Shock, Sadness at Priest’s Treatment of Laity

by Letters Editor · September 16, 2017

Bad apples shouldn’t spoil the batch. There are many priests doing wonderful work in very challenging conditions – they need our prayers.

Shock at priests’ rank disrespect

Leo van der Sandt, Durban – I was stunned and left feeling numb after reading Sr Sue Rakoczy’s column, “How some priests mistreat women” (August 23).

These allegations must be investigated by the Church authorities in Southern Africa and if they are found to be true, the priests must be harshly dealt with.

It would indeed be a sad day for our Church if ordained men who should be leading us to God by example, instead disrespect and treat women in such a manner.

We, the laity, must however bear in mind that there are thousands of good and faithful Catholic priests in the world and it is unfortunate that it is usually only those who are an embarrassment to the Church who make the headlines.

We must pray for all our priests.

No priest can excommunicate

JH Goossens, Pretoria – Sister Sue Rakoczy mentions how a parish priest excommunicated a woman for falling pregnant without being married. Parish priests have no jurisdiction to pronounce excommunication.

If the sheep-herding performance of a priest falls below the required husbandry level, a refresher course should be offered.

If this is to no avail, the bishop should ask himself how this priest could have been ordained in the first place. And in that case, the seminary and its lecturers should take the blame.