As I expected, the reactions to the Boston archdiocese’s announcements yesterday included anger even from those who got almost all they wanted.
At St. Albert, even while they celebrated the fact that their rebellion bore fruit, they also expressed anger they didn’t get everything they wanted.
“They’ve corrected a mistake with an injustice,” said Harold Pugh. “Without question, I want Father Coyne back. He was the one who brought me back when the Catholic Church was turned upside down.”
It was never going to happen. Once a pastor is removed, he is gone. The Church almost never reassigns a pastor removed for any reason in order to prevent bad precedents and to prevent what seems to be the case here: people showing more loyalty to an individual priest than to the Church as a whole.
Pugh, who has been active in the vigil, said he was ready to continue the protest “until I get what I want.” He says he believes others feel the same way. “If it was put to a vote, I’d be very surprised if [the archdiocesan announcement] is accepted with open arms.”
Don’t they sound like petulant children? If they don’t get what they want they’ll stamp their feet and hold their breath until they do.
The parish plans to hold a meeting tonight to discuss the archdiocesan offer and the logistics of reopening.