Or as The Bard would say - "something's rotten in Robeson County"
WARNING! Harsh Language Alert.
Alas, poor Father Ospina I knew him well. No... really. I know Father Ospina. I've had a couple of "disagreements" shall we say, with him in the past, but I wouldn't wish this on anyone. Well, there are a few (OK, a lot) that I would wish this on, but not good ol' Father Ospina.
Here's some of the article from The Fayetteville (NC) Observer; (Emphasis and comments mine.)
RED SPRINGS - A large group of parishioners of the Iglesia Catolica San Andres padlocked their pastor out of the church Sunday morning to protest his continued assignment to the Spanish-speaking Catholic community of Robeson County. (Any specifics as to why they were muy PO'd at Father? Read on.)
Father Walter Ospina, who is 33, tried to enter San Andres, or St. Andrew Catholic Church, by a side entrance before morning Mass.
In addition to the lock that had been bolted outside the side door, a sign on the glass read, "Iglesia Cerrada hasta que tengamos nuevo parroco. Justicia!!" That loosely translates to "Church closed until we have a new priest. Justice!" (Now I'm just a college edjumacated retired Gyreen, but this has all the signs of a direct challenge to the Bishop of Raleigh. Just my opinion.)
The protesters, who numbered about 150, then swarmed around the priest, many of them holding signs. "We don't want a priest that mistreat(s) a community!" one poster said. (150 people "swarming" one man? Isn't that called "assault"? I'd still like to know what kind of mistreatment he's foisted upon this community of Ecclesiastical Zapatistas.)
Ospina has served as priest of the Red Springs church for about a year, and he also delivered the Spanish Mass at St. Francis De Sales Catholic Church in Lumberton and the missionary station of St. Andrew in St. Pauls. (Sounds to me like an obedient and hard working priest.)
Many of the Hispanics who attend San Andres feel betrayed by this man of the cloth. (Yet again --- How?)
They say he fails to embrace his Mexican parishioners, a flock of lower-income people who, in many cases, have made their way into this country illegally. They say he is aloof and sarcastic to them. (Damn it! Whose ass do I have to kick to get some friggin' specifics, here!? Oh, and they came here illegally? Charming. And by the way... as the article so eruditely points out, MANY OF THEM ARE HERE ILLEGALLY! I do believe the official teaching of The Catholic Church says something about that. Enough of the pew based pandering. These 150 thugs can go pound sand. This isn't Chiapas... this isn't Oaxaca. This is America. To hell with calling in the police department, call in a half dozen INS agents armed with a sack fulla flex-cuffs and a surly attitude.)
They say he is not a man of the people. (IE: a vocal proponent of illegal immigration/social worker, just with better livery. Oh, and that "Jesus" stuff is kinda-sorta importante, tambien.)
An allegation also has been made that the priest has acted inappropriately. St. Paul's Police Chief Tommy Hagens said Sunday the Robeson County District Attorney's Office is looking into an allegation. (*Sigh* So what exactly was so damn "inappropriate'? Possibly his acting aloof and sarcastic? Hang him high! After all... no self-loathing, wrist-wringing, limousine liberal is complete without murmuring the mantra that's become the 11th Commandment: Thou Shalt Kiss Illegal Alien Ass.)
No charges have been filed against Ospina, who, on Sunday, denied doing anything wrong. (How nice to see the Napoleonic Code hasn't been implemented... yet. By the way, "charges"? In this day and age, even a whiff of sexual misconduct involving a Catholic priest, and said priest is indicted posthaste. That hasn't happened. In other words, Father Ospina hasn't done shit wrong.)
The Raleigh Diocese "has no reason to remove Ospina, who will remain pastor of St. Andrew in Red Springs," said spokesman Frank Morock. (Well I should hope to hell not. Now we come to that point in time called "where the rubber meets the road". For years now I've had to listen to all this bullshit emanating from the halls of the USCCB about "comprehensive immigration reform". I reiterate - bullshit. The only thing that needs reforming is the civil will to enforce the laws of this country, and the hierarchical will to enforce the CCC. Specifically 2241. You know, that whole "Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants' duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens." thing. Oh, and those that don't are in a state of sin. Says who? The Catechism, that's who.)
On Sunday, Ospina clutched a Bible to his heart and toted a travel suit bag after coming down the steps of the locked side door. He conferred briefly with the church secretary and a church official.
"What's the problem?" he asked the parishioners standing before him.
"It's a protest," said 25-year-old Maria Perez, who said she has been attending the church for about 14 years. ("Protest" my ass. This is thuggery in the first degree.)
Red Springs police officer Darron Sutton arrived at the church, responding to a call that somebody was blocking the parking lot. He approached Ospina as the confrontation started to get heated.
Alfonso Arroyo, 52, angrily defended the priest.
"I'm the priest in charge," Ospina told Sutton. "I have a right to get in my church. They have the right to not go in."
He then turned and faced the members of his church, telling them to calm down.
Ospina replaced Father Carlos Arce, who was beloved by the members of Iglesia Catolica San Andres. Arce openly operated as an advocate for the Hispanic community. (Ahhh... the picture gets much clearer now.)
As for Ospina, Julio Sanchez said, "He doesn't make time for us. All we want is a father who is for us. We never had problem(s) until he comes to us." (You mean when you came here illegally, Julio? Excuse me while I give a rat's ass less about your pissing and moaning. What the hell kind of Catholic are you anyways? Locking a priest out of his own church. In every definition of each word - SHAME on every single one of you and your mob of punks and thugs, Julio. And never mind the fact that Fr. Opsina "doesn't have time" for you. Yeah... he only has three parishes to serve. How thoughtless. WHOA! Wait a sec... possibly Julio's pissed because Fr. Ospina "doesn't have time" to lobby to keep Julio's sorry ass in this country illegally. I'll bet that's it.)
Sanchez, who is 27, has attended the church for nearly 15 years. (Yeah... he's been here long enough to know that most White folks will shake and quiver at the mere threat of being accused of racism.)
About 20 minutes after the 10:30 Mass should have started, Sutton escorted the priest to his car. Ospina wanted to stay and worship with his loyal parishioners, Sutton said, but the police officer asked him to leave out of concern for his safety. (Is it just me, or does this sound like how priests were treated during the French Revolution? I wonder what would have happened to Father Ospina if the police officer never showed up? I wonder if Father Ospina is even residing in his own rectory?)
"They tried this before," Arroyo said through a translator. "They had a small meeting and tried to get him out of the church." (Something along the lines of "Bishop? We don' need no stinkin' bishop!)
At noon, some of the protesters were still milling around, talking to one another. (Bilingually? Prolly not.)
"I hope and I pray to God," Perez said, "we get another priest." (or we'll intimidate him (and the bishop) until we get our way.)