10/9/2009

I was happily putting in an eighty hour work week forty-nine weeks a year for the 10 and one quarter years of my priestly ministry in the clerical state. I was parish priest, Newman Club Chaplain, high school teacher, and adult educator all at the same time, and loved every minute of it. Towards the end of this obsession with overactivity I attended a continuing education clergy conference sponsored by the Archdiocese. The theologian who taught the classes was "imported" from Philadelphia (the last I heard he was still teaching theology, now at Marquette University) and at one of our classes in 1968 he told us, "In ten minutes I will show you how the current Catholic teaching on abortion and contraception is intellectually, theologically, and morally bankrupt." He did just that, and I sat there with my mouth wide open. In the next year I was transferred to a country parish that was in the midst of an active building campaign to construct a new parish church. The Archdiocese send around a sermon to be given at all the Masses at this location on a particular Sunday. I objected to a sentence in the sermon which said, "If you give $100.00 to the building fund it shows you love Jesus." I phoned the Chancery Office and told them I could not give the sermon as written, and why theologically I felt it was not correct. I was told in no uncertain terms that I would give the sermon. They refused to discuss my theological objections. I did not give that part of the sermon. On Monday morning I was called down to the Chancery Office and asked if I would like to begin a course in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at the University of Virginia Hospital in Richmond, Virginia that fall. I knew I had no alternative, so I replied in the affirmative. After completing two quarters of CPE I returned to the Archdiocese and requested a leave of absence for a year. I told them there was no great rush and I'd be happy to return to my priestly work at Johns Hopkins Hospital until they found someone to take over my duties. On August 15, 1970, I began my one year's leave of absence. My pastor was rushed to the hospital on August 14, so for the first (and last) time of my life I said six Masses for one holy day.

In the next eight months I worked a part time job, started a federal job dealing with employment discrimination, and petitioned the Holy See for laicization. (The Holy See granted my request within the year, but it took the Archdiocese eleven years to inform me of the positive response of the Holy See.) I said my farewells to the Cardinal in April of 1971 and had an interesting meeting with the chancellor as to what was happening in my life. He said he had no problem with the Church's teaching on abortion and contraception. He said he believed one thing and taught and preached something else. I told him I could not do that, and that perhaps was where we were different. He also said that since I was going to get married the diocese could not continue to pay for my leave of absence. I said that we had a binding verbal bilateral contract and that I was owed my salary. He looked at me and said, "That is the way it is." I guess if you are honest a written contract is not needed; if you are not honest, a written contract will not amount to much anyway.

I spent twenty years in the federal government, obtaining about fifteen million dollars in back pay settlements for minorities, women, handicapped and Vietnam era veterans. I spent about 10 years in SC state government working for the Department of Mental Health. In 2004, at the 45th ordination anniversary celebration I found out about CITI ministries and joined their ranks. This year I celebrated 38 years of marriage and 50 years of priesthood. It also marks the sixth year of working with nursing home and hospice patients so they can receive the sacraments and prayers that only the Catholic tradition can bring them. It has been a very busy, and a very happy life. Without my wife at my side it never would have happened. I have so much to be grateful for.

Rev. James Koerber, 843-838-4230

CITI office: 301-464-5690