Parishioners at Sacred Heart Church and Catholic School might have been surprised in recent days by word that their longtime priest, the Rev. Monsignor Howard Lincoln, was planning to marry his secretary following his retirement this summer. But the news was actually a long time coming, he said.
He and his secretary, Sandra Susini, started discussing a union almost three years ago, Lincoln said in an interview with The Desert Sun on Sunday. “I am 75 years old with heart issues,” Lincoln said. “Sandra is 72. We love each other and we want to take care of each other. And we don’t want to be alone.”
Lincoln said his intention to marry Susini was one of the reasons for his retirement — announced six months ago — and that he had discussed the possibility with his superiors as well.
“I told the Diocese (of San Bernardino) that I was considering marriage to Sandra in August of 2019,” Lincoln said.
Few others at the Palm Desert church knew of the situation, though, until Lincoln mentioned his plans at a retirement luncheon Wednesday. On Saturday, the Rev. Gregory Elder, the church’s new pastor, and the Rev. Tyler Tripp, parochial vicar, shared the news with parishioners via a letter posted on the church website.
“It is with mixed emotion that we share with you the following message. On Wednesday, June 30, at the end of our farewell luncheon for Monsignor Lincoln, he announced to those in attendance his intention to marry a woman with whom he is apparently involved,” said the letter. “This announcement surely comes as a shock to the community of Sacred Heart, which Monsignor Lincoln has led for the past 20 years.”
The letter added: “While he has not formally informed the parish or the Diocese of his intention to marry, many of you have already heard about his announcement at the farewell luncheon so we felt it best to address the issue. We know that this information will generate strong emotions for many and we are here for you in this moment of difficulty.”
The Diocese of San Bernardino, which covers both Riverside and San Bernardino counties, did not return a phone call and and email from The Desert Sun seeking comment. Messages left for Elder and Tripp at Sacred Heart on Sunday were not immediately returned.
Lincoln later released a letter saying that he and Susini had married on Friday. He said while the church has a process known as laicization — essentially removing a cleric from the priestly state — the procedure can take a year or two, which he and Susini regarded as too long given their age….
The above comes from a July 4 story in the Desert Sun.
Basically, he said being old and scared means it’s ok for him to break his vows. This is a man who has dumped faith in God for faith in a Jezebel. Both are putting their souls in jeopardy, and at their ages, there’s little time left to repent. What a bounder.
Diocesan priests don’t take vows
All priests take vows of chastity and celibacy…wrong again Anonymous
Bohemod, it is you who who are wrong. Diocesan priests at ordination make a promise to their Bishop to live a celibate life; it is less solemn than a vow and dispensation from it is less complex. But, practically, this is no more than semantics. Both the promise and the vow require sexual abstinence until dispensed by proper Church authorities.
I know Monsignor Lincoln from seminary days. He was a most faithful Catholic, and a mature man with keen insights. His counsel was valued by seminarians, myself included. He was tasked for many years to be the public relations spokesman for his Diocese. His long tenure at Sacred Heart parish with no hint of scandal indicates his loyalty to the Faith and to his promise of celibacy during those years. So his action to marry prior to dispensation surprises and disappoints me. His promise binds him until it is lifted.
Still, Monsignor discussed his concerns and plans with his Diocese well in advance of his retirement. In light of his long—and apparently much appreciated—service to his parishioners, why didn’t the Diocese petition Rome to act more quickly to spare him this Scyilla and Charybdis choice? His concerns of loneliness and isolation are REAL. Bear in mind, the Church does not provide meaningful support [financial or otherwise] to retired priests as they age. They are left to fend for themselves.
You stated that Mr. Lincoln’s “long tenure at Sacred Heart parish with no hint of scandal indicates his loyalty to the Faith and to his promise of celibacy …”. Well, I beg to strongly differ. He stated that he and his parish secretary had loved each other for many years. This, alone, indicates absolute disloyalty to his celibacy and his Faith, and a slap in the face to his parishioners and the diocese that supported him. Many of his parishioners knew of his affair with this secretary over the years and have been scandalized by it. It’s not his getting married prior to dispensation that should surprise you, but by the fact that he was living a lie and being unfaithful to his promise to God. Your assertion that the Church does not provide meaningful financial or emotional support for retired priests is an attempt to give this particular priest a pass for his moral deceit.
We should pray for him. He can always repent.
Howard’s End– So, you think that “loneliness and isolation” are a priest’s “big excuse” to plot, plan, and then run off with the church secretary, after he retires– wrongfully corrupting a church employee? That priest should instead go counsel “lonely and isolated” seniors at the local Nursing home, terminal cancer and COVID-19 patients at the local hospital, and the widows and widowers of cancer and COVID-19 patients– to start off with. Preach all about Christ’s loneliness and suffering, and teach everyone to “offer up” their sufferings, in union with Christ’s– tell them how God loves you, and He is with you, in your suffering. The vocation to the priesthood is a very great and noble calling. Not the calling of a weak, sinful, selfish and babyish old man, who deviantly plots and plans for several years, with his secretary– to run off and elope with her, the minute he retires. “All because he is lonely and isolated.” Both of them should return their salaries to the Church. And he couldn’t respect God– and await laicization– what if God told him– “NO?” By the way– we all have known many priests who were deemed “talented, smart, mature, excellent,” etc. etc.– and turned out to be smooth-talking, golden-tongued, con-artists and criminals, who molested vulnerable kids.
As I stated in another story, I also knew Howard Lincoln from his early years and completely concur with Howard’s End’s comments about Lincoln being faithful, orthodox, and mature. Fr. Lincoln’s recent action is not consistent with the man that I knew.
I saw the television clip and detected some anger, possibly subconsciously motivated due to anger at the Francis Pontificate. There may have been an unintentional “bait and switch” in the chancery office due to the change in bishops. In other words, it may have been that Barnes had mentioned his approval of the laicization while Rojas expressed to the Vatican that he did not approve of it. In other words, Lincoln may have been operating on false hope and then gotten bitter. Howard’s End also gave a possible reason for Lincoln’s decision. All of this is conjecture to explain a shocking action. It seeks to explain it but DOES NOT justify it.
Regardless of the reason, Christ specifically calls us to do good regardless of the injustices and injuries that come our way. We are to always called to respond in love and not to respond like-for-like. We are also called to suffer redemptively.
The Howard Lincoln that I knew was humble and very capable of repentance. We should pray for him.
They have been talking marriage for 3 years. I doubt it has anything to do with Pope Francis. He did it 2 days after he retired. I’m sorry. He is not the person that you thought he was. He feels he has a right to do it.
There are reasons but not excuses. The reason seems pretty obvious to me but I don’t know him.
Anonymous,
I have no argument with what you said. I’m just trying to intellectually reconcile the social wreckage that’s ensued.
Anonymous,
I think that’s a quibble. How about oaths?
The man you thought you knew… is not the man he actually is.
OK, so they make “promises” of obedience and celibacy, you nit picking doesn’t change the facts. He has dumped his vocation and caused much damage. He is a bounder, as the previous post said.
Anonymous, not so fast. Diocesan priests make promises of celibacy, as well as obedience and respect, to the Bishop and his successors — and they are considered as “married to God,” or “married to the Church.” Whether a priest makes a “promise” or a “vow” of celibacy– it is very, very serious, Anonymous.
It really bothered me, to read the actual news stories, and watch the news videos. It has occurred to me, that this couple, making very foolish decisions, “playing with fire” with God and the priesthood– may end up with some really bad problems. How emotionally stable is this weird priest? What kind of “husband” will he be? Is he morally trustworthy? He places his “new wife” in a terrible situation, endangering her soul– and both of them are now cut off from the Church. Do they have a retirement income and benefits, and does it cover all their needs? Has he ever chased other women? Will he be unfaithful to her?– as he already seems very shaky, and was faithless to God! When things get rough in their lives… what will they do, in this “marriage?” And what about– any possible sexual or emotional abuses, to the lady? If I were the Bishop– I would really be worried. No more Church, nor Sacraments. Shaky civil “marriage.” Very shaky situation. Two “lost souls.” And marriage is not always easy.
This whole situation has been heartbreaking to me.I moved out here in 2005 and registered with Sacred Heart shortly after. In addition to Palm Desert, SH also equally ministers to Catholics in the adjacent city of Rancho Mirage, which has many very wealthy residents. In addition to that, many wealthy desert winter residents known as “snow birds” live in the area during the cooler months. Money talks big time in this parish, and in many of the nearby parishes like St. Francis in La Quinta. It has been overall very frustrating to try to live as a faithful Catholic out here. Msgr. Lincoln touched many people’s lives emotionally up to the point to where he has acquired “rock star” like status here. He would hold an annual school fundraising dinner and has included the featured speakers George W. Bush, Bill O’Reiley, Condoleezza Rice, Rudy Giuliani, etc. which would of course appease the wealthy folks who are mostly neo-conservative so the money would keep pouring on in. The legendary late car dealer Mike Salta donated so much that they named the new parish center after him.
Thank you for commenting here. I am sorry that you have been in distress.
Sorry, I accidentally gave you a thumbs down and meant to do a thumbs up.
Did the pastor bring in any speakers who weren’t politicians? Did he have them speak on Catholic faith? Did he bring in any experts on theology or apologetics or liturgy or doctrine? Why would politicians speak at the parish instead of catechists?
At a school fundraising dinner?
Hmmm… he looks a bit light in the loafers, imho.
I just read this: “Lincoln has been a priest for 30 years. Prior to that he was married and divorced and converted to Catholicism after first going to a Protestant seminary and then switching to a Catholic one. He said two dozen dioceses turned him down for the priesthood and only the Diocese of San Bernardino accepted him.” Apparently breaking vows is second nature to “Mr.” Lincoln.
So even if laicization is granted, he still would need an annulment if his former wife is still living. What a mess.
Of course he would not need a Church annulment if he was previously married in a Protestant church, and later divorced.
You’re wrong. Every previous marriage or attempted marriage must be investigated by a tribunal when parties wish to be married in accord with the laws of the Catholic Church.
You seem to mistakenly believe annulments are Catholic divorces granted only for marriages involving Catholics that were officiated by a Catholic celebrant.
Non-Catholics can enter into valid marriages outside the Church. If a tribunal determines that a past non-Catholic marriage does not have evidence of invalidity, then guess what? That person cannot marry again according to the laws of the Catholic church because he/she is bound by that prior union. There are exceptions such as the Pauline and Petrine privileges, but those don’t apply in this situation.
So this priest’s past marriage, if his ex-spouse is still alive, might be a valid, binding marriage, in which case he is unable to enter into another union even if he is laicized.
Kevin, what I meant is that Protestants view marriage differently and do not have Sacramental marriages nor annulments. Most Protestant churches also allow and recognize civil dvorces. Catholics do not recognize such a thing as divorce, once a Sacramerntal marriage is done, all you can do is request an annulment, proving the marriage was not valid to begin with. I thought that Howard’s Protestant marriage/divorce would not be deemed valid to begin with– what is there to “annul” in a non-Sacramental Protestant marriage? Do local Tribunals investigate Protestant marriages and subsequent civil divorces, of those who enter the Catholic Church and want a Sacramental marriage in the Church?? I do not see how a Catholic Tribunal can be involved in annulments of non-Catholic marriages. There was no Catholic Sacrament– and nothing to “annul,” right?
Kevin– if this priest is not laicized, and married his secretary in a civil ceremony– which I think he did– then, isn’t he just a priest with a broken promise of celibacy, “living in sin,” in a fake civil marriage, accirding to the Catholic Church?
I don’t have time nor space to give a course on the complexities of annulments. Read about it on the internet. Ed Peters is a terrific source of information. Suffice it to say that my summary above is entirely correct and that, yes, Catholic marriage tribunals do and must investigate prior putative marriages between Protestant Christians if those spouses have separated and one of them subsequently seeks to marry a Catholic in the Church or becomes Catholic and seeks to marry in the Church. Marriage tribunals must investigate prior putative marriages between atheists that were celebrated between a justice of the peace, for that matter, when necessary, because those can be valid marriages. RCIA directors go through this all the time, all year long. It’s one of the more aggravating parts of working in parish RCIA programs because people seldom understand the Church’s marriage laws and they get resentful that their prior marriages outside the Church have to be investigated and a judgment rendered about their validity, and sometimes their reception of sacraments or entrance into the Church must be postponed because a marriage investigation is unresolved, meaning their current or planned second/third marriage might not be able to be approved and validated by the Church.
Yes, the priest in the story is living in an adulterous, canonically irregular union. It is not a marriage in the eyes of the Catholic Church. It is living in objective, manifest, grave sin, whose gravity is compounded by the scandalous circumstances of one of the parties being a cleric and the other party his former parish employee.
The way it was explained to me by the RCIA director at our parish is that All marriages are considered valid by the Church until proven otherwise.
I should have said first marriages.
You are absolutely right. And I know this from personal experience. I had to go through the annulment process to be allowed to marry my Catholic now-husband, even though I was Protestant at the time with no thought of converting (I did so a few years after our, eventual, marriage).
Actually, yes. I had to go through that very same thing.
Kevin, all RCIA candidates who are married couples always have their marriages convalidated in the Catholic Church, after entering the Church. And you cannot still be considered as a validly “married” man (even with a subsequent civil divorce) and be accepted to study in a Catholic seminary, and be ordained as a Catholic priest. So I bet this priest’s former non-Catholic marriage/civil divorce situation was cleared up by the Church, prior to his acceptance to the seminary. He had a civil marriage with the Church employee, yet is still a Catholic priest. So he is simply a Catholic priest “living in sin,” not adultery. I have no idea what the Church employee’s possible marital status was, prior to her civil marriage to the priest. As for annulments– I had thought that only Catholics married in the Church could request an annulment, providing “proof” in their request, that their marriage never occurred, or was “invalid” for a reason. Annulments are not divorces. It just neans– you “were never married”– in the eyes of the Catholic Church.
Anyway, as “Mr.” Lincoln is now married, he is automatically suspended from all priestly activities. A horrific betrayal to God and His beloved Catholic parishioners at Sacred Heart church!
Also under Msgr. Lincoln’s jurisdiction by both cannon and civil law is (was) CHRIST OF THE DESERT NEWMANN CHAPEL, a former Newman Center established in 1987 to serve the ministerial needs of the students of nearby COLLEGE OF THE DESERT. which is located 1.6 miles to the west of Sacred Heart.It was founded by the late Fr. Ned Reidy, a former Holy Cross Father who embraced many New Age beliefs and was later formally excommunicated by Bishop Barnes. Since I moved there in 2005, this chapel has been primarily ministered by Fr. Jack McGinnis a retired priest from the diocese of Galveston-Houston. He is/was involved with several “healing groups” aimed to people with emotional difficulties. This one I’ve found to be particularly strange as it involves young people who recently graduated from high school https://www.theicuproject.com/about
This looks like an anti-suicide group. I think some of Wayne Dyer’s ideas are compatible with Church teaching. It is good to help people who are feeling suicidal.
The community’s wealth didn’t keep a priest faithful, as you have discovered. Can’t buy yourselves an honorable shepherd.
Maybe the communities’ wealth contributed to his decision.
Headline should read “Palm Desert Pastor Invalidly Attempts Marriage with His Secretary”
Novus Ordo is as Novus Ordo does.
At least he’s attempting marriage to female.
She’s not still the parish secretary, is she?
If they break up, there will be a sexual harassment claim, and the diocese will pay out a large sum of money. Those of you who put money into the collection basket, gird yourselves.
I don’t know if it could be a sexual harassment claim because he seems like he avoided that, but It does have the boss/secretary and the spiritual leader/follower and the authority figure/person who looks up to them things going on.
So it is possible.
Grow up, law suits between secretaries and bosses are the order of the day. The boss being a priest will only help her case.
This is even more scandalous than what Fr. James Martin does.
“Mister” Lincoln had no business carrying on a relationship and making “marriage plans” with his secretary, while still serving as a Catholic priest. He is a dishonest, dishonorable, weak and sinful man, extremely derelict in his duties to God. And scandalous to the Catholic Faithful! The Catholic Church should laicize and punish him. The Church should not provide him with a retirement salary and benefits. His “marriage” will not be blessed by God. Extremely dishonest man! Poor health or even a terminal illness is no excuse at all, for “Mister” Lincoln’s terrible behavior! And the secretary he corrupted should return her salary all those years, to the Church, too– and should not receive Church retirement money and benefits! She was not being paid to carry on a relationship and make “marriage plans” on-the-job– with a Catholic priest! Shame on her!
No, Kevin, this priest’s situation has nothing to do with the RCIA predicaments you mentioned. All married Protestants in RCIA classes always get their marriages convalidated in the Catholic Church, after becoming Catholics. The Church also has the Pauline and Petrine privileges, we all know about that. Your final statement is the truth– “Yes the priest in the story.. ” (etc.) Except, probably he is not “living in an adulterous union,” as he was no doubt cleared of the problem of the previous non-Catholic marriage/divorce, after acceptance to the seminary and becoming ordained as a priest. I just originally made a simple statement– I do not think that his previous non-Catholic marriage/divorce, before becoming a Catholic, and before being ordained as a priest– required a Catholic annulment. You cannot enter a Catholic seminary and study to become a priest at all– if you are considered to be validly “married!” (Even if you got a civil divorce.) And it is now obvious that he had a civil ceremony with his secretary– and is simply a non-laicized priest, who broke his promise of celibacy, disobeyed God and his Bishop– and is simply– a Catholic priest who is “living in sin.” That is all I was saying.
The above post is in response to the post of Kevin on July 7 at 12:39pm.
Marriages aren’t convalidated if an earlier marriage is valid. Annulments are not automatic.
Why would anybody thumbs down that?
This is very sad and disturbing. My heart goes out to the larger parish community. What a shock…and there must be some grief over who the parishioners thought Msgr. Lincoln was (a faithful priest) to who he really is (a secretive schemer).
According to the news report, they’ve gotten nothing but supportive emails and calls.
Well, we’ve made up for that.
Per the initial newspaper article, those were texts reportedly received by Fr. Lincoln, nearly all of which were in his favor. Knowing many parish members, I can assure you that everyone I have spoken with is not in the least bit supportive of his actions but they are praying for him.
This was a divorced man who was convinced he had a vocation to the priesthood. The problem was that no Catholic seminary would take him in because of his status. The diocese of San Bernardino was the only one to accept him and yet the other seminaries are now proven right. He wants to get married. Which is it, priest or married life? Back and forth. You are a priest forever according to Melchezedek. But that is only for priests with real vocations, not confused men.
He also just got civilly married to his secretary. So his marriage is invalid because it wasn’t in the Church as required by Church law. So he’s an ex priest with no laicization in an invalid marriage living in sin.
Here is the video
https://kesq.com/news/2021/07/05/retired-monsignor-howard-lincoln-marrys-secretary/
the newscaster says that his successor is already married with kids. Then she says that the Vatican allows married men to become priests.
In their letter to parishioners, Elder [new pastor] and Tripp [parochial vicar] said that “according to canon law, any priest who attempts marriage, even civilly, incurs an automatic suspension because such an action constitutes a break of the promise of celibacy made at the ordination.”
According to the two, this means Lincoln “cannot exercise any priestly ministry. The suspension is imposed by the law itself, not by the bishop. A priest under this penalty is not able to celebrate the sacraments or perform any priestly ministry until such time as the situation is resolved.”
https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2021/07/04/sacred-heart-church-says-rev-monsignor-howard-lincoln-plans-marry/7859654002/
She calls him Monsignor. Not Howard?
This is one of those “People should be happy because we’re happy” things.
Oh, sorry. Debbie Downer here.
Actually, the new pastor, Fr. Elder, according to the website, is a Catholic convert, a former Anglican married priest with a wife, grown children, and grandchildren.
In some dioceses the only qualification for seminary entrance is the ability to use a knife and fork correctly.
If one of my 72 year old lady friends told me they were going to marry a 75 year old priest, I would say “How stupid can you be?” What do you think he really wants? What he says. To be taken care of.
If a 75 year old priests told me they were going to marry someone of any age, I would say “How stupid can you be?” You will be meeting your maker shortly. You won’t be wearing you wedding garment when you do.
If a priest wanted to marry me, I would say no. There ain’t nothing I got that is worth going to hell for.
Love the last line, “there ain’t nothing I got that is worth going to hell for”. When I retired many lay faithful and non Catholics as well asked if I could date, marry, “have sex”, etc. I told them, no, the promise of chastity for the sake of the kingdom was life long. They asked if I were lonely. I am not. I have friends in the priesthood, male and female friends. I, however, find my completion in Jesus Christ who is my ultimate friend, Lord, Savior, Redeemer. I meet him regularly in prayer, liturgy, and charity in so many ways and times. I never am completely alone or lonely. A priest’s life is a privileged relationship with Jesus IF the priest engages it, just as is each Christian’s life with the Savior, if the Christian engages it. Prayers for Howard and the the woman he has brought into his rival kingdom to satisfy himself rather than leading her to Jesus’ kingdom as he promised he would for all the faithful at his ordination.
Most retired priests stay handy so they can help out where the diocese or the diocese they move to needs them. Most priests I know don’t really want to retire unless there are problems with the bishop or something.
God bless you Fr. Perozich. You are a true priest forever. May your reward in heaven be great.
As Francis has said, time is greater than space. Let’s give this some time to see what great things will come about that current space does not allow.
What?
What do his kids think of this?
Sandra’s ex-husband is the president of Birthchoice-a pregnancy resource in the Desert.
So she needs at least one annulment too. Do these people not know anything about Catholicism or are they just deciding to separate themselves from the faith?
They both may have have received annulments in the past.
They both may not have.
Priest or not, being alone in your older years is not fun. Try it — you won’t like it.
But they did not have to marry to not be alone. They could have been good friends who looked after each other.
Being alone at any age is no fun, especially when you want to get married but can’t find suitable friends or dates.
Anonymous, I am so sorry. Catholic Match is a bust for almost everybody. There is a FB account called Catholic Singles Looking For a Spouse. I don’t know if anybody has found a spouse using it but it at least lets you know you are not alone.
One of my children is like that, too. The right person has not come along. They are picky as they should be.
I see stories all the time of people who found the One in a different way like being sat next to each other on an airplane, or set up on a blind date. Or another “what’s the chance?” so take every opportunity while being careful of your safety. Safety first, it is a new world out there.
Place this in the hands of Mary, be patient and enjoy your single life as much as you can. This is you time to do works of mercy and read good books and pursue a hobby or a sport that you will not have time for once you find the One.
It’s very important to lead a good life, and to die in a state of grace, after reception of the Last Sacraments, and go to Eternal Life at your best, before Almighty God. Who in their right mind, so close to life’s end, would want to mess up their Eternal destiny? For a couple of years of illicit pleasure– after all those years of being a priest– and a Church employee? Throwing all of that away– instead of working hard spiritually, for Heaven?
To Silent Observer posting @ 6:26 on 6 July—- Once you posted you were no longer “silent”. Were you a real first-hand “observer”, either?
From the Desert Sun article:
The response since the announcement at Wednesday’s luncheon has been positive, Lincoln said. “Sandra and I have been thrilled at the response of the people,” Lincoln said. “We have received about 25 texts in the past 24 hours, and all but one have been honestly enthusiastic.”
He said he saw the same excitement at the retirement luncheon, where he said about 27 people were in attendance and “all but one seemed happy”
Those “one”s are your true friends. People who are happy for you when you are doing wrong are not your real friends. Although in this age of narcissism, people think loyalty under all circumstances means friendship and love.
I have a childhood friend who recently lost her beloved husband to a sudden heart attack. Both were age 75. She is in a painful state of shock and grief. I recall feeling badly when her father, a co-worker with my father, suddenly lost his beloved wife one night, to a sudden heart attack. He couldn’t eat, sleep, or just do anything– suddenly, this brilliant Ph.D. scientist, fascinating to talk to– was in a state of unbearable grief and shock. We all felt so badly for him! Not too long after that, he got Alzheimer’s, and needed lots of love and care. My brother-in-law, also a brilliant man, also got Alzheimer’s and died quickly, in his 70s– leaving my poor sister to forever mourn. Life is that way– lots of joys– and lots of painful grief and sadness! And God is there to help us, through it all! He, too, lost His only beloved Son. We need to always lead a good life, keep Life’s end in mind, prepare for Heaven, Eternal Life, and stay strong against temptations and sin– and live and die in a state of grace. Never throw away your state of grace and relationship with God– for even one soon-forgotten brief moment of illicit, sinful pleasure on earth. Whenever the Devil calls– say “No.”
All you describe is misery and grief. How is God helping, exactly? Or do you just say that without thinking it through? What is the effect of God helping us? What is the result? What does God do?
He helps me all the time. Praise and thanks to him. I think you know this story too.
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly how to obey.
I asked for health, that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for – but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.
That’s just saying that God didn’t help you but you are pretending that by not doing anything to help you he did the best he could have done. Try giving that to an atheist without him laughing.
What the poem amounts to is this: “I asked God to do something; he didn’t do anything… I got the opposite of what I requested from God, and I convinced myself that God not doing anything for me was actually the best thing.”
So what’s the difference between God not doing anything and God not existing?
Anonymous,
I really appreciate that you posted that. Who’s the author?
It is called the Prayer of the Unknown Soldier. The backstory is that it was found in the pocket of a Confederate soldier who had been killed in battle.
Anonymous at 5:55
Yes I took a lot of grief for my faith from an atheist family member.
Anonymous at 5:55 pm,
I hate poetry, but I think this poem is awesome. To understand God and Christianity, you need to know that the God revealed by Christ is Love. This Love is the Truth that created the Universe. He is not a celestial Santa Claus who hands out everything that people pray for.
Regarding the statements that you made, I will recast them to give some greater insight: “I asked God to do something: Instead, he did something much greater. . . . I got something much different from what I requested, and I wouldn’t give up any of my past sufferings for the wisdom, depth of understanding, and spirituality that I now have.
Exactly. Makes me sick how quickly people jump in line to support someone doing the wrong thing, lest they be seen as judgmental, especially today concerning people identifying as non-binary or whatever. I was the only one among my former friends who opposed someone civilly remarrying when he was not granted an annulment for his real, first marriage. I didn’t attend the wedding nor the reception, and I told my former friend what he was doing was wrong. I was the only one. None of them are my friends anymore.
I shouldn’t judge because maybe some UPS man with a great body and twinkle in his eye will sweep me off my feet when I open the door for the package.
But I like to think that when I go to get my purse, which is right under the San Damiano cross, the Lord will admonish me “No, do not throw away your salvation which I suffered so much to obtain for you. He is another’s hunka hunka burning love, not yours. Stay with the balding man that was good enough for you when you were a teenager and was your boyfriend when all you wanted in the whole world was a boyfriend. Value your virtue. Stay true to your faith.”
I hope I obey the Lord
The UPS drivers in my area are pretty sketchy.
Well, when the best man at you’re wedding is the owner of “The Vintage” Country Club in Indian Wells California, I don’t think you have anything to worry about for your financial future https://postimg.cc/3yPFvB8r
How dare they
I cannot understand how you so called Christians can stand as judge, jury and executioner. We Christians need to focus on what is important, the good work that people do, not the human frailties… God did not set the celibacy rules, that was done by the Catholic church in the 12th Century AD… That would be 1200 years after Christ. I have never understood the reasons for celibacy, which denies the catholic sacrament of matrimony from the leaders of the church. But that being said, yes their is a rule about celibacy, but the way the church attempts to hold priests hostage to this belief for there mortal life seems a bit arcane. I think we all need to look at this situation as compassionate followers of Christ, if the Holy Catholic Church needs to address this priests behavior then let the church leaders take action, not the members of the parishes. This whole thing needs to be dialed back, and the vitriol tamped down. This is between Mr. Lincoln and his God.