THE ORIGIN OF THE EPPLEY FILES

This edition completes the tenth year of the Eppley Files. For those of you who do not know how the idea for these files came about, let me reminisce and tell you about it.

As many of you know, I was ordained to the priesthood of the diocese of Cleveland in April 1949 and for the next 27 years was active as a parish priest, an English teacher in the diocese’s minor seminary, a principal of a Catholic high school, director of clergy education for the diocese, and dean of the graduate division of Saint John College until it closed suddenly and without due process.

In 1976 I applied for dispensation from the priesthood, and it was granted by Rome on April 16, 1977. The document which returned me to the status of the laity contained some caveats. I was forbidden to do the following:

1. preside or concelebrate at the Eucharist;
2. preach at the celebration of the Mass or any other liturgical or non liturgical function;
3. administer the sacraments (but I could anoint a dying person if no priest in good standing was available);
4. teach in a Catholic school;
5. wear any clerical garb.

While I was happy to receive the document which enabled me to marry Anita Dixon on July 24, 1977 at a nuptial Mass concelebrated by Father James Gill, a Jesuit, and Father John Kiefer, a Dominican who was chaplain at Siena Heights College, I was irked that nowhere did I find a word of thanks in that document from Rome for the 27 years I had spent in the ministry. Despite that, I have honored faithfully all the conditions in the document that I received in 1977.

In the late 1980’s, I had the occasion to look at that Vatican document again and came to the realization that it did not take away my right to express my opinions on theological, ethical, moral , political, and current topics.

So that’s when I decided to start the Eppley Files, which has given me the freedom to write, among other topics, what I think needs to be said about issues facing the Church, and honoring heroic people who may be Catholic, Protestant, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, agnostic, or atheist.

While there are many things I liked about Pope John Paul II, I have written that he is no hero of mine. As a Pole he lived in a Communist society where dissent against the government could mean death or imprisonment. But when he came to power as pope, he forbade cardinals and bishops to discuss a married clergy, the ordination of women to the priesthood, and optional celibacy. He often appointed bishops who were reactionary, conservative, and lacking in vision. In my view, he was an actor who stayed too long. I emailed him copies of the Eppley Files, but some low level bureaucrat probably shredded my files as soon before the pope laid eyes on them. I could never have written many of my opinions as a priest active in the ministry.

Let me be clear that I am not trying to obstruct or blur the mission of the Church. Rather I hope the Files will be a catalyst that will promote a dialog between liberal and conservative Catholics that will help us find common ground in scripture and theology to build a stronger, more open, and more relevant Church.

I wrote earlier that I was irked that the Vatican never thanked me for the work I did. And I have not thanked you readers enough for reading the Eppley Files and commenting on them. Nor have I thanked enough the many outstanding priests, visionary religious sisters, and dedicated lay persons who inspired me in many different ways. And I have not thanked enough my dear wife Anita for her love, kindness and patience.

So thank you all and have a happy New Year!

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