The Kook Wore a Cape
Here's something you don't often see from the progressive end of Catholicism: a gay man so dangerous he never, ever, should've been admitted to a seminary.
That's Ryan Erickson -- the Tribal Chief Poster Nut who killed two and hung himself but cried routinely at the Consecration, called young women "devils" and liked to hide behind "rich and mysterious" ritual. (Ring a bell with anyone?)
Well, here's further proof that The Erickson Show was never about Jesus, it was all about him, because that's what Tribal Chiefs do.
You'll note that he's wearing a cassock with a shoulder cape. Some of you may love that on a priest, but it is a red flag of the strong, repressed, univocal (i.e. boot them out now) clerical closet if ever there were one. It screams "Oh, this one really thinks something of herself" -- from about 15 miles away.
I'd much rather listen to Antony and the Johnsons.
I once saw a priest wearing a cassock with a shoulder cape. If it weren't his mother's funeral (and the cape was probably a solace), I would've ripped it off myself. It's nothing against capes, I'm just defending their honor -- a shoulder cape represents jurisdiction and is proper to bishops -- and mozzette for rectors of Cathedrals and minor Basilicas. Extant those, just because you think you're fabulous doesn't mean you get to assume jurisdictional elements of vesture.
Erickson's supporters still see him as a "faithful priest," which is basically as sensical as giving communion to a dog. But they still hate Vatican II. Par for the course.
And, by the way, rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated.... Ciao and cheers to all.
PHOTO: Minneapolis Star-Tribune
-30-
posted by Rocco Palmo at 22:40
7 Comments:
Thanks for the information. A priest I know owns a caped soutane, but has never worn it AFAIK, (is not crazy, btw), so I was sure that it was legit in some contexts. I've only seen Anglo-Catholic priests actually wear them, including two rectors of mine. That makes sense: AC clergy in the US ape AC clergy in England, who in turn ape English RC clergy in the 19th century.
If I see a priest with a shoulder cape, I'll assume that he has satorial flair...and not that he is a wacked-out would-be murderer. On the other hand, if he wears shoulder capes, cries during the consecration, and sends out weird e-mails about the evils of masturbation and one's enemies, all of that put together shows that the priest is a pathological narcissist.
Now that I think about it, however, both of my caped-wearing AC clerics had their share of problems. One was a brilliant and discreetly gay priest who, very sadly, later went totally bonkers and was forced to retire. The other one, heterosexual and married, was morbidly obese, lazy, self-centered and always seemed to have horrible hangovers. Reportedly, he has been ordained to the Catholic priesthood outside the United States.
Coincidence?
Rocco,
I hesitate to post a comment, as my comments on this site seem to mysteriously disappear, perhaps because they are a bit too penetrating.
I simply want to say that I knew Fr. Ryan in his seminary days, as he attended the same seminary as I. Whatever he did or did not do, I am not sure what benefit comes from depicting him as a monster, other than it satisfies your hunger to stick it to conservatives.
Whatever your motives, you might consider that Ryan was still a human person -- someone's son, someone's friend, someone's pastor.
Remember the words of St. Maximilian Kolbe: only love is creative.
Rumors of your demise are under-reported. "Stories" like this are a case in point.
Funny, Clayton -- I thought your ilk were all about "truth" and that preaching the truth without compromise is love. Down with the gay sems, the heterodox, those who use the church to further personal agendas, etc. But I guess if it's truth-telling involving a kooky conservative, divisive, dangerous, history of sex abuse, who used the church for a personal agenda is involved, then those conventions don't apply and we have to "look at the human person."
Turning your coat, eh? I don't see this kind of understanding from you toward Cardinal Mahony.
Only love is creative, indeed. Now if that were a consistent standard from the cliques out there, maybe we could get somewhere.
And if I waited for that, I'd be waiting forever.
It's bad netiquette to hotlink photos, Rocco.
Also, it can backfire, if for example, the site with the original image decides to put a different one in its place.
a shoulder cape represents jurisdiction and is proper to bishops
A little knowledge, as they say...
The Erickson Show was never about Jesus, it was all about him
This is truth-telling? Please. You never even met the man.
I'm not asserting that Fr. Ryan did not do the things he was accused of. I am simply pointing out that he remains a human being.
What do you mean by "my ilk"? Generalizations are not always helpful.
In regard to Cardinal Mahony, I maintain that I have treated him as a human being... Frodo, addicts, etc. are not characters devoid of humanity. I never called the Cardinal a "kook."
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