Many parishioners in the Diocese know that Fr. Phil Audet was placed on administrative leave from his position at the Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer, but few know exactly why he was removed.Rather than retell the story, please read this letter, which was anonymously faxed to all parishes in the Diocese in April 2010. This appears to be what finally forced the hand of the Bishop in placing Fr. Audet on leave.
Supporting documentation in the form of copies of the Netflix rentals can be viewed here:
After Fr. Audet was removed, Mr. Michael La Rocca was installed as Lay Administrator of the Shrine. La Rocca was the Bishop's Master of Ceremonies, founder of Imago Dei, and in an openly homosexual relationship.
The Bishop went from having someone in charge at the Shrine who we can only hope had no more than a latent interest in other men to one that was openly gay.
La Rocca was then fired from his position at the Shrine after just a few months.
Call to Prayer:
O Blessed Lady of the Tears, we entrust and consecrate the priesthood to your Immaculate Heart! During this time of trial and suffering, we pray that you renew the priesthood by making priests holy in imitation of the Heart of the Good Shepherd. We pray in reparation for the sins of the priesthood and we pray for all victims of their sins.
Grant, O Lady of the Tears, an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the priests that they may be authentic witnesses of your Son Jesus Christ Our Lord. May we wipe away your tears by comforting your Immaculate Heart by praying the rosary and adoring the Heart of Jesus your Son in the Most Holy Eucharist present in every Catholic Church in the world. Give all priests and seminarians a deep love and devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist and to you, their loving Mother. Grant that every priest and seminarian will daily spend one hour with Jesus in the Eucharist and daily pray your most holy rosary. Grant all priests and seminarians the gift of purity, the gift of chastity and the gift of the divine love of your Son. May they proclaim the truth without fear, with love and with courage.
Entreat our Heavenly Father to strengthen and carry our Holy Priest, Fr. Phil Audet, during his time of tribulation that he may know the peace of Christ.
We ask all of our prayers through the Tears which you shed at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ your Son who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Is there any other "issues" concerning Father Phil? The renting of inappropriate movies while a priest is a sin, I will agree. Does it warrant the removal from his parish? I like to put matters like this in the simplest of terms... I look at my 8 year old son's wristband.It reads WWJD what would Jesus do?
ReplyDeleteFather Phil helped me at a time that I had hit rock bottom, thanks to his prayers and help I am back to rebuilding my life with my wife and children. Before condemning others read...
John 8:7
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."New International Version (©1984)
I am not a biblical scholar, I am a hardworking father in the Midwest.I am a practical Catholic.I am not looking to start an involved debate. I ask that all people who read this, pray for a good priest that may have fallen off the path. God rejoices when the shepherd finds the one sheep, not the 99 who never left the herd.
Thank you for your update, I will pray for you and the people of your diocese. I will also pray for Father Phil.
...A parishioner from the diocese of Joliet,IL
Makes you think of Martin Luthers inquisition does it not.
DeleteI am very saddened to hear that fr phil is no longer with the parish. He helped me get through a very horrible time in my life when I finally realized I was living a horrible life and finally woke up. I didn't even ask for help but he spotted me in church, didn't know who I was, and knew I needed help. I am certain he reached out through Gods grace. he may have done wrong, but he's done a ton of good as well. I will pray that he is ok.
ReplyDeleteI will pray for Father Phil. If it were not for his wise and gentle counsel, my husband would not have gone through the long process of annulment of a previous marriage and we could not have been married in the church.
ReplyDeleteI really like Fr. Phil, and am sad that he has had these troubles. He administered the Sacrament of Anointing to me for the first time. May God and Our Lady help him through. Amen.
ReplyDeleteI have been a catholic all my life. Father Phil gives the good news from the heart. I don't think we are to judge a man just for couple of films. If you are true to yourself then you accept black, white, brown, yellow, straight, gay and other personalities. We call us brothers and sisters but why are there so much hatred between us....?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone have any information on when or if Father Phil will be reinstated within the parish? He is still listed on the diocese website, but with no assignment. I miss him so much and would gladly cross town to find him. In all honesty go to the ends of the Earth. He is a wonderful servant of our Lord and I miss his weekly messages, blessings, and counsel dearly.
ReplyDeleteFr. Phil did not steal $650,000 from his parish like McAuliffe, or swindle an elderly lady out of her family savings of $350,000 like Bill Kenny. Seems to me that "who stays" or "who goes" depends on your proximity to Bishop Pepe. No man is perfect, but hardly did Fr. Phil cause such damage that other priests in this Diocese have. Some, who still remain..and this is the mystery...some go..while others stay.
ReplyDeleteFor 10 years Bishop Pepe allowed McAuliffe to do NO Audit of SEAS books..and when Kenny was caught gambling away hundreds of thousands of dollars, Pepe slapped him on the wrist and hid Kenny away until the heat cooled.
Big problems in this town. Huge. Corrupt Catholic Hierarchy.
This Diocese needs a complete house cleaning. Very corrupt.
Thank You Anonymous Nov. 13.Mr.McAuliffe evidentally was very threatened by the love and popularity for Father Phil by parishoners at SEAS and thereafter.MANY letters to Bishop Pepe were never answered as to why Father Phil was replaced with his not popular or respected cohorts.My family went to Mass no matter where Father Phil was and felt very rewarded by it.His Homilies were Homeruns with unheard of applause at times much to the dismay of F.Vivona who announced, we are not in a Las Vegas showroom-tell that to K. McAuliffe!!?? 650,000.00& holding.Wise up people!
DeleteLet's make a deal!
ReplyDeleteI shall pray for Fr. Phil Audet and all of you in charge of this forum shall pray that my worst neighbor/adversary, Diane Knight, will turn from her wicked ways and NOT call the police on me WITHOUT justification!
We are all sinners! Even though Fr. Phil has done wrong, I cannot judge him! Do you recall Jesus Christ's words from Scripture:
"Let the man who is without sin cast the first stone"
That is why I shall pray for Fr. Phil Audet! The Shrine of the Most Holy
Redeemer shall never be the same without him, and please pray for a very special miracle: "That my neighbor Diane Knight and I shall reconcile! It has been twelve years that she has been treating me worse than a leper!
Heavenly Father it seems that Haman has infiltrated this house of yours. Praying for a House Cleaning where needed.
DeleteHe is celebrating Mass at the James A Haley VA Hospital in Tampa, Florida.
ReplyDeleteI will have to go to VA Hospital in Tampa.
DeleteLong live the good father Phil! He married my wife and I as well as baptized our son. He is a great man and I feel ashamed to be a part of a faith that ridicules the same oppressed we are told to forgive and love as our neighbor. Shame on you the publisher of this "private" matter and shame on our catholic faith for being Hippocrates in fullest extent. Sin - yes! Bad guy - NO!!! He will be forgiven!
ReplyDeleteIt is almost 1 year since the void of a Mass you enjoyed so much, there would be applause and actually wishing it not to be over.That is only one of many examples why Father Phil is so needed and missed here in Las Vegas.There must be so many veterans whose lives have been touched and spirits lifted by him. Having attended Masses at The Shrine along with many locals but majority of out of towners would very often say, Wish we could take him home to our church.Hope you're coming home soon Father Phil..maybe Holy Spirit??Hope so!!
ReplyDeleteI knew Fr Phil from his seminary and Monastic time at Mt Angel in Oregon. Fr Phil was always someone who worked hard, prayed deeply, was very sincere and yet loved to play. I do hope the Las Vegas Diocese resolves this issue and returns to Las Vegas. He would be most welcomed into any Diocese who needs a devoted, prayerful and happy Priest. Pray for resolve on both sides. God bless the Diocese of Las Vegas
ReplyDeleteI'm seeing an investigation unfold on the same par of an investigation unfolding at the hands of Disney Employee Relations. It sounds to me like those accusations fired at Michael Larocca were less about ability, and more about lifestyle. It sounds to me that if a life style didnt exist, the accusations would have not existed. You know the ones I'm speaking of. Not the accusation of relationship within a lifestyle, the other accusations that fall under the catagory of red herring. My Aunt Mary Sister Marie Berneice Brennan from St. Eugenes in Yonkers N.Y. and Mount Loretto Pleasant Plains Staten Island New York. She used to give jars to the childrens Fathers to bring with them to their Pubs, and the coins and bills collected would help the Nuns at Mount Loretto care for the physical necessities for the Children. The Mother General did not like this idea. She told my Aunt Mary to stop. Proud to say, my Aunt Mary kept doing it. I wonder who those were who tried to destroy the outreach??? Is it the same Jezebel spirit spirit responsible for dismantling a mans Ministry. The man being Michael Larocca. One final observation. When the position at the Shrine was given to Mike Larocca was the alternative lifedtyle known, and how can you truly know a physical communing occurred. No, this termination wasn't about Ministry performance, or lifestyle. This termination was rooted in the evil spirit of jezebel.
ReplyDelete