What role did parish firings, pastor’s temperament play in Bend controversy?

OREGON
National Catholic Reporter

Dan Morris-Young | Feb. 28, 2014

Editor’s note: This is Part 5 of a five-part series on the dispute between a pastor and his bishop in St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Bend, Ore. Removed from his post last October, Fr. James Radloff filed an appeal, but his request was denied by the Vatican, as the Congregation for Clergy sided with Baker, Ore., Bishop Liam Cary. Dated Jan. 31 and made public in Bend Feb. 14, the decision allows Cary to keep secret the reason for the ouster and permits a continued bar on Radloff’s public ministry. According to Radloff’s canonical adviser, Fr. Thomas Faucher, Radloff received a letter from Cary Wednesday, Feb. 26. It was dated Feb. 21. No details were available to the press. Read Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here and Part 4 here.

The personality of Fr. James Radloff as well as the termination of some St. Francis of Assisi Parish employees continue to be flashpoints in discussions of why the priest might have been removed as pastor.

Letters in Bend’s major newspaper, The Bulletin, and posts on the NCR website have alternatively chastised and lauded Radloff for staffing changes.

In separate interviews, two parishioners claimed Radloff terminated five employees with no warning not long after assuming reins of the parish, giving them an hour to vacate, in one case eliminating income for a family of six.

Others argue that staff changes were needed. Parishioner Donna Hodson said bluntly Feb. 8, “True, it’s hard to let people go, but the people he let go needed to be let go. How do you fire someone kindly?”

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Thirty-year parishioner Ken Roberts said, “Radloff was very impulsive and made a lot of decisions without regard for the consequences. He dismissed a lot of good people from the staff when he arrived which alienated many. Some of those are returning under the new regime which is very heartening and it is because Fr. Julian (Cassar) is reaching out to them and trying to heal our community which has been in some kind of turmoil for the last several years.”

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