Rating: 
Summary: Infectious
Review: I have been profoundly affected by "Goodbye, Good Men." Not too long ago I was thinking of entering the priesthood. I quickly learned there were many flaws in the religious order I was wanting to enter. The priesthood quickly took a back seat. I read this book to see if anyone had similar experiences as myself. Shockingly, there were many. Too many.
The book offers sharp criticism from coast-to-coast, of our nations seminaries. The criticism, however, is backed up with solid evidence, and shocking stories. I warn anyone reading this book: it will cause you to question your own faith. But, with strength and conviction, you will return to your faith with a stronger sense of what needs to be done to make our Church better.
Someone once said, "The smoke of Satan is in the Church." Michael Rose gives form to the smoke. The smoke is a gay subculture, ruining our seminaries. Until these problems are fully addressed, the horrible "child abuse" headlines will keep on coming.
Rating:
Summary: Its time for another Schism
Review: As much as I would like to believe it the liberals will never let the church split and divide everything. Their feelings of guilt would never let us orthodox alone to practice the true faith. This book is an eye-opener for most of us who were suspicious of the cause of pedophilia. No doubt that it leaves many heretical liberals shaking in their boots when an orthodox like me mentions that it is time for a split. They would be dumbfounded at how many people would stay with the pope, and thier feelings of guilt would cause them to reinfest the faith again in attempt to change the unchangeable orthox Catholic Christian. Bravo for this book and I see it as the leading edge of stamping out serpent-like liberalism that has infested the sanctuary. We will take back our church. The gates of hell will never prevail against her.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Bye Bad Book
Review: When GOOD BYE, GOOD MEN was published about a year ago, the scandals in the Catholic Church were still making the front pages. Boston's Cardinal Law had yet to resign, and each day things seemed to be getting worse. Michael's Rose's book did stir quite a sensation, and judging from news reports, as well as writings of others, he had some valid points, namely that the troubles the Church is facing today have their roots in liberal theology and an influx of gay men into the priesthood. However, Rose's book is not based on hard evidence. Most of what he has to say is at best anecdotal, and even though he claims to be a defender of the true Church, he repeats rumors and half truths that do more harm than good. While his goal is to reform the priesthood, his book is actually fodder for anti-Catholic bigots who want to discredit any of the good the Church has done and point to its faults and failings. Changing times, the difficulties associated with the celibate life, and people not agreeing with Church teachings are more accurate reasons as to why there is a priest shortage. Some of what Rose has to say can be substantiated in the writings of George Weigel, David Gibson, and Donald Cozzens, each who sees the problems Rose tries to address in a different way, but there is a great difference. While the Cozzens, Gibson, and Weigel each have differing points of view, one can see that each has the best interest of the Church in mind. Rose may also love the Church and want to see it change, but his work seems to simply defame, much as blind Republicans defame Bill Clinton at any cost without looking at the truth, or liberal Democrats do to George W. Bush. As I take a good look at this book, I am thinking it can be useful. I think I will put it with my recyclables as a way of saving the environment. I know I will not need it as a reference on changing the Church.
Rating: 
Summary: What is orthodox?
Review: In GBGM, author Michael Rose interviews former seminarians and current priests to claim that seminaries are dens of iniquitous gay sex, that "orthodox" candidates for the priesthood are turned away or intimidated, that female seminary directors are foisting feminist agendas on seminarians, that pornography is allowed and even encouraged and that the powers-that-be are turning a blind eye to the whole mess. I don't doubt that over the last 40 years, as the Church adjusted to the requirements of Vatican II, aberrations and irregularities were committed in the name of reform. Rose has strung these stories together without reference to dates or places, producing an unrelenting torrent of abuses. Readers of GBGM get the impression that for 40 years, these abuses have occurring on a regular basis in every seminary. Priest abuse scandals notwithstanding, this is just too much to swallow. Rose's makes a victim of orthodox seminarians. He paints these as upstanding and healthy sons of the Church who have been intimidated and offended by the debauchery and irreligion of the seminaries. However, since Rose does not clarify what he means by "orthodox," it's hard to get behind him. He does however, drop a few (a very few!) clues. Rose's orthodoxy means believing a) that everything the Pope says is infallible, b) that Marian devotions (especially the Rosary) are central and necessary to Catholic prayer life and c) that the gospels were written by persons named Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. However, Rose should know that the Pope is thought to be infallible only when speaking *ex cathedra* -- from his position as teacher of the Universal Church -- on matters of faith and morals. The Pope's other pronouncements carry weight, but not the weight of infallibility. Second, as far as Marian devotions go, Rose implies that seminarians got in trouble merely for engaging in this venerable Catholic devotion. But whether there is more to the story, Rose does not say. Perhaps these seminarians were closed to other legitimate forms of piety, such as the Liturgy of the Hours. Perhaps they were childishly attempting to recreate the piety of an idealized past. To these possibilities, Rose is silent. Third, that Rose's "orthodox" seminarians rejected the historical-critical method of scriptural exegesis is revealing. Pope Pius XII approved the historical-critical method as a means for understanding the development and original meaning of the Bible. The orthodox Catholic position is much more accepting of the new scholarship. A seminarian who rejects the historical-critical method might consider himself "orthodox," but his superiors would rightly consider him immature and close-minded, and hence a bad candidate for the priesthood. It's too bad that Rose gives no space for the seminaries to react to his charges. A truthful telling of the changes in seminary life since Vatican II would be fascinating. GBGM tells only part of the truth, if that. The fact that many of the book's sources failed to complete their seminary training (and might have an interest in hiding or shading that failure) detracts from their credibility.
Rating: 
Summary: Sad but True as my brother can attest
Review: Reading this book I recalled my older brother having an interest in the priesthood and the rather effeminate priest in charge of the interview at our parish that discouraged him. This book brought that to mind and as both of my sons who attend Catholic School seem to have some interest along those lines as well this books convinces me to keep an eye on wherever they might be sent to learn. The only issue I would take with this book is that a fair chunk of the blame in my opinion belongs to my fellow catholics. Too many of us are not familar with our own religion and what the actual beliefs of the church are and don't bother to find out. As long as disinterest is shown problems will remain. The church itself will survive as it always does, in fact the very fact that people within are trying to undermine it suggests a truth that Satan would like to undermine, (if it was a faith or error he would let us stew)What has to be remembered is all the greatest saints overcame adversity. The future saints that will lead us beyond these problems will do the same. This is a depressing story but the fact that it is now told publically suggests that it will have a happy ending, with God's help.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ FOR CONCERNED CATHOLICS
Review: Walk into any public library today and you are sure to find a number of books concerning the recent scandals in the Catholic Church. However, I can say with a great deal of confidence that you will rarely, if ever, find "Goodbye, Good Men" available on the shelf. Michael S. Rose has written a thoughtful, disturbing and well documented book about the problems in today's Church and what he perceives to be the root cause. Rose argues that orthodox Catholic men seeking to enter the priesthood are routinely eliminated because of their "rigid" views. In the meantime, a good many of the seminaries around the nation have become homosexual havens where traditional Church teachings are scoffed at by both faculty and students alike. Rose also makes a powerful argument that vocations to the priesthood began to decline sharply in the 1970's when the concept of "self sacrifice" was set aside in favor of "self fulfillment" for our priests. The book is disturbing to say the least but it is a "must read" for those who would like to join the debate on the future direction of the Church.
Rating:
Summary: SOOOOOOOOO True
Review: As a seminarian for 6 years, late sixties to early seventies, I can tell you that Rose hit it pretty accurate. The gay "subculture" is not really "sub" at all but is very open and as malicious as he reported. I saw a lot of very good men abused during my years and leave because of it. What a shame. Makes you wonder what kind of priests have been "produced" for the last 30/40 years.
Rating:
Summary: Failure of orthodoxy; not a slam on homosexuality
Review: Michael Rose has written a expose' on what some would feel is a very sensitive subject with daring honesty. This also is very timely as it helps address the recent Church scandals. One must read this book from cover to cover before yielding an informed decision regarding its message. Some reviews get stuck on the idea that this is a slam on homosexuality only. In fact, after complete evaluation one sees that Rose's theme involves a subversive movement in and about the Church often led by Church hierarchy that endorses a falling from Orthodox Church Teaching. This so called heterodoxy is manifest by some bishops, priests, and "progressive" church laity suggesting that priestly vows(celibacy,poverty,obediency) are not imporant and in fact optional. This encouragement of priests not to keep their vow of celibacy makes a tough job even harder. This also supports heterosexual priests in breaking vows; not just homosexual priests. It just so happens that the subculture that desires a change toward heterodoxy is best represented by a militant group that not only endorses a gay lifestyle, in defiance of Church teaching, but frequently practices homosexuality. If one reads this book with an open mind he will realize that the Catholic Church has been very consistent in its teachings of dogma and doctrine. Although this does not mean that everyone will like these teachings, fair minded people will admire this consistency.
Rating:
Summary: Profound Expose of a Crisis in the Catholic Church
Review: Sometimes the most vital books are those which arouse a strong hatred in a minority, even a large minority, of its readers. Such is Goodbye, Good Men. Not only is Mr. Rose scorned by many reviewers on this site, many Church liberals like Charlie Curran, Richard McBrien and Rembert Weakland (recently disgraced Archbishop of Milwaukee, who was caught paying off his former male lover with Diocesan funds) foam at the mouth at Mr. Rose's name and anybody else willing to expose the cancer which pervades the seminaries of the Roman Catholic Church. Using scores of interviews of orthodox young men who have felt the call to become priests and attend seminaries, Mr. Rose paints an ugly and sometimes bizarre picture of the American seminary system. Orthodox seminarians are turned away from seminaries due to their orthodoxy and belief in traditional Catholicism. Many seminaries, like St. Mary's of Baltimore (nicknamed the Pink Palace), are hot-houses of homosexuality where cruising gay bars is deemed acceptable behavior for a seminarian's off-hours. A homosexual network has been formed that has enveloped dozens of seminaries in the United States, seminaries where non-homosexuals and the orthodox are not wanted and are driven out. Mr. Rose explains that many seminaries forsake forming solid, orthodox, holy priests but rather wish to form the young men into worldly, politically correct, left-wing modernist priests. In this millieu, no wonder many devout, orthodox young men get discouraged in the seminaries and leave. No wonder priestly formation has collapsed in the United States since the onset of Vatican II and the modernist takeover of the Roman Catholic Church. One does not have to look very hard to find the results of a Church which has adopted the modernist way. Sexual scandals are front page news and million dollar pay-offs to those sexually abused by priests are not unusual today. The Roman Catholic Church is a disgraced institution with a well-deserved loss of prestige. By the account of Catholic scholar Donald Cozzens, 30-50 % of Roman Catholic priests in the USA are homosexual. The Roman Catholic laity, which numbers about 60 million in the United States, attends weekly Mass at about a 20-25 % rate. A majority of nominal Roman Catholics have turned their backs on the Church. The teachings of the Church are virtually ignored by American Catholics today. What Mr. Rose details so thoroughly in Goodbye, Good Men is a good reason why the Roman Catholic Church is in such a terrible state in the United States.
Rating:
Summary: I Believe It!!!!
Review: In this book, Michael Rose says that the root of sexual abused in the Catholic Church is homosexual subculture that has been going on in American Catholic Seminaries for years and years. American Catholic Seminaries, M. Rose says, have been infiltrated by homosexual network since 1960-s. Ever since there were many gays who have bocome priests, bishops and even theologians. Most likely, using the frame of reformed Catholic, they are the ones who staunchly defend or promote that being gay is not wrong but good, normal and healthy. Michael Rose says that since 1960-s there were many heterosexual seminarians who had no choice but abandoned their vocation because American Catholic Seminaries were dominated by homosexual seminarians. Heterosexual seminarians, M. Rose says, were persecuted, ridiculed and taunted in many ways by gay seminarians.
Article in Fatima Crusader Magazine, published in Autumn 2002 Issue 71 under title "Clerical Scandal and the "Negligence of the Pastors" written by John Vennari also indicates the same thing. This article also is a must read.
It is good also to read a book written by Enrigue Ruada in 1982 entitled "The Homosexual Network: Private Lives and Public Policy". E. Rueda documented in this book in 1982 that homosexuals successfully targeted religious organizations for infiltration, especially the Roman Catholic Church.
I believe that what Michael Rose, John Vennari and Enrique Rueda say their books is true since most boys sexually abused by priests were not under 12 years old. This is tragedy that all Catholics should know and start doing something to save the Church from within.
Why is homosexual subculture wrong?
Well, if we are faithful to the tradition of faith of the Catholic Church, there are 3 classic standards applied by the Church to determine whether or not a seminarian is eligible to be ordained into priesthood. They are scientia, sapientia and sanitas.
First Scientia. Sciencia means science or knowledge. In order to become a priest, a seminarian must be intelligent and knowledgeable in the Catholic Faith and other human sciences such sociology, anthropology, psychology etc. And in other to get this knowledge and intelligence a seminarian must accomplish full time philosophical and theological studies for about 8 years.
Second Sapientia. Sapientia means wisdom or tactfulness. In order to become a priest, a seminarian must have a certain wisdom. He must be a good and dedicated person. He must have a strong faith. He must have a good spiritual life.
Third Sanitas. Sanitas simply means health. In order to become a priest, a seminarian must have a good health both physically and psychologically.
The disabled, accordingly, can not be ordained into priesthood, no matter how good they are spiritually and psychologically. The reason is because they can not carry out a ministry as a shepherd. Thy are not ordained for themselves but for the Church.
A seminarian also must be healthy in his sexual orientation. His sexual orientation must be normal or natural. Under this requirement, then, a gay and impotent person can not be ordained.
In regard to this, about 3 years ago (1999), more than one year before the crisis in our Church broke out, I found out in a magazine saying that about 1% of priests in the Catholic Church and also the ministers in many other denominations are gay. I was very surprised when I knew this for the first time and I asked a friend of mine as to how this could happen. He simply said: "Well, I know it. I worked in vocation office for 4 years. In this country, because of the human rights and human freedom, we can not impose the strict teachings of the universal Catholic Church. In addition, he said, if we prevent a gay from becoming a seminarian or priest simply because he is gay, we will be accused of being discriminating or racial. What we need to do is that we ask them not to act it out..." In my opinion, a priest having sex with a woman probably is better than a priest having sex with other men or boys. A priest having sex with women is wrong indeed but at least it is still natural. He is wrong because he violates the law of the Church, violates what he has promised, but it is not against his nature.
"Goodbye Good Men written by Michael Rose is a must read.
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