Dutch priest suspended for World Cup Orange Mass
Fri Jul 16, 2010 4:03pm GMT
<script language="javascript"> var storyKeywords = "OZASP DUTCH PRIEST 20100716"; var RTR_ArticleTitle = "Dutch priest suspended for World Cup Orange Mass"; var RTR_ArticleBlurb = "AMSTERDAM, July 16 (Reuters Life!) - A Dutch priest has been suspended for dedicating a Mass to the Dutch national soccer team -- while wearing an orange cloak -- ahead of the World Cup final against Spain. Priest Paul Vlaar from the town of Obdam..."; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> var showComments = false; var allowSLCall = false; function singlePageView() { document.location.href = ReplaceQueryStringParam(document.location.href, "sp", "true"); } function replaceString(oldS, newS, fullS) { // Replaces oldS with newS in the string fullS for (var i = 0; i < fullS.length; i++) { if (fullS.substring(i, i + oldS.length) == oldS) { fullS = fullS.substring(0, i) + newS + fullS.substring(i + oldS.length, fullS.length); } } return fullS; } </script> <input value="13" name="CurrentSize" id="CurrentSize" type="hidden"> Print | Single Page
The Haarlem-Amsterdam diocese said in a statement on Friday that Vlaar (above) 'failed to do justice to the holiness of the celebration of the Eucharist.' -- PHOTO: AP
AMSTERDAM July 16 (Reuters Life!) - A Dutch priest has been suspended for dedicating a Mass to the Dutch national soccer team -- while wearing an orange cloak -- ahead of the World Cup final against Spain. Priest Paul Vlaar from the town of Obdam prayed last Sunday for team spirit for the national team, while worshippers, also dressed in orange clothes, were singing soccer songs in the church.
It was decorated with orange flags. The Haarlem-Amsterdam diocese said in a statement on Friday that Vlaar "failed to do justice to the holiness of the celebration of the Eucharist." Bishop Jozef Marianus Punt has imposed a period of reflection on the priest with immediate effect. Vlaar's prayers appear to have fallen on deaf ears, however, as the Dutch lost the match 1-0.
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