Thursday, February 9, 2012
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Festivus on A Call to Disobey the United States Government: Our church council will make and sign a proclamation to much the same this month. To obey God is first and foremost.

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Partying Priest Given The Boot

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 • 11:12 am

An Episcopal priest at a rural northeastern Pennsylvania parish has been ousted from priestly ministry for flamboyant partying at New York City nightclubs.

When a New York newspaper reported on his lavish lifestyle, the Rev. Gregory Malia told the Daily News: “I work hard. I make good money. How I spend it — that is my business.”

The paper reported Sunday that Malia was a fixture in fashionable nightclubs, spending thousands of dollars on liquor and tips.

Read it all here.

Hat tip:  Art+


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Comments:

I gather from Bp Marshall’s letter that Fr Malia had gathered a “conservative group” around him.  Even though I count myself as a conservative, I think Bp Marshall did the right thing in inhibiting Fr Malia.

[1] Posted by Jill Woodliff on 12-31-2008 at 10:26 AM • top

So much for that age old adage…When ever four Episcopalians gather there is always a fifth….
Intercessor

[2] Posted by Intercessor on 12-31-2008 at 10:27 AM • top

I guess that Fr. Malia won’t be making any big donations to the Schori/Beers legal attack fund.

[3] Posted by Daniel on 12-31-2008 at 11:12 AM • top

“I work hard. I make good money. How I spend it — that is my business.”

Whatever the rest of his theology may be, the man has NO concept of stewardship.  It is not his money, and it is not really his business how he uses it.

[4] Posted by AnglicanXn on 12-31-2008 at 11:13 AM • top

SFIF and Fox News are being unfair to this future Episcopal bishop.  There is more to his side of the story.

My favorite:  “We purchased a bottle of Dom Perignon for a fundraiser, which hasn’t been released yet, and I didn’t want it to come out until the fundraiser and the sponsor were in place. We have that bottle, it’s all for charity.”

[5] Posted by Chazaq on 12-31-2008 at 11:31 AM • top

Although I may be wrong, I read Bishop Marshall’s reference to a “conservative group” not refer not to theological or political conservatives, but folks of conservative lifestyle who are scandalized and traumatized by the revelation of their priest’s lifestyle.

[6] Posted by Richard Yale on 12-31-2008 at 11:41 AM • top

Take heart Fr. Malia… Stacy Sauls is waiting for your phone call…

Shalom,
Intercessor

[7] Posted by Intercessor on 12-31-2008 at 11:50 AM • top

As a refugee from +Sauls regiem, I don’t follow your comment, intercesor.

[8] Posted by evan miller on 12-31-2008 at 11:57 AM • top

#8
I believe that Intercessor is referring to the story that Bishop “Stripper” Sauls found God in a strip club.

[9] Posted by BillS on 12-31-2008 at 12:38 PM • top

#9
Ah, yes.  Thanks.

[10] Posted by evan miller on 12-31-2008 at 12:42 PM • top

#6 Although I may be wrong, I read Bishop Marshall’s reference to a “conservative group” not refer not to theological or political conservatives, but folks of conservative lifestyle who are scandalized and traumatized by the revelation of their priest’s lifestyle.

Oh, I don’t know about that. Fr Malia appears to be theologically a conservative and presumably has gathered a similarly minded congregation. From the questiona and answers on the updated Dioc. Beth news-site http://diobeth.typepad.com/diobeth_newspin/ :

“Part of the surprise of all this is that he has a very conservative view of the Bible, is opposed to all expressions of homosexuality (let alone ordination), and doesn’t believe in the ordination of women. He has been known to speak in tongues. He has pretty much stayed away from diocesan events since Robinson. While I have always known him to be wealthy, he has always seemed to be the wealthy conservative.”

[11] Posted by laud on 12-31-2008 at 02:28 PM • top

A comment from one of the recent news article about the priest:

I happen to be a single Mother who has had four sons with Severe Hemophilia. At one time in my life this man had provided food and shelter for me and my sons, when I had no where else to turn. Why don’t we now look into all of the WONDERFUL things and ways this man has helped those of us in the bleeding disorder community.

Perhaps there was a rush to judgment?

[12] Posted by robroy on 12-31-2008 at 02:33 PM • top

I think Robroy has a point…

[13] Posted by FrVan on 12-31-2008 at 03:02 PM • top

Me too. Even without bias (which I’m not saying there was in this instance) news stories often only represent one side of the story.

Piskie sez: Have you taken your loyalty oath today?

[14] Posted by Matthew A (formerly mousestalker) on 12-31-2008 at 03:12 PM • top

He (and his money) is welcome to be curate at my parish wink

[15] Posted by FrVan on 12-31-2008 at 03:17 PM • top

“are”

[16] Posted by FrVan on 12-31-2008 at 03:17 PM • top

Father Van, he is quoted as saying that he gives 20%.

[17] Posted by robroy on 12-31-2008 at 03:18 PM • top

Heck, I’ll be his curate!

[18] Posted by FrVan on 12-31-2008 at 03:25 PM • top

Besides all that, I’ll bet he is fun to party with…Really liven up the parish parties…

[19] Posted by FrVan on 12-31-2008 at 03:29 PM • top

Hmmm, maybe they were really upset about his reported conservative views and the partying story splashed in the newspaper just provided them a reason to cut him loose?

[20] Posted by teatime on 12-31-2008 at 03:37 PM • top

How dare him not turn over every penny he makes to the 815 litigation fund!!!  The nerve.

[21] Posted by midwestnorwegian on 12-31-2008 at 04:36 PM • top

Having some family experience with the disorder, I’m betting the gentleman is an alcoholic.

gmm

[22] Posted by GoodMissMurphy on 12-31-2008 at 05:29 PM • top

You know. I cannot beleive there is even a discussion about this whole ordeal.  I don’t care what his views are on the current happenings in TEC, I don’t care how ‘biblically sound’ he may be, he spends more money in one night on alcohol that many of his parishioners probably make in ONE YEAR! 

As a priest, I like to get away once in a while and enjoy time outside of the sanctuary, but in the back of my mind, Christ, the Eucharist and the Bible are always there!  I cannot escape the fact that I am a priest, and I have to sacrifice some things to be a priest, including outrageous bar bills!

He can not be given a free ride from this behavior because he happens to disagree with what is happening in TEC.  If he was liberal, StandFirm would be having a field day condemning the man.

[23] Posted by padreegan on 01-01-2009 at 12:46 PM • top

If he was liberal, StandFirm would be having a field day condemning the man.

I don’t exactly see StandFirm jumping to his defense, and if anything the bias of the coverage is against him, by incorrectly claiming that he was sacked instead of saying that he was inhibited pending investigation, which is what is actually happening.

I have no idea is this guy is in fact a conservative, as the bishop is claiming.  I certainly haven’t heard anyone in conservative Anglican/Episcopalian circles step up to identify him as such.  Of course, in TEC, many people think that conservative simply means that you still prefer to say “Our Father who art in heaven” or use “thee” and “thou” every now and them.

[24] Posted by AndrewA on 01-01-2009 at 12:53 PM • top

I think we have to “wait and see”.  I read the article and his reponse - they certainly don’t line up.  I would be inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt vs. the paper…but we will see.

[25] Posted by B. Hunter on 01-02-2009 at 03:21 PM • top

By ANY standard of the first couple of centuries of Christian history ALL of us are essentially hedonistic libertines, with our nice cars and interesting wines. As someone remarked re this case, how many clergy take lovely long vacations in the South of France, or spend big in their private clubs? Heck, I know one rich TEC bishop who collected hot air ballons and fire engines. Mama Mia! What hypocrisy! Bishop Rusack of Los Angeles (of blessed memory) had a walk-in safe with TRAYS of loose jewels (he showed them to me himself) in his house… ummmm…. mansion on Sunset Boulevard. I rather liked this guy’s style. No hypocrisy, unlike the rest of us.

I still don’t see what fantasy this poor priest is supposed to live up to. Is it uncanonical to spend a bunch of money in only certain places (where the middle classes would tut-tut of course)?  Is he supposed to be a Cistercian monk? A Minim friar (my favorite order)? Did he take a vow of poverty? Did he make some kind of vow to live a certain petit-bourgeois lifestyle just like most Episcopalians? Is he supposed to act all fake-pious like most of the hypocrites his religion is full of? He sounds like a good-old-fashioned 18th c English priest or prelate to me.

[26] Posted by A Senior Priest on 01-02-2009 at 07:08 PM • top

Cf. Archdeacon Grantly. Mr. Quiverful or Mr. Crawley perhaps not so much.

[27] Posted by Dr. Priscilla Turner on 01-02-2009 at 08:54 PM • top

I prefer Benjamin Hoadley, Lord Bishop of Winchester (1676-1761)

[28] Posted by A Senior Priest on 01-02-2009 at 09:51 PM • top

This errant Organization (TEO) now inhibits a slightly bizarre but apparently decent (if reports above are credible) priest while fulsomely supporting the likes of Kaeton, The Seer of Santa Fe, Crewser, Oneil and several hundred other similar theological (fill in the blank.)

This is exemplary of what has gone wrong with The Protestant Episcopal Church of America. Inmates running the asylum etc etc.

[29] Posted by teddy mak on 01-04-2009 at 08:03 PM • top

Teddy Mak, there are now pictures circulating of the priest partying with some hotties.

[30] Posted by robroy on 01-04-2009 at 08:26 PM • top

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