The Archdiocese of Washington has apologized for kicking a black family out of their loved one’s funeral, prompting social media to respond with the hashtag #MourningWhileBlack.

“What occurred at St. Mary’s Parish this morning does not reflect the Catholic Church’s fundamental calling to respect and uplift the God-given dignity of every person nor does that incident represent the pastoral approach the priests of the Archdiocese of Washington commit to undertake every day in their ministry,” read the statement in part, according to Fox 5 DC.

On Tuesday, hundreds of people gathered at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Charlotte Hall, Maryland to say goodbye to 54-year-old Agnes Hicks, who lay in an open casket. However, when someone reached for a hug and accidentally knocked over the church’s chalice (a religious wine cup), Pastor Michael Briese reportedly erupted in anger.

“That’s when all hell broke loose,” Agnes’ daughter Shanice Chisely, told Fox 5 DC. “He literally got on the mic and said, ‘There will be no funeral, there will be no mass… everyone get the hell out of my church.’ He was disrespectful. He disrespected my family… my mother, he called my mother a ‘thing’ — he said, ‘Get this thing out of my church. Everyone get the hell out of my church.’ It was very sad and I have never seen anything like that before.” Agnes’ son Davon Chisely also told the news station he was “traumatized.”

As a little girl, Agnes was baptized at that very church, where she had long planned to hold her funeral.

In a cell phone video shot at the funeral, the pastor can be seen waving his hands mid-argument with the family. Shortly after, the family carried Hicks’ casket from the church where police, who Briese had reportedly called, were waiting.

Officers maintained the family did not break the law and brought them to another funeral home.

Shanice and representatives from the church the St. Mary’s County Sheriff‘s department did not return Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment. The family has not pointed to racism as a motivator, but the hashtag #MourningWhileBlack was born.




Source: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/mourning-black-family-including-dead-woman-kicked-church-priest-134402577.html


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkKmdc8ba0s

post=69055384:
RACISM @ it's PEAK!

not racism just a stressed out priest, this same guy was with the family the week before, helped planned the burial and according to the family helped them in bringing down the cost. before he was priest he ran a place for the homeless where in took care of the homeless at his own cost, he w had been a pastor for years without any such complaints and I believe have buried other black people.

on this day he came for funeral mass and found someone has climbed the altar and toppled down the chalice he prepared for the mass...I don't know the day he was having but that day he lost it, we only know what he did we don't know the different event that contributed to the rash reaction.

he has apologized for his behavior and is now on suspension


"Some might dismiss these words, given the
tenor of the words I uttered before the funeral
that was to take place on Wednesday. That is a
just part of the consequence I will bear for my
behaviour. Like all human beings, I, too, am
broken in nature, make mistakes and, yes, I fail,"
he wrote. "My recent actions and words were not
borne of kindness, but a failure of my vow to
serve the Lord and those entrusted to my care as
a person and as priest. I am profoundly sorry for
my words and actions. I pray for all in this
community every day, and I can only ask that
you pray for me, but also for other priests and
ministers, and all who seek to serve those who
suffer and struggle as we strive to build up the
kingdom of God."
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/priest-black-family-funeral-video-white-maryland-catholic-wake-michael-briese-a8431101.html

I wonder how someone managed to get to the altar and topple the chalice

Ubenedictus:
not racism just a stressed out priest, this same guy was with the family the week before, helped planned the burial and according to the family helped them in bringing down the cost. before he was priest he ran a place for the homeless where in took care of the homeless at his own cost, he w had been a pastor for years without any such complaints and I believe have buried other black people.

on this day he came for funeral mass and found someone has climbed the altar and toppled down the chalice he prepared for the mass...I don't know the day he was having but that day he lost it, we only know what he did we don't know the different event that contributed to the rash reaction.

he has apologized for his behavior and is now on suspension


"Some might dismiss these words, given the
tenor of the words I uttered before the funeral
that was to take place on Wednesday. That is a
just part of the consequence I will bear for my
behaviour. Like all human beings, I, too, am
broken in nature, make mistakes and, yes, I fail,"
he wrote. "My recent actions and words were not
borne of kindness, but a failure of my vow to
serve the Lord and those entrusted to my care as
a person and as priest. I am profoundly sorry for
my words and actions. I pray for all in this
community every day, and I can only ask that
you pray for me, but also for other priests and
ministers, and all who seek to serve those who
suffer and struggle as we strive to build up the
kingdom of God."
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/priest-black-family-funeral-video-white-maryland-catholic-wake-michael-briese-a8431101.html

I wonder how someone managed to get to the altar and topple the chalice

Now we understand better.
Thanks fornthe rejoinder bro.
The person went a bit far.

his apology

I am a Catholic priest and the pastor at St. Mary’s
Catholic Church, Newport in Charlotte Hall, and as
reported elsewhere in this newspaper and on its
website, I lost my temper at a moment when anger was
the most inappropriate response to those people
entrusted to my care at that moment of ministry.
Before the start of a funeral Mass on Wednesday, June
27, one of the guests in the church damaged a sacred
chalice used for the Mass. The sight of that accident
made my frustration boil over. My anger spilled out in a
torrent. I uttered words I never use, and treated people
I have lived with and committed my life to serve in an
unacceptable manner. Instead of care and compassion
for the grieving family and friends, my focus turned to
anger.
The man who canceled this family’s funeral and
dispatched them in anger, is not the man who hours
before worked to minister to their needs in a time of
grief. Instead of lifting them up, I let them down. For
the anger and embarrassment I caused to that family, I
am profoundly sorry.
My vocation as a Catholic priest is not merely a job or a
career. My calling to Catholic priesthood is but the
summit of a life lived in service to those in need, who
feel lost or are abandoned, those who are vulnerable.
For more than 25 years, I have lived to offer my hand
to countless men, women and children who could not
speak for themselves. I have sought to serve as an
advocate, a voice on behalf of others. I remain a
person whose deep desire to serve others is firmly
rooted in my heartfelt desire to serve our Lord.
Some might dismiss these words, given the tenor of
the words I uttered before the funeral that was to take
place on Wednesday. That is a just part of the
consequence I will bear for my behavior. Like all human
beings, I, too, am broken in nature, make mistakes
and, yes, I fail. My life has been, is now, and
prayerfully will always be, a life in which my daily words
and deeds exemplify the Gospel message. My most
recent actions do not reflect who I am as a priest. I
have spent much of my life working to lessen the
challenges and ease the burden of people whose lives
are heavy with struggles. I understand that my recent
actions have now added a burden to their lives — a sad
consequence that I must confront and for which I take
responsibility.
My recent actions and words were not borne of
kindness, but a failure of my vow to serve the Lord and
those entrusted to my care as a person and as priest. I
am profoundly sorry for my words and actions. I pray
for all in this community every day, and I can only ask
that you pray for me, but also for other priests and
ministers, and all who seek to serve those who suffer
and struggle as we strive to build up the kingdom of
God.
http://www.somdnews.com/enterprise/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/priest-says-anger-was-the-most-inappropriate-response-to-funeral/article_f64144bd-32a6-5acc-a251-b5c1119aeb7e.html

post=69115540:

Now we understand better.
Thanks fornthe rejoinder bro.
The person went a bit far.

The priest was racist, short and simple. The “stress” as mentioned by his defender (ubenedictus) brought out the latent racism in him. Which kind dirty stress will make him refer to the deceased (a life long member of the Church’) as a “thing” and throw the corpse and family out without performing the last rites??

Do you know what the last rites mean to the family? It is her final transition into the next life (hopefully heaven) and the priest of all people, the supposed spiritual counselor profaned the whole event He threw them out and called the cops? He is a CALLOUS LOW DOWN RACIST!!! who has no respect for the dead.

Suspension is definitely not enough, he should be fired. And yes, he should shove his half assed apology.

Phut:


The priest was racist, short and simple. The “stress” as mentioned by his defender (ubenedictus) brought out the latent racism in him. Which kind dirty stress will make him refer to the deceased (a life long member of the Church’) as a “thing” and throw the corpse and family out without performing the last rites??

Do you know what the last rites mean to the family? It is her final transition into the next life (hopefully heaven) and the priest of all people, the supposed spiritual counselor profaned the whole event He threw them out and called the cops? He is a CALLOUS LOW DOWN RACIST!!! who has no respect for the dead.

Suspension is definitely not enough, he should be fired. And yes, he should shove his half assed apology.

These are some very good points you raised sis.
I tend to support you more.

That moment of madness. Looking at his profile, one would have expected better from him. Its fine to get mad, yell out expletives, call the cops but not having a change of heart, regaining his sanity immediately afterwards regardless of the level of provocation is the what i find is this a case of long bottled up emotion/hate or still just a moment of madness?

May his God help him, im not sure the fsmily of the deceased will get over this.

Phut:


The priest was racist, short and simple. The “stress” as mentioned by his defender (ubenedictus) brought out the latent racism in him. Which kind dirty stress will make him refer to the deceased (a life long member of the Church’) as a “thing” and throw the corpse and family out without performing the last rites??

Do you know what the last rites mean to the family? It is her final transition into the next life (hopefully heaven) and the priest of all people, the supposed spiritual counselor profaned the whole event He threw them out and called the cops? He is a CALLOUS LOW DOWN RACIST!!! who has no respect for the dead.

Suspension is definitely not enough, he should be fired. And yes, he should shove his half assed apology.

latent racism ke,

the man who was with the grieving family the previous week, planned the burial, helped defray cost and has served as priest for over 25 years without incident is now a racist because he lost his head for a few minutes.

abeg nor find another talk,

his actions was wrong tragic and totally inappropriate but it has nothing to do with race, I don't understand why anytime a white man misbehaves it suddenly becomes race. I have seen black priest who refuse to celebrate wedding mass because of small issues...it has nothing to do with race, if he were racist he wouldn't have been with the family the week before consoling them nor would he have helped in planing the burial.


you can call him whatever you like his actions were wrong but I wouldn't call man who has ministered for over 25 years a racist because he was stupid once.


lastly, since you want him fired, erasing a man's accomplishments of years over one mistake, then maybe you can also report him to the police get him arrested and prosecuted and jailed so you'll have peace.

pro buruku

ifyalways:
That moment of madness. Looking at his profile, one would have expected better from him. Its fine to get mad, yell out expletives, call the cops but not having a change of heart, regaining his sanity immediately afterwards regardless of the level of provocation is the what i find is this a case of long bottled up emotion/hate or still just a moment of madness?

May his God help him, im not sure the fsmily of the deceased will get over this.

usually when people go mad they don't regain their sanity immediately, by the time he would have realised his actions the family would be already out of the Church and on their way to another place where another Catholic priest had already been called to officiate the burial rites.

Ubenedictus:
latent racism ke,

the man who was with the grieving family the previous week, planned the burial, helped defray cost and has served as priest for over 25 years without incident is now a racist because he lost his head for a few minutes.

abeg nor find another talk,

his actions was wrong tragic and totally inappropriate but it has nothing to do with race, I don't understand why anytime a white man misbehaves it suddenly becomes race. I have seen black priest who refuse to celebrate wedding mass because of small issues...it has nothing to do with race, if he were racist he wouldn't have been with the family the week before consoling them nor would he have helped in planing the burial.


you can call him whatever you like his actions were wrong but I wouldn't call man who has ministered for over 25 years a racist because he was stupid once.


lastly, since you want him fired, erasing a man's accomplishments of years over one mistake, then maybe you can also report him to the police get him arrested and prosecuted and jailed so you'll have peace.

pro buruku

Most of the time, there is a thin veneer covering up people’s true and deep down feelings. This is because most people attempt to be politically correct at all times. However, during an episode of “5 minutes madness” is when you see a person character from way deep down in their being.
Some overly religious people will never see this too. Because in their eyes, a man of the cloth can never do wrong.

If Jesus could not hold back his anger and rage when he descended on the sellers in the temple, then I don't see why this is news.
Perhaps because the family was 'black'.

I have never been one to place men of God on a pedestal of infallibility and any one who understands human nature ought to do same.

ifyalways:
That moment of madness. Looking at his profile, one would have expected better from him. Its fine to get mad, yell out expletives, call the cops but not having a change of heart, regaining his sanity immediately afterwards regardless of the level of provocation is the what i find is this a case of long bottled up emotion/hate or still just a moment of madness?

May his God help him, im not sure the fsmily of the deceased will get over this.

Trump administration is giving all the closet racists the courage to come out and show themselves.

How someone could topple a chalice, knowing where it's usually kept, is beyond me. Maybe the family behaved crass and ghetto all week and he expected them to act better at the funeral.


Poor man must have been shocked to realize they brought their nasty attitude to the altar.

Try toppling a chalice in any Catholic church in Nigeria and see how you and your whole family will be banished.

Let's not pretend a black priest wouldn't have been mortified also. Maybe even behaved worse . . . Black people need to start acting better and stop look for every excuse to cry foul!

Phut:

Most of the time, there is a thin veneer covering up people’s true and deep down feelings. This is because most people attempt to be politically correct at all times. However, during an episode of “5 minutes madness” is when you see a person character from way deep down in their being.
Some overly religious people will never see this too. Because in their eyes, a man of the cloth can never do wrong.

if I thought he could never do wrong I wouldn't have clearly said his actions were wrong, my point is that nothing here points to racism, if you climb the altar in a Catholic Church and topple the chalice the response will be unpleasant, this guy simply went too far with his response as another person said human nature is flawed