january 2004

Fr. Sergio Navarro, 66, presbyter at Santiago Ap+¦stol Church in Tula, Hidalgo, was removed as parish priest this week, according to a bulletin issued by the local Diocese.

Although no reason was given for the removal, the priest had been involved in several incidents of intolerance since last year, in a region hit by ocassional disputes between Catholics and members of Evangelical denominations.

In March, a young pastor was beaten by angry Catholics while he was preaching in one neighbourhood. News reports informed that the priest Fr. Sergio incited the people to expell Evangelical famillies, and actively opposed the acceptance of Protestant children in the local school.

Although an agreement between local leaders and the government allowed the construction of an Evangelical Church, the temple has not opened for religious services because the priest suddenly dennounced the agreements previously signed and another unfortunate incident in which Catholics burnt an American flag in front of the Evangelical worship place.

Although the divisions he caused within the community are the reason of the priest removal from the parish, announced by the office of Bishop Octavio of Tula last wednesday, the local press informed that some parishioners had repeatedly complained about the "too conservative" way he celebrated mass and the way he attacked the Pope in his sermons. "He was turning the people against the Bishop and the Pope" a young parishioner said.

[Ebor]

"Anti-ecumenical"?!?  It's a bad thing/"ecumenist" to have both RC and protestant children in the same school?!?!  Inciting people to "expell" other people, who happen to not go to the same church is a Good thing?! (I need an emoticon of the Vulcan one-eyebrow-lifted  in query.)

This person is supposed to be an example of Christian charity?

Ebor

[Father Peter]

Yes...that was my opinion rather but I thought I better keep a low profile as to criticise would make it seem that I was an ecumenicist anti-Roman heretic.

[Ebor]

Ah, but is it "criticism" to say that an action is bad?  I mean one that is bad no matter what the situation.  It seems to me that, for instance, wanting to keep children who are, in some way, different out of a school is bad whether it's due to religion or ethnicity or skin colour etc etc.  As long as the various children are not doing evil things such as bullying, why should they not all be in school?

While I may be Anglican, no one here has called me an "ecumenist" yet... maybe they're just being very polite.   Or they figure I'm already hopeless.

Ebor

[Father Peter]

Hey don't worry Ebor I agree with you entirely.

[Br. Max, OFC]

SO why are they kicking this guy out?  I mean who wants a bunch of dirty protestants going to school with your kids?  You know that that stuff is catching!!  You might just send you kids to school good catholics and have them come home bible thumping fundies!

[the slave]

Hmm

well I do know some schools that  are Catholic in name but  are actually Muslim in roll

I mean Schools where 90% of the kids in each class are Muslim  - and that is a designated public RC School.

You have more chance of turning a child of a fundamentalist background than you have a Muslim.

It's s sad reflection of Society

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