I cannot comprehend how the Weakland-Marcoux relationship could even be mentioned in the same breath as the pedophile scandal. I cannot read Weakland's letter to Marcoux without finding myself close to tears.  I can only imagine what it would mean to have one's deeply felt private thoughts displayed in the national press and on the Web! And yet, in a way, I am glad the letter is there.  Weakland comes across as a GOOD man -- no Legenda Aurea type saint, no ascetic, but a genuinely decent, caring person. He doesn't deserve this! Marcoux may have been a "student" but he was a mature adult. And it is he who obviously subsequently took adavantage of one who had loved him deeply. 

Weakland's letter is filled with precisely the kinds of gentle emotions and precisely the sense of commitment that distinguish abusive sex from loving sex. If one believes, as I do, that God wants us to live fulfilled lives, that sexuality is potentially sacramental, and that for men and women, straight and gay, fulfillment may mean at least the opportunity for committed love-making, then Weakland's "sin" wasn't really a sin at all, and surely not the kind of vile sin of betrayal Marcoux's extortion represents.  For Weakland it may have been a felix culpa, a way of experiencing for a short while the power of passion only to realize what his celibate commitment meant to him. Finally, I cannot help thinking of Dante, and the fact that the ninth circle of hell is reserved for those who deliberately injure others through betrayal.  Like Judas . . 

Ingrid Shafer
ihs@ionet.net

Many people fall in love with flawed partners. Unfortunately, it looks like Archbishop Rembert Weakland's was a very narcissistic one. Rembert truly loved, but was betrayed. How emblematic of such a large number of us humans!

At the same time, the "Weakland affair"--which of course has absolutely nothing in common with the priestly pedophilia scandal now raging--again raises the question of the so-called wisdom of mandatory priestly celibacy. 

All the more reason for pushing structural reform of the Catholic Church. It won't cure everything, of course. Look at the Clinton sexual mess (or indeed, the mess of that outstanding Catholic congressman, Henry Hyde, who had a "youthful indiscretion," at age 43, but who could still lead the hypocritical fulminating attack on Clinton in the impeachment trial). But it will provide the antiseptic of the "sunshine" of transparency and accountability.

Sexuality is obviously very important in human life. Not much would get done were it "downgraded" to mere reproduction, but the legacy of "extreme dualism" ("body bad, spirit good") has tragically misplaced its value and importance. Nevertheless, this is clearly not just a Catholic problem, nor just a Western civilization problem. Think of the hobbling of women's feet in the Confucian tradition, "honor killing" in much of Islam, the burning of widows on the funeral pyre of the dead husband (suttee) in Hinduism, the "impossibility" of attaining Nirvana by women in Theravada Buddhism, clitorectomy in many African cultures, the custom of sending women first in line (to draw enemy attack) on the part of many Amerindian tribes of the past.....

Those who descry the moral decline of the present age or of current Western civilization, simply have their heads in historical and cultural sand. The situation is precisely the opposite. Our current outrage at the above and other abuses is a sign of slow maturation by humankind. All these things have been going on for millennia--and worse--and only now are we humans in any numbers becoming aware of them and are outraged by them. So, all of this upheaval should not discourage us, but on the contrary should encourage us to seize the opportunity to further the momentum in positive, corrective ways. 

The current contribution of the Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (ARCC)  to turning this latest tragedy to some greater good is its International Movement for a Catholic Constitution, as outlined at http://arcc-catholic-rights.org/movement.htm . For those of us who have admired Archbishop Rembert Weakland's wisdom and courage over the years, here is a chance to help him come through his "Dark Night of the Soul," transforming his error into, as we sing at the Easter Vigil, a felix culpa, a "happy fault"!

Leonard Swidler
dialogue@temple.edu

And yet, in a way I am glad the letter is there.  Weakland comes across as a GOOD man -- no saint, no ascetic, but a genuinely decent, caring person.>>>

I was very impressed with this letter, also. I don't particularly like ascetics but I would not deny Weakland sainthood. This is the kind of saint that is real, human, caring. People are forgetting that saints were sinners too and did not Jesus say that the one who loved much was forgiven much? May God comfort him in his moment of trial, let us pray to the Lord.

Peace,
Bill

     ....to support one who has so clearly and courageously supported and, where possible, represented the ideals and hopes raised by Vatican II. At the present time, when the powers in the Church try everything to kill that spirit, people in all countries must express the support for a good man in personal trouble. My prayers are with Bishop Rembert.

Walter J. Ausserleitner, Ph.D., Nova Scotia, Canada
(as can be seen by the name, originally from Austria, the country where the
first Catholic people's plebiscite signaled a worldwide movement for the
reform of our beloved Church.)

Louise M. Iushewitz
2201 North Cambridge Avenue #310
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202-1006
(414)-221-0583

Milwaukee  is my birthplace. Beginning at age 2, and during the following 25 years, I lived just two city blocks from the Catholic archdiocesan headquarters, home and home office of the resident archbishop, a magnificent enclave donated by the Pabst family long before WW II. The son of the cardinal's chauffeur was both my playmate and my schoolmate in the late 20's. Eventually the archdiocese moved into new headquarters and the Pabst interests bought back the mansion-on-the-hill to good use as a unique public relations facility. But, for me, the north side of Wisconsin Avenue between 20th and 21st Street will always be part a of my secret joy and boyhood heritage.

To the best of my recollection Weakland never lived there. He chose more modest, business-like quarters in downtown Milwaukee, always placing his obligations and role as bishop FIRST. Rembert Weakland was then and still is now a true, sincere Prince of The Church. 

And he deserves the best of biographers.  We pray that the Good Lord will grant him such a one to tell the story of the heroism to which all bishops are called, not only now but during the span of  the last 2000 years. .

God bless you for helping us hold to the truth.

John P Leicht 
(now) Mundelein IL
Johnpl5336@aol.com 

This is a good man. A human being that found a love for another that was not returned in the same stead. One that then, through the feeling of responsibility to his vocation and promises returned to his celibate commitment. So many people fall in and out of love or decide that a love cannot be honored and so leave it without a single word of sorrow. Here is someone who was deeply moved by his love for another and his God and felt that he had to make a choice. I am so sad that the object of his affection became so obviously cruel toward him. That he made a private matter public and then used it to obtain money. If he allows his conscience to prick him how hollow he must feel. How overcome with the pain of guilt.

Having read his letter, I am left only with feelings of compassion and deep respect for +Rembert. It doesn't seem like the letter of someone who is guilty of any kind of abuse that Mr. Marcoux subsequently claimed. It appears that it was +Rembert that was suffering from psychological abuse when I read his letter. For Paul, I pray that he will find the peace and courage to tell the truth and accept his role in this as an adult. For +Rembert I will pray that he is given strength to cope with this microscopic view into his inner realm, a realm we seldom share with anyone.

As for the leaders at the Vatican who accepted his resignation, perhaps they have given him a blessing at the expense of those of you who are unhappy to see him leave. I understand the points raised about +Law and can understand the view. Perhaps +Law has not yet been through enough. I know the motivation of the Vatican is more likely the reverse of what I am saying, but God does work in wonderfully mysterious ways and just when we think we have something working the way we want, God makes it the way God wants it. I pray this is the case here.

Fr JWL