Bowers urges faithful to keep the
faith
By
Ed Baker/ ebaker@cnc.com
Wednesday, February 1, 2006 -
Updated: 08:27 AM
EST
Heavy monsoon-like rain swept across the
parking lot at St. Albert the Great on Sunday, but it did not hinder
the faithful from turning out in droves to say goodbye to the Rev.
Robert Bowers.
Throngs
of parishioners sloshed through puddles to fill the church pews and
stand in back of the sanctuary to celebrate a final Mass with
Bowers.
"What
if this were Super Bowl night," Bowers quipped to the gathering as
Mass got underway. "Would you have all shown up?"
He
urged the congregation to remain strong in its faith despite his
removal from the parish by Archbishop Sean O’Malley,- who has
declined to state why Bowers must leave St. Albert.
"It
would be easy for me to criticize Archbishop O’Malley, but I won’t,"
Bowers said. "In the gospels, Jesus reaches out to the person. He
does not throw the person out. He confronts him in love."
Some
critics claim O’Malley removed Bowers because he signed a letter
submitted by 93 priests that asked Cardinal Bernard Law to resign
during the height of child sex abuse revelations that involved
scores of priests in 2002. Archdiocese officials deny they removed
Bowers because he signed the letter in recent statements..
"God
has his hands around us," Bowers said to the gathering. "We have
nothing to fear. Let us put our trust in God."
He
urged the faithful to pray for Archdiocese leaders and also compared
them to a gospel story about a demon processed man that interrupts
Jesus from preaching.
"That
demon possessed man was saying two things," Bowers said. "I am
afraid. I’m going to judge you. Those are the two most destructive
things in our human civilization. I’m sad to say that this is the
demon that has afflicted our church leadership. A fear based church
is self destructive. Our leadership has taken hold of that. All of
us are inflicted by this demon of fear and judgment."
He
said Jesus’s response to the possessed man illustrates how people
should treat each other and church leadership.
"Jesus
reached out to the person," Bowers said. "He does not throw the
person out. He confronts him with love. Jesus looked at the man and
said, ’be quiet.’ Take it easy. Sin builds on sin. We have had sins
in our church with the sexual abuse of children and the cover-up by
bishops. Sins builds upon sin. It’s confused our leadership. They
require our forgiveness and our understanding."
Bowers
said he understands what it is like to be hurt by church leadership.
"Although
God did send me to St. Albert, I got kicked out of St. Catherine,"
Bower said. "During the eight months I have been here, you have
given to me what Jesus gave to that demon possessed man. You have
healed me. You will never be far from me. This is a rotten thing to
have to happen to this parish. It stinks. You have an opportunity to
flourish as a new church and new paradigm. The old way is
crumbling."
The
congregation heartily applauded and gave Bowers a standing ovation
as his voiced trailed off.
"It’s
been great to have been part of your lives," he said.
Bowers
began serving at the Paulist Center in downtown Boston on Monday.
"
I’ve accepted a fulltime job with the Paulist Center," Bowers said.
"One of my ministries there will be the reconciliation of those who
have been hurt by the church."
St.
Albert’s pastor Laurence Borges said Bowers was especially helpful
to him and the parish by officiating at Mass on the weekends.
"I
want to thank Father Bowers for his help during the past eight
months," Borges said. "I appreciate any help I can get. It’s quite
obvious you had a very beneficial effect on this community. I thank
you for that."
He
also said Bowers ’s decision to accept a ministry position at the
Paulist Center was not made lightly after Archdiocese officials
ordered him to leave St. Albert.
"We
know he is at peace," Borges said. "Father Bowers, you will always
be in our hearts and prayers."
Bowers
urged the faithful to keep their focus on God despite his departure.
"Let
us believe God is leading," Bowers said. "God is in charge."
Some
of the parishioners and parish friends said it makes no sense for
Archdiocese officials to order Bowers to leave the parish.
"They
keep on taking the good guys out of the parish and closing vibrant
churches," parish friend John Rodgers of Scituate said. "They talk
about a priest shortage, but that is self inflicted by them."
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Anne Coursey bids farewell to Fr. Robert Bowers after
his last Mass at St. Albert the Great Church. (Photo by Brian
Naughton) |
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