Caught Between the Gospel and the Magisterium: When Sheep Have to Shepherd

The peace, in a small urban Catholic parish, was shattered by the presence of an alcoholic pedophile Pastor. When the Author became aware of the harm being done he was pressed into a war with his Archdiocese in trying to remove the predator. The lack of courage and candor of the bureaucracy to remove a threat to the flock pressed this lifelong Catholic to reevaluate the process of leadership selection, from the towers of the Vatican to the basements of every parish, throughout the world. The Author concludes that Bishops, the world over, have become addicted to their own power and have often ignored the real Mission Statement; that of the Gospel of Jesus. With in-depth Scriptural research, the Author analyzes how Bishops are selected and how involvement of the faithful in the Apostolic Church was taken away and placed in perpetual control of an elite - now very much out of touch with their flocks and in some cases actually harming lambs. The Author suggests some solutions that can help the Church regain its accountability and credibility, avoiding the sacrifice of children to the Moloch of addiction and regain its focus on true ministry. A cradle Catholic, David Tracy attended an Archdiocesan elementary school and a Jesuit High School. After graduating, he was a Journalist for his local Archdiocesan newspaper. Eventually, he moved on to work for the Rocky Mountain News. Now retired, Tracy enjoys gardening, reading and has been a Lector and Cantor in his beloved parish for over 30 years. During the writing of this book Tracy became aware, through DNA testing, that his ancestry is Ashkenazi Jewish. This revelation has brought renewed interest in his Christianity by enhancing his study of Scripture, especially the Psalms. The Author wrote this book as a result of his efforts (eventually but not initially) to remove an alcoholic pedophile Pastor from his parish. The result required a reevaluation of how a Church, whose Mission Statement is the Gospel of Jesus, can perform just the opposite. Tracy believes the Bishops are so out of touch with their flocks that their selection process must be returned to the Apostolic norms where the faithful had a hand in their selection. While not perfect, a return to the origins could not be any worse than the current state of excess and debauchery. Tracy maintains that the Leadership of the Church has become addicted to their own power. The results are obvious with millions of Catholics leaving and very few young people seeking its graces. Enough is enough.