Jun 10, 2010 Article by Joseph Fosco | 1 comment

Grandpa And Dad, Fr. Jim Is A Real Man Of God

In protest of Pope Benedict’s rule, I published a controversial piece last Easter. Please click here to see it.

This piece I am doing on Fr. Jim Reinhart is in further protest of Pope Benedict and his Church’s rule.

James ‘Jim’ Reinhart entered Seminary in 1956. However, decided that he was not meant to be a priest just yet. Instead, he married his true love, Bridget. Jim and Bridget eventually had children and grandchildren.

In 1996, Jim’s beloved wife passed away. And Jim later decided to finally pursue his ‘true calling’ – to become a Roman Catholic priest. Dozens of dioceses across the country ignored Jim’s ‘calling’, for reasons believed to be associated with Jim’s age. However, I raise the question of his sexuality being the real problem. Being a ‘real’ father, would mean that with all certainty, Father Jim is heterosexual. Could this be the real reason that dozens of dioceses throughout the United States had no interest in ordaining Jim?

I am not slamming homosexuality. However, I am slamming homosexual priests that might use their sexual orientation to discriminate against other clergy of a different orientation.

Cathedral of Assumption in Louisville, Kentucky, was the only one to ordain Jim. He was ordained on May 29, 2010. I am very happy for Fr. Jim. I wish the Roman Catholic Church had a million more like him, and they might if they allowed for a married clergy. Perhaps thousands of children worldwide would not have suffered over the years.

Again, I am not slamming homosexuality. What I am slamming is any organization that could serve as a false beacon of hope for people that likely suffer from sexual frustration stemming from the stress involved in being homosexual in a world such practices are not tolerated. Then this organization, instead of helping these homosexuals come to terms with their sexuality, forces them not only to hide it further, but also preach against such practices. Such an organization might very well protect pedophiliacs, if only by accident, because of the extreme secrecy maintained around the members’ sexuality.

Unfortunately, I have to assume the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago was one of the dozens of dioceses in America that ignored Jim’s ‘calling’. Jim was a deacon at St. Linus Church in Oak Lawn, Illinois, for 27-years. If the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago failed to ordain Fr. Jim, it would personally sicken me.

Fr. Jim is assigned to start on June 17, 2010 at a parish in central Kentucky. For whatever reasons the other dioceses, which likely includes Chicago, refused to accept Fr. Jim, I can only say shame on you. In my opinion, the Archdiocese of Chicago and its leader, Francis Cardinal George, could learn a thing or two about tolerance from the diocese of Kentucky. Amen.