Tom Roeser, Chicago’s ultimate curmudgeon, continues to bull his way into readers’ hearts and minds. Or at least their minds, after which he is confident, I am sure, hearts will follow.
His latest incursion into Chicago consciousness, especially its Catholic consciousness — forget conscience, which may follow or may not, who’s to say? — is his “personal aside” of today in which he reports Robert Novak-like but with more verve, gusto, in-your-facedness, whatever, that the Catholic Diocese of Rockford is pulling its seminarians from St. Mary of the Lake University, Mundelein, otherwise and generally known as Mundelein Seminary.
Why? Because “Two upperclassmen propositioned a Rockford youth for homosexual favors.”
Uh-oh.
This is not good, in itself and in its public relations aspect. At the heart of this debacle, not counting chancellor Jimmy Lago, is the archbishop — “the parser” in Roeser’s lexicon, he who must be obeyed but who, in the words of “an authenticist bishop in another diocese,” i.e. conservative, given to conserve Roman Catholic identity, “can’t run a two-car funeral” and should be gotten to a university, where he can parse things, says Roeser.
Later: Pardon me for second-guessing myself, but what’s a blog for, anyhow? In this case I am wondering about the quote from Tom Roeser, “Two [Mundelein seminary] upperclassmen propositioned a Rockford youth for homosexual favors.”
2nd guess: a Rockford seminarian? We have to presume that from the context, but commenter Charles Goodacre (DDS? of Loma Linda U.?) doesn’t. I have asked Roeser for help on this. Goodacre seems to have missed the point, but I’d rather be sure.
I have also asked the official Rockford diocesan newspaper, The Observer, to confirm the Roeser report that the Rockford bishop, Thomas Doran, will no longer send candidates to Mundelein. More later, I hope.
Yet later (12 days later): Nothing yet, nor anything expected. Cat has tongue of both teller and told-about. Sorry.
Blogged with Flock
Blithe Spirit 
No mother with a still-living conscience would send a son to Mundelein. No bishop with a shred of authentic Catholic belief would, either.
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May God have mercy on us and send us good, solid men to lead us.
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The two seminarians were recruited and selected to attend Mundelein by the vocation director of the Rockford Diocese with the approval of the Bishop of Rockford. They did not become gay and did not learn to proposition minors as a result of studying theology at Mundelein. I don’t blame the Rockford officials — they are drawing many vocations and they are bound to miss a couple of bad cases. The bishop and the vocation director are human. They are not lie detecting machines able to identify everyone who comes to them living a double life. If they had any hint of this, they would certainly not have accepted these seminarians.
As for the seminary itself, any hint of misconduct or inappropriate behavior that comes to the attention of the rector, the formation staff or the faculty is dealt with immediately. Fr. Lyle is a very good man but he is tough. Defintely no pushover. Maybe some of the seminarians think he can be too tough, but he’s highly respected and a great rector.
I’ve seen it alleged that there is some sort of “sodomite’ atmosphere at Mundelein. That is patently ridiculous. Go up to the campus, walk around when students are there, watch them interact and what you’ll see are friendly ( but almost formal) polite, intelligent men who carry themselves with dignity. If anything goes on that is out of line, it would be with great deliberate secrecy because the atmosphere itself is very appropriate for men in formation for diocesan priesthood.
I’ve noticed that a great many people commenting on this story clearly don’t know anything at all about Mundelein seminary. Roeser seems to be the source of all of the stories. In this case, most are relying on Roeser’s story to condemn very faithful Catholics who are trying their utmost to teach the faith authentically and prepare men for a life of ordained ministry.
Those who are relying on veteran political strategist and former corporate lobbyist Roeser should be cautious. One should never trust completely in a single source as the basis for making scurrilous accusations of people one doesn’t know.
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