Priest threatens reporter during interview over expulsion of parishioner for supporting Obama

[BurtWorm]

http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_10968492

By Robin Miller
MediaNews staff
Article Last Updated: 11/12/2008 07:26:15 PM PST

Related

* Nov 12:
* Church parishioner claims pastor humiliated her over Obama signs

A Fairfield priest verbally and physically attacked a reporter during an interview Wednesday morning at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, according to a report filed with police.

Staff writer Ryan Chalk of the Vacaville Reporter, a MediaNews paper, went to the church to talk to the Rev. Sebastian Meyer about a story on an alleged conflict with a parishioner that had happened during Sunday Mass.

After identifying himself as a reporter, Chalk explained that he was working on a story about a parishioner who claimed the priest expelled her from Mass because her vehicle sported painted signs in support of president-elect Barack Obama.

"He became very agitated," Chalk said. "He told me, 'No, we're not writing that. I did not touch her. I did not talk to her.'"

Chalk said Meyer then threatened to file a lawsuit if any story were written and told him it was "illegal because it's none of your business."

"At that point, I took my notepad out and asked what was illegal," Chalk said.


...

[Old and In the Way]

1. I'm so old, I remember when Priests were into social activism

- against wars and liberation theology. Looks like they are now pretty much towing the Republican line.

[eleny]

2. My mother thought the world of the Maryknollers

Their little magazine was read from cover to cover. She loved the activists in the church and would have disliked this priest.

[roguevalley]

6. there are good orders. the Little Sisters of Jesus. What an asshole

this guy is.

[lapfog_1]

3. Face it.

Only a certain (shrinking) percentage of grown adults buys into the fairy tales that are organized religion.

In the last few decades, the only expanding religions are fundie types (evangelicals, Mormons, etc).

The Catholics watched as their pews were emptied and only the old people attended.

They had to compete. So they turned fundamentalist.

[rvablue]

12. Does you assertion include Jews and Muslims? n/t

[SavageDem]

13. I find fanatical atheists as rigid and close-minded as fanatical religious folk

I think there is a balance to be struck, and certainly respect to be given to the beliefs of either "sect" - the secular and the religious - and the agnostics in the middle. Since none of us will know who's right (as in "correct") and who's wrong until it's too late to post on DU about it, we might as well hold off on the name-calling and disparagement from either side.

I, for one, think there are many solid principles to be found in the tenets of the major religions, the Golden Rule being one of these. And I find too much wonder in the world and Universe to imagine that there's nothing else besides this life. But I don't force others to share my beliefs, understand those who use the argument, "If there is a God, then why does It (as God is larger than a sexual identity, to my way of thinking) allow bad things to happen?" to justify the non-existence of God (discounting the very essence of free will), and share the frustration that you - and many others - feel with all the bad things that have been done in the name of religion.

[lapfog_1]

15. This wasn't a discussion of atheism

It simply a set of observations as to WHY the Catholic church is behaving more and more like fundamentalist evangelicals.

I'm not the first to make the observation, I believe that "Dateline" or some other news magazine had an in dept report on this some number of years ago, complete with statistics.

There is a declining pool of religious people in the United States.

The Catholic church (as well as many of the "mainstream" Protestant churches) are facing declining attendance plus the average age of attendants is rising. The evangelicals and other, non mainstream, religions are growing (though NOT as rapidly as overall church attendance is dropping).

My belief is that the Catholic church has decided on a "hard line" approach to theology, preaching more about the wrath of God as opposed to the "grace of God" as a method to retain younger church goers who are attracted to some of the more radical fundamentalist religions (like Palin's Assembly of God).

[SavageDem]

20. The "fairy tales that are organized religion" is what triggered that response.

But I agree completely with the point you make here. There is no doubt that the fundamentalists are the fastest (only?) growing component of "religious" folks in the U.S. I've seen the stats, too. And I concur wholeheartedly that the Catholics have tried to "niche market" themselves by clinging to and reinforcing outdated and regressive tenets. Whether through hard-headedness or cold calculation, they've become more and more like other fundamentalist denominations and religions. It's amazing to me that more people can't step outside and compare their faith to others they would denounce; radical "Christianity" (quotes, as I don't equate their practice with true Christianity) is just as hate-filled and shallow as radical "Islam" (quotes for same reason).

[Eyerish]

4. It's all about the money now....

That's what the "faith-based initiatives" was all about. Buying the religious vote. Where else can you get millions of eager listeners to your RW agenda on a weekly basis?

I'm so glad I got out of the Catholic cult 10 years ago and never looked back...

Edited: spelling

[intheflow]

5. Progressive Catholic leadership still exists.

http://www.futurechurch.org/links.htm

[ShortnFiery]

9. Thank-you for this link.

:hi: It will be put to good use.

[intheflow]

23. I have honestly never met an arch-conservative Catholic.

Of course I grew up in Massachusetts. :) And here in Denver I went to a progressive seminary, and the Catholic students fit right in. :hi:

[Old and In the Way]

25. 8 years of Jesuit education for me, intheflow

A committed agnostic on religion. This tendency for the Catholic Church to move right from social issues to personal issues makes me less interested in their message. A shame, actually. The people who are most interested in peace and social justice are being driven out of the Church because its run run by a bunch of old, white guys.....reminds me of a certain political Party that's losing members as well.

[mentalsolstice]

24. Thank you for this link

I'm a conscientiously inactive Catholic... my heroes were Thomas More, Oscar Romero, Dorothy Day...where did they go? I want THAT Catholic Church back!

edit for typo

[MountainLaurel]

7. Is it me, or are they starting to get testy?

Perhaps they're realizing that the jig is up, and sane Americans are on them?

[Joe Chi Minh]

8. What a disgusting creep. I sure hope the bishop takes action against him.

Loved the Chalk, the reporter's question, "At that point, I took my notepad out and asked what was illegal..."!

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. The parishioner's parents are from Kenya.

Wow...

The Church acting just as it did in the 1700's....

oh..so is the Government.
The French Government.
And remember what happened then.

[SavageDem]

11. Just fired off a letter to Meyer...

...asking him to own up to and apologize for his actions. Church web site is here. I used [email protected], and it hasn't bounced back yet.

[martymar64]

14. That church needs to burn

Burn motherfucker burn.

[CatholicEdHead]

16. Mean priest with no idea of hospitality

In the Archdiocese of St Paul/Minneapolis only 49% of Catholics went for Obama, and 51% went for McCain and you can tell the tone of the Bishops afterwords was very stern and upset it was that high for Obama.

I know of priests with the same tone as this priest and they do suck all the spirituality of the mass down to nothing but a tiny subset of rules mixed in.

This priest needs a spiritual retreat.

[Disturbed]

17. The Catholic Biz is against Abortion & Birth Control.

Why? Maybe because they feed off of the Money they get from their flock of sheep?

[CatholicEdHead]

18. Actually that is Abortion then Gay Marriage

Birth Control is a bit farther down the list right now.

[sweetpotato]

19. How do they know?

I don't have religion noted on my voter registration - how do they know how the Catholics voted? Don't they have secret ballots?

[CatholicEdHead]

22. Usually exit polls when someone is then asked their religion

[Principal Vernon]

21. bizarre.

the apoplectic dismay that right wingers have for any success of the left is both entertaining and sad.