Multiple Texts Showing Cardinal Fernández’s ‘idée fixe’, by Michael Pakaluk

Wikipedia says of a “whiskey priest” that he is “a stock character who shows clear signs of moral weakness while preaching. . .a higher standard.”  Perhaps you are familiar with the original whiskey priest in Graham Greene’s novel, The Power and the Glory.  Many Catholics are troubled by the book.  If it is meant to portray the truth, that the objective work of the sacraments can be accomplished by a priest, in virtue of the “character” impressed upon his soul, even if he has deep flaws – then there is no problem.

But suppose Greene is saying something else, like “this is what sanctity looks like today”?  Then surely that is problematic.  And how far can that strange idea be taken?  Suppose a priest habitually commits serious sins, like larceny or battery, can he be a saint?  What if they are sexual sins?  Supposing if he is living with his boyfriend? …