deliver us from evil
The story of humanity in the bible is a story of good and evil. I believe that there is good and evil in each of us.
My parents befriended many priests while I was growing up, both diocesan and order (including oblate priests Bob Vincent and Ted Clock). Thanks be to God, I believe that my parents went to their graves not knowing about the accusations against Joyce.
I was born on 12/30/1946 at Georgetown hospital. I attended St. Ann's elementary school in Arlington VA from kindergarten through the 8th grade (1960). Donald Joyce occasionally said Sunday masses at St. Ann's, assisting pastor Dixon Beattie. During that time Joyce befriended me and my family. He borrowed my parent's car and took me on a trip to the oblate seminary in Newburgh NY when I was in the 8th grade. On the trip up, near Emmitsburg MD, Joyce grilled me about what boys called semen. I said that I didn't know. He persisted. I finally yelled "knock it off!"--which he did.
Sometime in the middle to late 1980s I had contact again with Joyce. He said that he was having a problem with his computer. My son had a computer at that time and we went to his room at the oblate college in DC. The next time that I encountered Joyce was when my cousin and I ran into him near Union Station in DC. (My cousin and I served at masses and worked at the Shrine--across Michigan Ave. from the oblate college--one summer when we were in high school.) The three of us had a drink at a restaurant near union station, during which Joyce told us that he was being blackmailed from a homosexual relationship that he was in. My cousin and I were dumbfounded.
Besides my wife, the only other person that I told (recently) about these events is my younger brother. He told me that accusations concerning Joyce were on the internet. I now know more about the extent of the accusations. Fr. Donald J. Joyce - BishopAccountability.org
Sometime in the middle to late 1980s I had contact again with Joyce. He said that he was having a problem with his computer. My son had a computer at that time and we went to his room at the oblate college in DC. The next time that I encountered Joyce was when my cousin and I ran into him near Union Station in DC. (My cousin and I served at masses and worked at the Shrine--across Michigan Ave. from the oblate college--one summer when we were in high school.) The three of us had a drink at a restaurant near union station, during which Joyce told us that he was being blackmailed from a homosexual relationship that he was in. My cousin and I were dumbfounded.
Besides my wife, the only other person that I told (recently) about these events is my younger brother. He told me that accusations concerning Joyce were on the internet. I now know more about the extent of the accusations. Fr. Donald J. Joyce - BishopAccountability.org
My parents befriended many priests while I was growing up, both diocesan and order (including oblate priests Bob Vincent and Ted Clock). Thanks be to God, I believe that my parents went to their graves not knowing about the accusations against Joyce.
While researching Joyce on the internet, I made another discovery that I found dumbfounding. Fr. R. Dixon Beattie - BishopAccountability.org I have no personal knowledge of the Beattie accusation. My memories of Beattie are good--handing out report cards at St. Ann's school, movies in the school cafeteria, boat trips to marshall hall MD, etc. He was the presider when Jenny and I married at St. Ann's church on 11/24/1966.
I have been both the perpetrator and victim of evil. I am sorry for the many times when I have been the perpetrator of evil--my guilty conscience plagues me. I have come to believe that there may be a place between heaven and hell for people like me--a place where souls "rest in peace". a place where souls cease to exist--in peace--after their time on earth is over.
God, have mercy on me, and on all sinners.
Comments
Post a Comment