BRIAN:..OFF THE TOP TONIGHT AT
6 -- SACRAMENT DENIED.THE
CHIEF JUDGE OF THE KENT COUNTY
DISTRICT COURT HAS BEEN DENIED
COMMUNION AT THE CHURCH SHE
WHERE SHE HAS BEEN A
PARISHIONER FOR MORE THAN SIX
DECADES.IT'S BECAUSE SHE IS
MARRIED TO A WOMAN.
3
SUE:..IT IS A MOVE THAT FOR
MANY WAS THE FINAL STRAW IN A
PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR THAT HAS
SOME CALLING FOR THE REMOVAL
OF A PRIEST WHO CAME TO THE
CHURCH THREE YEARS AGO. BARTON
DEITERS HAS THIS STORY -- NEW
TONIGHT AT 6.
3
BARTON:..IN 1966, UNDER THE
LEADERSHIP OF MONSIGNOR EDWARD
ALT, ST. STEPHEN CATHOLIC
SCHOOL BECAME THE FIRST
INTEGRATED CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN
METRO GRAND RAPIDS AND HAD A
STUDENT BODY THAT WAS NEARLY
40 PERCENT NON-CATHOLIC. THIS
TRADITION OF INCLUSION AND
ACCEPTANCE WOULD BE THE
ESSENCE OF THE SCHOOL AND THE
CHURCH FOR 50 YEARS. BUT NOW,
SOME AT THE CHURCH SAY THAT IS
CHANGING.
3
((16:56:46-52)) ((06))
((JUDGE SARA SMOLENSKI, DENIED
COMMUNION)) "I'VE BEEN A
MEMBER OF ST. STEPHEN'S
CATHOLIC PARISH FOR 62 YEARS,
BASICALLY." JUDGE SARA
SMOLENSKI HAS BEEN ON THE
BENCH FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS
COMING FROM A FAMILY THAT
INCLUDES HER FATHER, ALSO A
DISTRICT COURT JUDGE AND HER
BROTHER, A STATE APPEALS COURT
JUDGE.
3
((16:56:52-57:04)) ((12))
((JUDGE SARA SMOLENSKI, DENIED
COMMUNION)) "I WAS BAPTIZED
THERE, MY PARENTS WERE MARRIED
THERE, EVERY ONE OF MY NINE
SIBLINGS WENT TO SCHOOL FIRST
THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE, WE
BURIED MY PARENTS OUT OF THAT
SCHOOL." I INTERVIEWED THE
JUDGE IN 2016 WHEN SHE BECAME
THE FIRST LOCAL ELECTED
OFFICIAL TO MARRY SOMEONE OF
THE SAME SEX, HER LONGTIME
PARTNER, LINDA BURPEE. BUT IT
WAS JUST LAST SATURDAY
SMOLENSKI GOT A CALL FROM
PARISH PRIEST, FATHER SCOTT
NOLAN.
3
((17:06:12-20)) ((08))
((JUDGE SARA SMOLENSKI, DENIED
COMMUNION)) "THE WAY HE SAID
IT WAS 'BECAUSE YOU'RE MARRIED
TO LINDA IN THE STATE OF
MICHIGAN, YOU CANNOT ACCEPT
COMMUNION,' THAT'S HOW HE SAID
IT." IT WAS A DEVASTATING
REVELATION FOR THE LIFELONG
CATHOLIC WHO MONTHS EARLIER
GAVE $7,000 TO THE PARISH
BUILDING FUND.
3
((17:05:25-35)) ((10))
((JUDGE SARA SMOLENSKI, DENIED
COMMUNION)) "OH MY GOSH, I'M
NOT GOING TO GET JESUS AT THE
CHURCH I HAVE DEVOTED MY LIFE
TO."
3
((17:10:38-50)) ((12))
((JUDGE SARA SMOLENSKI, DENIED
COMMUNION)) "I THOUGHT OF MY
MOM AND DAD WHO DEVOTED THEIR
WHOLE LIFE TO RAISING US
CATHOLIC, SPENDING ALL THAT
MONEY AT THE CATHOLIC
EDUCATION." SMOLENSKI WAS NOT
THE FIRST PERSON TO BE DENIED
ACCORDING TO A DOZEN PEOPLE I
TALKED TO TODAY INCLUDING ONE
SAME SEX COUPLE WHO WAS DENIED
THE EUCHARIST DURING A SERVICE
AS THEIR CHILD WAS GIVEN
COMMUNION.
3
((16:58:18-22)) ((06))
((JUDGE SARA SMOLENSKI, DENIED
COMMUNION)) "THE PUBLIC
SHUNNING, EVERYTHING ABOUT IT
WAS OFFENSIVE" IT IS PART OF A
PATTERN ACCORDING TO MICKI
BENZ, A 40-YEAR MEMBER OF THE
PARISH WHO IS PART OF A GROUP
OF ST. STEPHEN MEMBERS WHO
HAVE DECIDED TO SPEAK OUT.
THEY POINT TO THE WORDS OF
POPE FRANCIS WHO WROTE THAT
THE EUCHARIST IS NOT A PRIZE
FOR THE PERFECT BUT A POWERFUL
MEDICINE AND NOURISHMENT FOR
THE WEAK AND THE CHURCH IS NOT
A TOLLHOUSE BUT A PLACE FOR
EVERYONE.
3
((13:56-14:06)) ((10))
((MICKI BENZ, ST. STEPHEN
PARISHIONER)) "HE HAS
ELIMINATED TEACHERS WHO ARE
GAY, HE HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT
GAY PEOPLE ARE NOT WELCOME."
FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, HE
FORBADE NON-CATHOLIC STUDENTS
FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE
CHURCH SERVICES INCLUDING
CHOIR AND READING BEFORE THE
CONGREGATION, ACCORDING TO
MEMBERS. MEMBERS HAVE TALKED
TO NOLAN AND WE REACHED OUT TO
HIM AS WELL. THIS IS WHAT HE
SAID TO ME TODAY.
3
BUT AFTER THE TIME HE SAID HE
WOULD CALL CAME AND WENT...
3
THERE ARE THOSE WHO BELIEVE
NOLAN IS IN THE RIGHT, BUT
THEY WOULD NOT GO ON CAMERA,
AS DID OTHERS WITH KIDS AT THE
SCHOOL WHO FEAR REPRISAL, BUT
ALL SAY THEY LOVE THE CHURCH
AND WANT HEALING.
3
((18:07-20)) ((13)) ((MICKI
BENZ, ST. STEPHEN
PARISHIONER)) "WE DON'T SEE
FATHER SCOTT CHANGING,
THEREFORE WE'VE COME TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT IT'D BE BETTER
FOR HIM AND US IF THERE WERE A
CHANGE IN OUR PASTORS."
SMOLENSKI SAYS IT IS TIME TO
BRING THIS INTO THE LIGHT.
3
((17:16:47-59)) ((12))
((JUDGE SARA SMOLENSKI, DENIED
COMMUNION)) "I WANT TO HELP
SOMEBODY OUT THERE WHO'S NEVER
EVEN BEEN BORN TO MAKE THEIR
LIFE A LITTLE BIT EASIER, BY
STANDING UP AND SPEAKING THE
TRUTH."
3
BARTON:..THESE FOLKS HAVE
QUESTIONS FOR THE BISHOP
INCLUDING WHY A PASTOR WITH
THESE VIEWS WOULD BE INSTALLED
IN A PARISH WITH THIS HISTORYI
CONTACTED THE DIOCESE WHICH
WOULD NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF
WHETHER NOLAN'S ACTIONS ARE
SUPPORTED BY THE BISHOP. A
SPOKESPERSON DID ISSUE THIS
TERSE STATEMENT PRESUMABLY
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH JUDGE
SMOLENSKI: QUOTE "THIS IS A
SPIRITUAL MATTER BETWEEN HER
AND HER PASTOR." IN STUDIO,
BDE N8