Founder of Life Teen, Dale Fushek, has been excommunicated along with Fr. Mark Dippre, as posted on the Diocese of Phoenix website. Here is the statement from the diocese:
December 15, 2008-The Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix, has issued a Decree of Excommunication to Reverend Monsignor Dale Fushek and Reverend Mark Dippre.
Fushek and Dippre have incurred the censure of excommunication because they have chosen to be in schism with the Catholic Church by establishing and leading an opposing ecclesial community known to the public as the Praise and Worship Center. Both priests have consistently refused to comply with explicit directions by Bishop Olmsted to discontinue engaging in public ministry. The excommunications were incurred after repeated offers of reconciliation were ignored. The decree of excommunication by Bishop Olmsted declares the censure that Fushek and Dippre, as ordained priests, have brought upon themselves. The purpose of these sanctions is to reconcile both men with the Catholic Church and to preserve the integrity and unity of the Diocese.
As excommunicated priests, Fushek and Dippre cannot participate in the celebration of the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist or in any other ceremonies of worship. They are also prohibited from celebrating or receiving any of the sacraments. In addition, they forfeit the benefits of dignity, office, or any function that they had previously acquired in the Catholic Church.
Bishop Olmsted continues to express his grave concern for Catholics who may be misled or confused by the actions of Dale Fushek and Mark Dippre.
The Diocese of Phoenix does not endorse the actions of these excommunicated priests and we encourage Catholics to refrain from attending or supporting the Praise and Worship Center. We remind Catholics that the ultimate form of praise and worship is and always will be the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and we urge them to keep the Mass as the center of their lives. There is no substitution for the graces received at Mass and no prayer more edifying.
Fushek started working at the Praise and Worship Center, a non-denominational gathering place, along with Mark Dippre, who left the active priesthood and is now married. Fushek was also arrested in 2005 for inappropriate sexual contact with teens and young adults, although he was never found guilty.
My opinion of Life Teen is mixed. I have seen some decent local programs, but I also have never been drawn to the Life Teen model of the youth group (even as a youth I thought skits, parties, etc, were beneath me). Regardless of my views on the program itself, the founder seems to have gone off the deep end. May God be with him.
H/T Dave Hartline
Let’s hope that they see their errors and reconcile with Holy Mother Church.
I CONGRATULATE THE BISHOP FOR TAKING THIS NECESSARY ACTION .
I was a part of LIFETEEN some years back and I pray that their souls will come back on the right track.
Praise God in His infinite mercy that He has given the Diocese of Phoenix such a holy Bishop. (Fr Mark) Dippre has not been living as a faithful Catholic priest for years now. He did not abandon his ministry as a priest with the blessings of the Church. Dippre is now married, although not sacramentally in the Catholic Church, and has been (Fr Dale) Fusheks sidekick for years. Fushek has been a disobedient priest for years as well. Way before Fusheks starting a new Church. I remember liturgies with liturgical dance with a medly of many other abuses. At the time I was too ignorant to recognize how disobedient he was. His current status is no surprise to me. It is apparent Dale thinks his “preaching” is far more important than the authority of the church. Iriony really. I can remember many a “homily” of him telling us to be obedient. I guess it is not what is good for the goose is good for the gander here…eh Dale??
You all are sad people…..it is our resposniblity as Catholics to worship and praise God and to keep hi in the center of our lives. Father Dale and Father Mark have stated over and over that they developed this program to be used in conjunction to the Catholic Mass and I personally see nothing wrong with that. It is in praise and worpship music that led many, many people to christ through Father Dale. The problem here isn’t what Father Dale and Father Mark is doing but that the diocese lost alot of money when they let Father Dale go…..that is what this is boiling down to. To tell people not to prasie and wroship in the way they feel the need to is utterly rediculous….I say….continue on Dale and Mark…..you lead people to christ and that is what all of our calling is to do.
Another flash in the pan of Novus Ordo church culture (the stuff these people were telling people like me 20 years ago to dump all our artsy old-fashioned stuff for because ‘it’s the hope of the church and the way of the future’ – ‘be open to the Spirit’) turns out to be a fraud like other cr*p from the JPII era like Medjugorje, Ken Roberts, much ‘charismatic’ stuff and Marcel Maciel. I predict Fushek’s cult of personality won’t outlast him and probably will die before him as his followers, if he has any, drift back to mainstream RC.