My tuppence on Fr Calvin Robinson

I have tried to hold my peace on this latest media circus given that my own life is very turbulent at the moment and that everything that needs to be said has been said.

So where do I stand?

Well, to be frank, I don't stand anywhere because it's none of my business. However high a profile this whole affair possesses, it is still a Diocesan affair between a priest and his ordinary.  Were this the Diocese of the United Kingdom, I might have been consulted in my role as secretary to the Board of Ministry and Education. But it isn't.  This is the Diocese of the Midwest who is receiving the pastoral oversight of Bishop Patrick Fodor as Episcopal Visitor. As I am not privy to the details of the situation, I do not have the right to question the actions of Bishop Fodor or Archbishop Haverland. Yes, they might have made a mistake and yes, they might not have made a mistake. My default position as a member of the ACC is to assume that they, as my superiors, have made the correct decision and to question no further: it has nothing to do with me. 

Of course, some might accuse me of being a coward and a wimp for not standing up for what is right. If I have no knowledge of the facts then I can have no knowledge of the truth: that stands to reason. I applaud Fr Robinson's courage in asking the difficult questions that do require an answer. As one who believes firmly in the sanctity of human life and the sanctity of the family, I am glad for loud voices thar will identify the need for the preservation of that sanctity. But, as a Benedictine, the virtue of obedience to one's superiors is necessary in maintaining the good order and strength of the Church.

But, as I say, I have no real opinion about this.

What I do have an opinion about is the furore this has caused with a lot of unpleasant and hateful comments being made from the same position of ignorance as my own - though I have to say I do know the difference between defrocking (which Fr Robinson has not reveived) and the revocation of a licence (which he has). It is possible that he may receive his licence back again and my hope is that conversations with the relevant bodies will prove fruitful and godly for everyone.

However, my Diocese has been on the receiving end of many unpleasant comments even though we have had absolutely no irons in this fire. The venom, sneering, sarcasm, and the hopes for our demise in flames and anguish have been very draining. While he was in this country, Fr Robinson chose not to approach us, nor to contact us, nor visit us. One can speculate on why our little Diocese did not appeal to him. He left the Nordic Catholic Church for the ACC in the Diocese of the Midwest. Why we in the Diocese of the United Kingdom are being punished for the revocation of a priest's licence who has never engaged with us seems hardly fair.

We are under no illusion that we are a small presence in this country. Our work is small-scale to reflect our size but we do our best to serve our parishes and to bring the love of Christ to our communities, preaching the Gospel in word and sacrament. We know the divisive nature of politics and, while there are different political views among the clergy, we know that unity is far more important and preserving the good order of our church. We are all non-stipendiary and our work lives impact on what we can offer. Our focus must be on our parishes, on pastoral support and Christian education.

I will not be publishing comments about Fr Robinson on our website, either affirmative or critical. This is not because we have something to hide, but to reflect the fact that this is not an issue of this Diocese but that we are merely reporting official statements. I hope that people will be more considerate in their comments in future. We Benedictines are often reminded that "in much speaking, thou canst not avoid sin." It is better to keep silence about matters in which one has no involvement. I should take my own advice.