Connect with us

Kentucky

Kentucky bishop bars priests devoted to Latin Mass from ministry

Published

on

Kentucky bishop bars priests devoted to Latin Mass from ministry


NEW YORK – A small religious community dedicated to the Traditional Latin Mass in the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky, that once had aspirations of becoming a religious institute, now finds itself in limbo after its two priests were barred from public ministry.

Last week, Bishop John Iffert of Covington requested the resignation of Father Shannon Collins, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Park Hills, Kentucky, and removed Father Sean Kopczynski as the parish’s parochial vicar, after the former spoke in a critical fashion about the current version of the Mass.

Our Lady of Lourdes is the only parish in the diocese that offered the Traditional Latin Mass.

Collins and Kopczynski are members of the diocese’s Missionaries of Saint John the Baptist, a religious community founded in 2015, and established as a public association of the faithful by Bishop Emeritus Roger Foys of Covington in 2019 to serve those “attached” to the Traditional Latin Mass, who, Foys said at the time, “so often are driven to the margins of ecclesiastical and civil life.”

In 2019, Foys expressed the hope that the new community would lead parish missions and retreats, teach catechism, serve in foreign missions and staff parishes, with the goal of eventually becoming a religious institute in the diocese.

Yet according to Diocese of Covington records, and as told to Crux by a diocesan spokesperson, Collins and Kopczynski are currently the community’s only official members, therefore its future is in question after Iffert’s decision.

Advertisement

In a Jan. 17 letter to Our Lady of Lourdes parishioners, Iffert said he’s had concerns about the parish’s leadership, meaning Collins and Kopczynski, for a while.

“For some time now, I had serious concerns about the parish’s pastoral leadership,” Iffert wrote. “I attempted to resolve those concerns in conversation and fraternal correction with these priests, who are brothers and sons to me. Regretfully I have been unable to do so.”

“I take this action after becoming aware that Fr. Collins had preached in the parish that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as celebrated in the current Roman Catholic liturgy, is ‘irrelevant,’ preserves ‘literally nothing of the old,’ and that the reform of the liturgy was motivated by hatred towards traditional Catholics and the ancient liturgies of Rome,” Iffert wrote.

In addition to requesting Collins’ resignation and removing Kopczynski as the parish’s parochial vicar, Iffert removed their faculties to teach, preach, or celebrate the sacraments.

“They are to conduct no public ministry,” Iffert wrote. “They may celebrate a private Mass for themselves, immediate family members, and members of the Missionaries of Saint John the Baptist. They are not permitted to celebrate the Mass publicly.”

On Jan. 25, in response to Iffert’s letter, a website registered as belonging to the Missionaries of Saint John the Baptist, Inc., posted a news release describing the two clerics as “veteran Roman Catholic priests in good standing.”

Advertisement

“The Missionaries seek to be teachers of truth and have never, to the best of their knowledge, promoted any errors in regard to the Holy Faith or taught anything contrary to the perennial Catechism of the Catholic Church,” the news release states.

The Missionaries of Saint John the Baptist did not respond to a Crux request for comment.

The immediate concern for the diocese after Iffert’s decision was to find a home for the Our Lady of Lourdes parishioners, who could no longer go there because the Missionaries of Saint John the Baptist own the church building and the group was no longer willing to permit the diocese use of the building.

Ultimately, Iffert announced that beginning Jan. 21, the pastor of St. Ann Mission in Covington, Father Matthew Cushing, had agreed to offer two Traditional Latin Masses to the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish community on Sunday mornings.

What’s still up in the air is what will happen to the Missionaries of Saint John the Baptist.

Advertisement

The religious community owns the Our Lady of Lourdes church building, purchased and renovated with over $2 million in donations in 2016. In the news release, it wrote that they’ve reached out to Iffert to offer Our Lady of Lourdes church as a home for the Traditional Latin Mass in the diocese.

A spokesperson confirmed Iffert is aware of the offer, and that he and his presbyterate council are “currently discerning what the path forward looks like for the stability of the parish.”

The religious community, meanwhile, said in the news release it will not alter its ministry.

“For the Missionaries, the ancient and apostolic liturgies of Rome are not just a preference, but a necessity of their charism. In accordance with their constitutions, the Missionaries cannot relinquish that liturgical charism in their community, nor within any pastoral work they do,” the news release states.

“Therefore, the Missionaries could not, in good conscience and in obedience to their charism, implement any plan of leading the faithful flock of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish away from the use of the older forms of Sacraments and Divine Worship,” the news release continues.

Advertisement

When asked by Crux, the diocesan spokesperson did not know how much, if any, progress had been made on the Missionaries of Saint John the Baptist becoming a religious institute.

They also did not know how much power Iffert has over the religious community. Its decree, published by the diocesan newspaper in 2019, states that “the association is subject to the authority of the Bishop of Covington,” which at the time was Foys but is now Iffert.

From the priests’ perspective, they said for now they will accept Iffert’s decision and weigh their options.

“In terms of next steps, the Missionaries are praying, consulting and weighing their options,” the news release stated. “Until there is more to say, please keep the faith, and continue to keep the Missionaries, as well as [Collins and Kopczynski] and in your prayers, as they will continue to do for their parishioners and their benefactors.”

Follow John Lavenburg on X: @johnlavenburg

Advertisement





Source link

Kentucky

Several people hurt in Western Kentucky Parkway multi-car accident, officials say

Published

on

Several people hurt in Western Kentucky Parkway multi-car accident, officials say


MUHLENBERG, Ky. (WFIE) – Kentucky officials says there are multiple people injured in a three-car accident on Western Kentucky Parkway.

According to a post made by the Central City Fire Department, three vehicles were involved in a crash between the 64 and 65 mile markers eastbound of the parkway.

They say both the eastbound and westbound lanes are closed at this time. The closure should last around 3 hours.

Two people were extricated from a vehicle. Four adults and three juveniles are being taken to the hospital. No update has been given on their conditions.

Advertisement

They say a mass casualty incident was declared, and Ohio County Fire and EMS were called to the scene due to the number of patients.

We will update you when we learn more.

Several people hurt in Western Kentucky Parkway multi-car accident, officials say(Central City Fire Department)



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Kentucky

2027 top in-state prospect talks about his Kentucky unofficial visit on Tuesday

Published

on

2027 top in-state prospect talks about his Kentucky unofficial visit on Tuesday


Kentucky’s recruiting efforts in the 2026 class have hit a current rough patch, but things are looking promising in the 2027 class, as the staff has already casted a very wide net in the class, with a number of top targets in the fold. As they’re continuing to pursue mostly national targets, a local star is now on the staff’s radar.

2027 in-state guard Braxton Keathley, one of the state’s top prospects even regardless of class, took an unofficial visit to Kentucky on Tuesday for the game against NC Central. Keathley is native of Martin County, KY, and has took the state by storm as he has really stuffed the stat sheet. Just recently, he dropped a triple-double of 34 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds last weekend.

The Kentucky staff has certainly seemed to take notice really quickly. He’s also getting plenty of other interest, too, including having frequent contact with Louisville, LSU, Purdue, South Carolina, and Florida State, plus offers from Eastern Kentucky, UT Martin, Ohio, and Bowling Green, among others. Keathley sat down with Kentucky Wildcats on SI to talk about his recent visit to Kentucky. What were his impressions of the staff? He shared a conversation he had with them before Tuesday’s game. He also had some interactions with others, too.

Advertisement

“They really talked about how well I scored it and how they’ve been hearing about me for a long time,” Keathley said of his conversation with the Kentucky staff. “One of the (Kentucky) assistants mentioned he had a coaching friend tell them that they better jump on me quick cause I was really good. I had several fans come up to me and take pictures. Jack Givens welcomed me and talked to me for a little bit and said he’s highly impressed with my game and plans on coming to a game soon. A couple of other UK players came up, they were really nice and said they been keeping up with me.”

Advertisement

Braxton Keathley | Photo via Jessica Adkins

As a Kentucky kid, Keathley says he been a fan of the Wildcats since he was little, even getting to train with Tyrese Maxey this summer, and he also had some great things to say about what he saw from fellow Kentucky natives and current Wildcats Trent Noah, Jasper Johnson, and Malachi Moreno. “I looked up to players like Tyler Herro, SGA, Tyrese Maxey, Devin Booker, Malik Monk and Reed Sheppard. I got lucky that I got to train with Maxey for a week in August,” Keathley said. “I saw Trent Noah last night having great energy and keeping a smile on his face during warmups. You could tell he loved every minute wearing that Kentucky uniform. He cares and it shows. I saw Jasper and Moreno warming up hard. The one thing about it, and my dad always told me, it’s a different place. You got to be special to play there and be willing to accept everything that comes with wearing that jersey.”

Advertisement

Interestingly enough, Keathley’s dad coached former Kentucky greats Anthony Epps and Wayne Turner after their time at Kentucky, so Keathley has a family history of being around all that comes with the passion of Kentucky basketball. What did Keathley’s dad learn about the two former Wildcats he got the privilege to coach? “He said they carried a chip on their shoulder and were great leaders always humble but tough. and I have to do the same.” Now, for Keathley, it’s about climbing the ranks nationally. “A couple (recruiting services) don’t have me ranked yet and that’s ok. I’m going to walk in the gym every night and know I outworked you and I’m going to outplay you,” he said. “I’m going to compete like every game is a championship. I’m going to to play with the same passion that the fans have. I’m always all in there’s no going back or in-between.”

Advertisement

Keathley has so much passion for his community in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, and he has plans of doing big things at Martin County. He also shared a message Trent Noah’s dad had for him during their interaction at Tuesday’s Kentucky game. “Something he said that really stuck out. ‘Us mountain people have got to stick together.’ He’s right, Eastern Kentucky has great people and basketball players. Kentucky basketball as whole, we got to stick together through the highs and lows. That’s what we do.”

That’s a great message from a parent of a current Wildcat who was in his shoes before, being a fellow native of that part of the state. The Kentucky staff is certainly going to keep an eye on him as he continues the impressive run he is on so far this season, because he just continues to catch more and more people’s attention with his play.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Kentucky

Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie introduces legislation for U.S. to leave NATO – UPI.com

Published

on

Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie introduces legislation for U.S. to leave NATO – UPI.com


Dec. 10 (UPI) — U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican serving a House district in Kentucky, introduced legislation for the United States to pull out of NATO.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, posted on X that she would be a co-sponsor of the Not a Trusted Organization Act, or NATO Act. Utah Republican Mike Lee introduced the same legislation in the Senate earlier this year.

“NATO is a Cold War relic,” Massie said in a statement Tuesday. “We should withdraw from NATO and use that money to defend our own country, not socialist countries.

“NATO was created to counter the Soviet Union, which collapsed over 30 years ago. Since then, U.S. participation has cost taxpayers trillions of dollars and continues to risk U.S. involvement in foreign wars.”

Advertisement

He added: “Our Constitution did not authorize permanent foreign entanglements, something our Founding Fathers explicitly warned us against. America should not be the world’s security blanket – especially when wealthy countries refuse to pay for their own defense.”

NATO was founded in 1949 by 12 members as a military alliance involving European nations, as well as the U.S. and Canada in North America. There are now 32 members, with Finland joining in 2023 and Sweden in 2024.

The NATO Act would prevent the use of U.S. taxpayer funds for NATO’s common budgets, including its civil budget, military budget and the Security Investment Program.

Article 13 of the North Atlantic Treaty allows nations to opt out.

“After the Treaty has been in force for 20 years, any Party may cease to be a Party one year after its notice of denunciation has been given to the Government of the United States of America, which will inform the Governments of the other Parties of the deposit of each notice of denunciation,” the treaty reads.

Advertisement

During the last NATO summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, President Donald Trump told reporters he agrees with NATO’s Article 5 mutual defense treaty.

“I stand with it. That’s why I’m here,” Trump said. “If I didn’t stand with it, I wouldn’t be here.”

Article 5 was invoked for the first time after the 9/11 attacks in the United States, leading to NATO’s involvement in Afghanistan.

The Kentucky Republican, who calls himself a “fiscal hawk” and a “constitutional conservative,” has been at odds with Trump on several issues, including fiscal spending, foreign policy/war powers, government surveillance and transparency.

Trump has also been critical of NATO.

Advertisement

During his 2016 election campaign, Trump called the alliance “obsolete.”

He urged nations to spend at least 3.5% of gross domestic product on core defense needs by 2035.

In June, NATO allies agreed to a new defense spending guideline to invest 5% of GDP annually in defense and security by 2035.

Five nations were above 3% in 2024: Poland at 4.12%, Estonia at 3.43%, U.S. at 3.38%, Latvia at 3.15% and Greece at 3.08%. In last is Spain with 1.28% though Iceland has no armed forces and Sweden wasn’t listed.

Some Republican senators want stronger involvement in the alliance, including Joni Ernst of Iowa and Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi. Wicker is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Advertisement

For passage, a House majority is needed, but 60 of 100 votes in the Senate to break the filibuster and then a majority vote. Trump could also veto the bill.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending