http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2013/01/08/arkansas-bishop-dismisses-priest Comments On: Arkansas bishop announces dismissal of priest by Max Brantley en-us Copyright 2013 Arkansas Times. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Arkansas Times readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Arkansas Times. robert@arktimes.com (Arkansas Times Webmaster) Sun, 19 May 2013 00:00:01 -0500 Sun, 19 May 2013 23:15:00 -0500 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
Royce Thomas was a gifted priest who had a real and positive impact on the lives of parishioners for decades in Arkansas. I was in school with him at Fayetteville in the early 1970s when he was a graduate student in history. He was a thoughtful and brilliant student. My family was in Good Counsel parish, and I had the opportunity to hear Father Thomas speak on many occasions. He was one of the very few Catholic priests who was a gifted orator, who could craft a message based on the liturgy of the day, and who could deliver it witih panache.

Father Thomas was also a caring human being. When my grandmother died he visited with our family, none of whom are major donors to the church. He drove to our home and spoke to us for more than an hour about our grandmother, and then crafted his homily to include many personal details that we related in that meeting. Her funeral was a great source of comfort to the family because of his kindness and the hard work he put into his preparation. As an organist I have attended many funerals, including many Catholic funerals that were devoid of comfort with not a single personal word about the deceased.

It is the SHAME of the Catholic Church and the bishop that they have dealt so harshly with such a fine human being. Father Thomas may not have been perfect, but the church is full of imperfect priests. Many have asked why Father Thomas should be dealt with so harshly by such an imperfect and some might suggest criminal organization ( at least in the way it has dealt with the crime of pedophilia) as the Catholic Church. Father Thomas did not deserve this treatment after his years of outstanding service. I imagine that a new bishop might have been cowed by the popularity of Father Thomas who had been featured in "high profile." There were other ways to deal with any possible transgressions of Father Thomas. The church has lost one of the few bright lights among its clergy. This was a sad occasion for Father Thomas, for the new bishop, and for the countless Catholics who will be denied the pastoral guidance of Father Thomas.
Posted by benignity]]> Sat, 16 Feb 2013 07:12:02 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Razorblade]]> Wed, 09 Jan 2013 15:41:42 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by NoBS]]> Wed, 09 Jan 2013 13:13:12 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by daisy]]> Wed, 09 Jan 2013 12:12:57 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Jandj Honey]]> Wed, 09 Jan 2013 05:55:05 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Charles Bates]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:40:33 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Farkleberry]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:31:43 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Pat Smith Tate]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:26:07 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by eLwood]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 15:05:06 -0600 Arkansas Times
Sorry…..didn’t mean to yell.

I don’t even know what to say.
Posted by mountaingirl]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:42:56 -0600 Arkansas Times
The irony.....
Posted by arkansastraveler]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:29:12 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by mountaingirl]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:15:50 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by bopbamboom]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 13:31:28 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Inquiring]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:54:16 -0600 Arkansas Times
Free at last, free at last! Thank God almighty he's free at last."
Posted by eLwood]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 11:30:29 -0600 Arkansas Times
Baseball's wink wink drug free rules - yet rode the wave of the Mark McGuire/Sammie Sossa steroid infused homerun derby told more about baseball's real rules than commissioner's press conferences ever did.

The Catholic Church's rants over condom use or same sex unions but shuttling pedophile priests across state lines tells me all this reformed Cath needs to know.

Father Thomas never raised any suspicions of mine through grade school or high school. I did see him escort ladies socially back in the '80s and if he recognized me he disappeared like smoke.

Could be coincidental.
Posted by Citizen1]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 11:13:49 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by bopbamboom]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:59:19 -0600 Arkansas Times I knew Mr. Thomas as a youth in Texarkana, and he was a fine guy from a great family. Sorry for what has happened, but I rejoice in all of the good he did for many people.
Posted by louie]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:37:47 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Norma Bates]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 09:40:44 -0600 Arkansas Times (Mother, Father - your children are in harm’s way!)

A video look at how the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Mpls keeps Native American children in harm’s way:
--- http://youtu.be/r5glYmmLPzY

Accused: Deacon Joe Damiani http://mnsnap.wordpress.com/child-protecti…

Bob Schwiderski, Minnesota SNAP Director.
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
952-471-3422 or skibrs@q.com.
http://mnsnap.wordpress.com/
Posted by Bob Schwiderski]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 09:15:13 -0600 Arkansas Times http://mnsnap.wordpress.com/spooks-fakers-…

Bob Schwiderski, Minnesota SNAP Director.
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
952-471-3422 or skibrs@q.com.
http://mnsnap.wordpress.com/
Posted by Bob Schwiderski]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 09:13:53 -0600 Arkansas Times
If not, then I can only assume that over-imbibing will get you de-frocked. Diddling little boys will just get you transferred to another parish.
Posted by the outlier]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 08:58:47 -0600 Arkansas Times