Benedict Groeschel

Benedict Joseph Groeschel, C.F.R. (July 23, 1933 – October 3, 2014) was an American Franciscan friar, Catholic priest, retreat master, author, psychologist, activist, and television host. He hosted the television talk program Sunday Night Prime (originally Sunday Night Live) on the Eternal Word Television Network, as well as several serial religious specials.

Originally a Capuchin friar, Groeschel cofounded the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (or CFRs), intended as a reform branch for the Capuchin charism stressing a renewed emphasis on poverty, service to the poor, Eucharistic and Marian devotion, and fidelity to Catholic doctrine. Groeschel served as lifelong Chairman of the Good Counsel homes for homeless pregnant women and their babies, which he described as a "work of God," cofounding these with Christopher Bell. This maternity home system offered an "open intake" model, i.e. one which turns no woman away for any reason whatever. Groeschel founded the Office for Spiritual Development of the Archdiocese of New York, as well as acting as Archdiocesan liaison for St. Teresa of Calcutta's Missionaries of Charity during Mother Teresa's lifetime. At the invitation of New York's Cardinal Terence Cooke, Groeschel acted as Associate Director of the Trinity Retreat House for clergy and executive director of St. Francis House. Groeschel served as professor of Pastoral Psychology at St. Joseph's Seminary in New York, as adjunct professor at the Institute for Psychological Sciences in Arlington, Virginia, and as an advisor for St. Michael's Institute in Manhattan headed by Dr. Philip Mango. Among Groeschel's close friends were St. Teresa of Calcutta, Mother Angelica, Christopher and Joan Bell, Dr. Philip Mango, Dr. Paul Vitz, and Dr. Alice von Hildebrand.

Some recipients of the "Father Benedict Groeschel Award" awarded by Good Counsel each year have included, but are not limited to: Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan; Laura Ingraham; Michael Knowles; Larry Kudlow; Jeanne Mancini; Rev. Gerald Murray; Rev. George Rutler; William Simon, Jr. and Peter Simon.

Early life and education Born Robert Peter Groeschel on July 23, 1933, in Jersey City, New Jersey, he was the eldest of the six children of Edward Joseph Groeschel and Marjule Smith Groeschel. he entered the Capuchin Order's St. Felix Friary in Huntington, Indiana. As a novice at St. Felix's Groeschel met and was deeply impressed by Blessed Solanus Casey. After nine months in Indiana, Groeschel completed his novitiate at the order's friary in the Detroit Province in 1951.

The following year, he was admitted to temporary profession of vows and given the religious name of Benedict Joseph, after a Franciscan saint, Benedict Joseph Labre. In later life he would often comment that he felt it significant that his patron saint in the order was most likely schizophrenic.

Groeschel made his perpetual profession in 1954 and was ordained a priest in 1959. He received a master's degree in counseling from Iona College in 1964 and a Doctor of Education (D.Ed.) degree, with a specialty in psychology, from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1971.

Career In 1960, Groeschel became the chaplain for the Children's Village, a facility for emotionally disturbed children based in Dobbs Ferry, New York. In 1965, he joined the staff of St. Joseph's Seminary. He has taught at Fordham University, Iona College and Maryknoll Seminary. In 1967, he founded the St. Francis House in Brooklyn, New York, which provides a safe haven for young men looking for a new start in life. In 1974, Cardinal Terence Cooke, Archbishop of New York, asked him to establish the Trinity Retreat in Larchmont, New York, which provides spiritual direction and retreats for clergy. In 1984, Archbishop (future Cardinal) John Joseph O'Connor, Cardinal Cooke's successor, appointed Groeschel to the position of promoter of the cause of canonization of Cardinal Cooke. (Cardinal Cooke is recognized as a Servant of God as of May 2015.)

In the 1980s Groeschel became an early supporter and a popular weekly host for the Catholic television station Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). Michael Warsaw, the chairman and chief executive officer of EWTN stated "In many of the most difficult days in the history of EWTN, Father Benedict was a strong and vocal supporter of Mother Angelica."

In 1987, responding to the call of Pope John Paul II for religious orders to renew their communities, Groeschel and seven Capuchin colleagues broke away from their order "to follow a more traditional religious life that highlighted communal living and traditional garb while serving the poor and needy." They formed the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal with the mission of preaching reform and serving the poor. At the time of his death the order had grown to "115 brothers and priests and 31 sisters in nine friaries in the U.S., four in Europe and two convents in Central America." in 2000, Groeschel taught an annual intensive course focused on how to give practical assistance to people experiencing trauma, extreme stress, and sorrow, while at the same time integrating religious values with counseling and psychotherapy.

Groeschel was Chairman of St. Francis House and the Good Counsel Homes. He was on the board of Ave Maria University in Naples, Florida, and was a member of the American Psychological Association. He was also involved with the Padre Pio Shelter, St. Anthony Residence, St. Francis Youth Center, and St. Benedict Joseph Medical Center in Honduras. The late Donna Summer, the queen of disco music paid tribute to Groeschel in the liner notes of her studio album Cats Without Claws originally released in 1984, when it became available as a compact disc a few years later. She said, "To Father Benedict Groechel, and father Glenn Sudano - for the inspiration on the line "Cats Without Claws." Fr Sudano is one of eight original Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, and Summer was married to his brother Bruce Sudano.

Author and activist Throughout his career, Groeschel was "an outspoken opponent of abortion and was quick to defend the church against what he saw as unfair criticism, which endeared him to conservative Catholics in particular." His weekly television program, Sunday Night Live with Father Benedict Groeschel, offered a mix of interviews, answering viewer questions and discussing spiritual and social matters relating to the Catholic faith.

Groeschel was a highly visible Catholic activist, firstly in the Civil Rights movement. He publicly criticized insulting depictions of the Catholic Church in popular culture and the media. In September 1998, he led protests outside an Off-Broadway theater in New York City against the production of Terrence McNally's play Corpus Christi. In his 2002 book, From Scandal to Hope, he accused The Boston Globe, The New York Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle of revealing anti-Catholic prejudice in their coverage of the sexual abuse scandal that disrupted the church. "Seldom in the history of journalism have I seen such virulent attacks on any institution that is supposed to receive fair treatment in the press", he wrote.

Car accident On January 11, 2004, Groeschel was struck by an automobile while crossing a street in Orlando, Florida. He "suffered numerous broken bones and intracranial bleeding", A few days later the trauma triggered a near-fatal heart attack. While he was recovering from his injuries, he collaborated with John Bishop on the book There Are No Accidents: In All Things Trust in God. He broadcast his first live program on EWTN on October 24, 2004. Although the accident left him with limited use of his right arm and difficulty in walking, he resumed preaching and giving retreats by the end of 2004 and he continued to keep a full schedule. As he told The New York Times nearly four years after his accident: "They said I would never live. I lived. They said I would never think. I think. They said I would never walk. I walked. They said I would never dance, but I never danced anyway."

Other health issues In 1984 Groeschel had heart problems that were addressed by bypass surgery.

Comments on sexual abuse Since 1973 Groeschel served as the director of spiritual development for the Archdiocese of New York. It was in this capacity as a "defender of the priesthood" that he was drawn into the sexual abuse scandals that came to light in the early 2000s. Groeschel's expertise was focused on clarifying critical psychological issues pertinent in the screening of stable and orthodox seminarians. The goal of this process was to identify those able to stand up to the tremendous pressures of the work to which they are called. The aim of this work was to protect both potential victims as well as clerics.

In 2002 with large numbers of public allegations arising accusing priests of sexual abuse against minors, Groeschel caused some controversy during a sermon at a Yonkers church. He described the news reporting on the matter as a "media persecution" against Catholicism intended "to destroy whatever public influence the church might have." On August 30, he issued a statement:

The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal organization also apologized for Groeschel's remarks, noting that they were out of character for him and stemmed from infirmities due to his 2004 car accident and a recent stroke. On September 3, EWTN announced that Groeschel had resigned from his position as host of Sunday Night Prime and that other members of his order would serve as the show's host.

Death Due to declining health, Groeschel had moved into St. Joseph's Home for the elderly in Totowa run by the Little Sisters of the Poor. He died there at 11 pm on October 3, 2014.

He had an ongoing medical condition Doctors informed him that they felt it was inadvisable to attempt to repair the damaged arm (a fractured elbow and shoulder He died due to complications from his ongoing illness.

On the day of his death Groeschel met with Michael Mencer who as a child had his juvenile macular degeneration reversed, which he and his family accredited to the intercession of Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, S.C. This event was accepted by the Vatican as a miracle that qualified Demjanovich to be beatified—this was set to be declared at a Mass the next day at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark (the first such beatification Mass to be held in the U.S. rather than Rome ). Both Demjanovich and Groeschel had been born in Bayonne, New Jersey. Mencer had the relic of Demjanovich (a strand of her hair) that he had carried with him when he felt his vision problems lift and loaned it to Groeschel who blessed himself with it. )

On the memorial page set up by members of his order, Groeschel's quote concerning his attitude about his death was given, "Saint Vincent de Paul said: 'If you love the poor, your life will be filled with sunlight, and you will not be frightened at the hour of death.' I wish to witness that this is true."

Groeschel's remains were placed in a simple pine casket (in accord with the rule of his community) and entombed in the crypt of the Most Blessed Sacrament Friary on October 12, 2014, following a funeral Mass at the Basilica Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey. From Scandal to Hope, Our Sunday Visitor, 2002 The King, Crucified And Risen: On The Passion And Glory Of Christ, Servant, 2002 Rosary: The Chain of Hope, Ignatius Press, 2003. There Are No Accidents: In All Things Trust in God, Our Sunday Visitor, 2004 Praying To Our Lord Jesus Christ: Prayers and Meditations Through the Centuries, Ignatius Press, 2004. A Drama of Reform, Ignatius Press, 2005. The Virtue Driven Life, Our Sunday Visitor, 2006 Praying with the Creed: Meditations from the Oratory, Our Sunday Visitor, 2007 Questions and Answers About Your Journey to God, Our Sunday Visitor, 2007 Everyday Encounters with God: What Our Experiences Teach Us about the Divine, Word Among Us, 2008 Experiencing the Mystery of Christ: Meditations from Oratory, Our Sunday Visitor, 2008 The Journey of Faith: How to Deepen Your Faith in God, Christ, and the Church, Our Sunday Visitor, 2009 Tears of God, Ignatius Press, 2009 After This Life: What Catholics Believe About What Happens Next, Our Sunday Visitor, 2009 Praying Constantly: Bringing Your Faith to Life, Our Sunday Visitor, 2010 Travelers Along the Way: The Men and Women Who Shaped My Life, Servant, 2010 I am with You Always, Ignatius Press, 2010. The Saints in My Life: My Favorite Spiritual Companions, Our Sunday Visitor, 2011 Jesus and Mary: In Praise of Their Glorious Names, Our Sunday Visitor, 2012

Audio recordings Groeschel made many audio recordings. Among them are two rosary recordings with the singer-songwriter Simonetta that have been on Catholic radio for more than a decade:

The Rosary is a Place, The Saint Philomena Foundation, 2002 The Rosary is a Luminous Place, The Saint Philomena Foundation, 2004