I'm sure the parishioners of St. John Vianney never expected this season of Advent to be rocked by their pastor being arrested for possession of crack rocks.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
The pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in Brookfield and former priest-secretary to now-retired Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland, was charged Tuesday in Milwaukee County with misdemeanor possession of cocaine.
Father Leonard Van Vlaenderen, 49, was arrested by St. Francis police after they got a report about 6:20 p.m. Saturday of a suspicious car in the parking lot of a vacant commercial building in the 3500 block of E. Lunham Ave., said St. Francis Police Chief Brian Kaebisch.
The responding officer found Van Vlaenderen alone in an impaired condition and, concerned about his health, called for medical assistance. Tire tracks indicated that the car had been driven on the sidewalk for at least one block before stopping, Kaebisch said.
Searching Van Vlaenderen, the officer found two clear plastic bags in a front pants pocket. Each contained a yellowish-white rock that turned out to be crack cocaine weighing a combined total of 4.7 grams, according to Kaebisch and the criminal complaint.
Van Vlaenderen told the arresting officer that he was under the influence of cocaine and that the cocaine that was found on him was not for delivery, the criminal complaint says.
If convicted, Van Vlaenderen faces up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000. He made his first court appearance Tuesday and entered a plea of not guilty. He is free on $250 bail.
He's been at St. John Vianney, one of the largest parishes in the 10-county archdiocese with more than 7,900 registered parishioners, since mid-2002, said Kathleen Hohl, archdiocesan spokeswoman. The archdiocese was taking steps to work with Van Vlaenderen on health-related issues and to arrange for the pastoral care of St. John Vianney Parish, she said.
The arrest and charges startled parishioners, though it was widely known that Van Vlaenderen had struggled with personal issues. He had returned to the parish in September after about a nine-month leave of absence for what parish leaders and other parish members understood to be mental health reasons, said Frank Pasternak, of Brookfield, a member of the parish council.
Obviously, Fr. Len has been struggling with personal issues.
It's terribly sad.
In a letter to parishioners issued Tuesday, Archbishop Timothy Dolan said that Van Vlaenderen will need to step down from his post.
"Last January, after receiving various reports of concern for Father Len's health from parishioners and others, I insisted that Father Len take a health leave from the parish. He himself admitted to a variety of health-related struggles and spent the next seven months under the care of health professionals. Last August, with assurances from his doctors that he was ready to return to full-time ministry, I allowed him to resume his pastorate. Now, with this news, it is clear that Father Len will need to step down as pastor and cooperate fully with the law," the letter says.
I can hear the Catholic-bashers chuckling right now.
Ooooh. Another scandal. A crackhead priest.
I don't think Catholic priests have cornered the market on depression and addiction. People from all walks of life are afflicted with those conditions.
Guess what?
Priests are human beings. It's true. They're human.
Human beings aren't perfect. They have challenges just like everyone else.
Father Len and the parishioners of St. John Vianney are in my prayers.
Father Len and the parishioners of St. John Vianney are in my prayers.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:34-40)
14 comments:
I agree. I worked with Fr. Len when he first came into the priesthood and have the utmost respect for him. The stresses that a priest undergoes in today's warped world must be monumental.
Yes, the stress must be nearly unbearable at times.
When I was dealing with struggles in my life, Fr. Len was there as my priest and friend to pray for me and my family. I was able to overcome many difficult challenges through Fr. Len's prayers. It is now time for my family and me to pray for Fr. Len through his difficult challenges. He is a good, good man, and I owe so much to him.
Yes, the stress brought upon a pastor is nearly indescribable. Fr. Len took the wrong path in trying to deal with his stress. I am certain he has realized this. All we can do is pray that God's loving grace will help Fr. Len heal from his pain and addiction. I know I'll be praying for him.
I am a 14 Year old boy, and I have worked with Fr. Len for many years. I am very sad that this has happened. I will always Keep him in my prayers.
Father Len has been a tremendous blessing to our family over the years he's been at St. John Vianney. His weekly homilies have been very well thought out and so very relevant to today's modern world and the struggles we all face. He's a very caring person who gives so much of himself as he ministers to others. We too, have the utmost respect for him and are saddened by all of this. We are holding him in our prayers, praying that he will allow God's healing grace to help him re-build his life. The Lamberts
I really hope Fr. Len will turn over all of his problems to God and ask for forgiveness and healing. We have lost a extremely good priest; it is going to be hard to replace him!
Fr. Len was my priest at Our Lady Queen of Peace for many years. I will forever remember him for his kindness and his great sense of humor. Hearing of this situation brings me great sadness. I can only hope that all that know him will be supportive and pray that he will be able to overcome this.
One has to wonder if the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel would be as "shocked" and have such a great need to sensationalize the obvious illness of one of their own reporters or board members. Since E. Meyer left the MJS, the paper has been blatantly anti-Catholic if not anti-Christian. So, the smear of a drug addict is not news in Milwaukee unless it is identified with the Catholic Church. Shame on those who speak of truth and justice, but never practice it themselves. Our best to Fr. Len and all those who work for a better world even when they pay the ultimate price for that service. Sure hope Tom Heinen never makes a mistake, but then it will only appear after the death notices if at all. God bless this mess we have created and allowed to exist.
It always seems to be open season on Catholics.
The double standard employed by the JS and other outlets only serves to marginalize them as propagandists.
what an idiot comment... this has nothing to do with open season on the catholics... the guy got himself addicted to crack --- plain and simple. maybe if priests could live a more normal life it would not of happened. who know.
Maybe the other sick priests would also stop sexually molesting young children as well if that were the case. That is an example of open season on the catholic's---but not what the paper reported.
This guy is human and he made a mistake... the news reported the story. it would be no different if the mayor was found passed out in a car with crack.
We're talking about biased reporting and double standards.
My "open season on Catholics" comment wasn't only about Fr. Len. I was referring to the record of the JS.
Fr. Len's arrest is not the same as the mayor being arrested for drugs. Fr. Len, while holding a position of authority, is not an elected official.
There's no question that the JS has mercilessly and gleefully smeared Catholics.
With all due respect, you made an "idiot comment."
...maybe if priests could live a more normal life it would not of happened.
...Maybe the other sick priests would also stop sexually molesting young children as well if that were the case.
Your suggestion that the nature of the Catholic priesthood had a part in Fr. Len's struggles, that the priesthood in the Catholic Church is inherently flawed, is Catholic-bashing, pure and simple.
The nature of the Catholic priesthood is inherently flawed. The decision of the Church to perpetuate celebicy condemns many good men to a life of loneliness and a lack of intimacy. For the curia to continue its advocacy of such a life style is uncaring, harsh and just wrong. To live apart from the warmth and intimacy of human contact...distorts God's intent and to a large extent creates many of the abnormal behaviors we deplore. This is particularly true for archdiocesan priests in contrast to "Order" priests. Archdiocesan priests have no religious community of their own. Many live alone in apartments.
Father Len is a Good man with problems. I don't know how much the loneliness of living a celibate life had to do with it...but it didn't help.
This tragedy lies at the feet of Father Len in the choices he made and the Church's inablility to get its governance correct.
Unless you are intimately familiar with Fr. Len's case (and I assume that you aren't), then you are in no position to assert that being a priest and/or his vow of celibacy was at the root of his problems.
He wasn't lonely. I was in a relationship with him for 17 years.
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