‘This storm is not eternal’: St. Benedict parishioners turn to prayer in difficult moment for parish

With parishioners still reeling from the recent removal of Benedictine Father Paschal Morlino as the much-loved pastor of St. Benedict in Southwest Baltimore, a trusted friend of the parish reminded them during an Oct. 22 Mass that their faith rests in Jesus alone.

Father Agapitus Businge, a priest of the Ugandan Diocese of Hoima who is well known to the St. Benedict community, said the parish was established “in Christ Jesus.” He urged parishioners to pray during one of the most difficult times in the faith community’s 130-year history.

“This storm is not eternal,” said Father Businge, who lived and ministered at St. Benedict for approximately two years while he was completing a graduate degree at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

The storm “is temporal,” he insisted. “It will come to an end.”

The Archdiocese of Baltimore removed Father Morlino as pastor and suspended his faculties to function as a priest following revelations that he entered into a financial settlement with a man who accused him of sexual assault and fraud. The Benedictines also suspended Father Morlino’s faculties. The priest is now living with his religious community, St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pa. 

According to an Oct. 14 article in The Baltimore Banner, Father Morlino acknowledged he paid $200,000 to the now-deceased man who accused him, but the priest denied he had assaulted or defrauded him. The Archdiocese of Baltimore was unaware of the settlement, first learning of it when the Banner inquired for a story it was preparing about the allegations.

In his homily, Father Businge told parishioners he recently came across a writing on faith. He asked them to repeat acclamations after him, which the congregation did in a unified voice:

“Faith does not always take you out of the problem,” they said. “Faith takes you through the problem. Faith does not always take your pain. Faith gives you the ability to handle the pain.”

“Faith does not always take you out of the storm,” they continued. “Faith calms you in the midst of the storm.”

According to an archdiocesan statement, an individual filed a 2018 complaint with the archdiocese involving Father Morlino, “citing multiple concerns.” 

“The complaint did not include any information at all about the issues that led to the settlement,” the statement said.

The 2018 complaint included allegations of sexual harassment against Father Morlino involving an adult man separate from the one who entered the settlement.

“However,” the statement said, “at the time of the complaint the man was deceased, and therefore the third-party allegation could not be corroborated.”
The archdiocese and the Benedictines are conducting investigations into allegations against Father Morlino. 

At the end of the Oct. 22 Mass, parishioners applauded Father Businge in appreciation of his encouragement. A pre-scheduled second collection was taken up to support Father Businge’s construction of a new church in Uganda. Over the years, St. Benedict parishioners have supported the long-term project.

Greg Hart, president of the pastoral council, read a statement at the end of Mass noting that the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Benedictines are working together concerning the future of the parish. He promised to keep parishioners informed of all developments and asked parishioners for “prayer and patience.”

Hart noted that parishioners who wished to write letters to Father Morlino could place them in baskets left inside the church. They would be delivered to the former pastor, he said.

As bells tolled after Mass, parishioners worried about the future of their parish and Father Morlino.

“We’re all very sad,” said Pat, a senior parishioner who declined to give her last name. “We love this parish and we love our priest. We’re waiting for him to return.”

Bob Kolarek, a music minister, said he was encouraged that there was a strong turnout for a special Oct. 18 eucharistic Holy Hour in the church where people prayed for the parish and all those affected by recent developments.

“Everybody is just trying to pray and put our trust in God that things will work out the way they’re supposed to,” he said. “God’s time is not our time, so we just wait patiently for the right answer.”

Email George Matysek at gmatysek@CatholicReview.org

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