CB alumni message boarder: open the books

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FORMER CARDINAL BRENNAN PRINCIPAL SUES DIOCESE OF ALLENTOWN

FORMER CB PRINCIPAL FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST DIOCESE!

Jaclyn M. Fowler alleges harassing comments from priests while in her tenure as head of the school..

AP FOWLER LAWSUIT

AP reporting: "A former Roman Catholic school principal is suing the Diocese of Allentown over alleged sexual harassment and gender discrimination" ..

MORE..

Rumor back again..

Will CB be a house for clergy accused of sexual misconduct?

The Brennan message board alive and well with the rumor..

The Bell Tower Blog made attempts in prior years to get information from the Diocese on this rumor.. no response. It appears the Brennan message board is having the same luck..

SUCCESS FOR THE BRENNAN 11

A Charger that still bleeds blue and gold in a sea of green ..

BELL TOWER BANGING: CB MESSAGE BOARD PICKS UP ON SEX OFFENDER STORY

MORE..

"I have been hesitant to join the many individuals ridiculing the pastor of the two Catholic churches in Girardville. I believe he has a difficult job and no support from the crowd in Allentown.

When it was brought to my attention, however, that he used the term "whorehouse" in the latest Sunday bulletin in reference to the proper placement for the Girardville Pirate Lady, I feel the pastor has gone too far.

There was no reason to use that term in an otherwise pleasant parish bulletin which featured photos of the newest young first communicants in the town; a bulletin that folks would wish to preserve as a family moment to remember.

Well past time to focus on the destruction of the Catholic churches and Catholic schools in northern Schuylkill county rather than employing a matter that was settled by the state police and Pennsylvania law as a smokescreen. "

Bell Tower flashback: watch this story..

Cardinal Brennan closed, but the Patrick W. Kempsey sports complex is still being used..

While education at Cardinal Brennan ended two years ago, the sports continues at the Patrick W. Kempsey sports complex..

The Hazleton STANDARD SPEAKER reported that a Race for Education was held two weeks ago on Brennan land. Some of the events included Greased Watermelon Relay, Water Balloon Challenge, Egg Toss and other games.. A hot dog lunch, watermelon and other fruit was served to the students..

The Race For Education was attended by Trinity Academy students.. At Cardinal Brennan, an education established shut down.. Why not at Nativity? .. hmmm..

Memories for sale.. Closed churches cleaning out

There's a big task ahead for members of dozens of churches closed by the Diocese of Allentown. They've started cleaning out the buildings in Schuylkill and Carbon counties..

MORE from WNEP..

Closings on hold--for now.. New Bishop chosen

Meet Monsignor John O. Barres, the new Bishop of the Allentown Diocese..

Outgoing Bishop Cullen says forthcoming consolidation is on hold until Barres is made official..

Possible church closings in Shenandoah, Lost Creek, Ringtown, Sheppton, Girardville, Ashland, Gordon and Frackville, *17 total* will now wait for Monsignor Barres to take his position..

Sex offender back in court for not reporting his job status..

Pottsville REPUBLICAN reporting ..

Enough to make pirate red...

you went to court
to defend a friend..
no shame?
a disturbing trend..

AP STORY: CHURCH CLOSINGS AN ISSUE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

Associated Press reporting on church closings around the country and budgets run dry..

Allentown Diocese gets a mention:

Council of Parishes co-chairman Peter Borre said the letter is "a last resort" aimed at getting the Vatican to prevent bishops in eight dioceses from "wrecking the Catholic church in America by shutting down viable parishes."

The dioceses with parishioners participating in the request are Allentown, Pa.; Boston; Buffalo, N.Y.; Cleveland; New Orleans; New York City; Scranton, Pa., and Springfield, Mass.

The Council of Parishes was formed in 2004 to oppose parish closings

More from the AP

Reaction far and wide to pirate statue

First reported on Cardinal Brennan's alumni message board and then the Bell Tower Blog, the story is being read far and wide today after WNEP picked up the story..

From Schuylkill County to Harrisburg to Philadelphia, reactions have been coming into the Bell Tower Blog.. Most confused as to why a priest would wage war against an inanimate object. At least two from Harrisburg defending Father Connelly, mentioning that the statue of the scantily clad pirate was "too racy" for a main street..

One reaction from Harrisburg joked about Wnep's mention of the "busy main street of Girardville," saying whenever he drove through the Coal Region the street was rarely filled with cars besides those parked..

And finally, one local reaction said: "Perhaps next he can part the s**t crick"..

Arrrrrgghhh matey! The pirate so far is there..

The pirate battle continues...

WNEP with the full story tonight..

"The statue has been moved back from the sidewalk, the owners said, because it's windy but on the day of a recent protest the pirate was standing in full view.

Father Commolly commanded the owners to remove it.

"He pointed to the statue and very dictatorially and said, 'I curse you. I curse this place. I want to see this destroyed. I want her destroyed,'" said pirate owner Peggy Kanigoski.

"Nor did I curse in the sense of putting a curse on them. In fact I did quite the opposite. I blessed them," Father Commolly said."

MORE from WNEP..

Girardville priest protests pirate

Apparently a certain Girardville pastor led the flock to a statue of mannequin depicting a female pirate which he claimed was obscene, according to a posting on the Cardinal Brennan alumni message board ..

Subsequent follow up comments weighed in on the matter..

Father Edward Connelly owns his own website called Reasonably Well . .He is the chaplain and co-host of Road To Cana.

And now fiercely against scantily clad plastic pirates..

An update..

Haven't posted in some time..

The latest information, from the Pottsville REPUBLICAN in a letter to the editor from . .The letter writer writes,

"A number of clergy have privately expressed dismay at being forced into early retirement. A Polish parish arranged the importation of clergy from Poland, but it was reportedly denied by Bishop Cullen. A Slovenian parish planned similarly, but was informed that its effort would also be denied. The bishop also reportedly refused importing additional African clergy as suggested by the Vatican.

The synod’s own building guidelines recommends the choice of the best buildings for the newly combined parishes. In reality, the best buildings were rejected for the more inferior, for it is fiscally wise to place the best building on the real estate market and financially burden the parishioners to bring the inferior buildings to the standards of those closed."

Full letter..