Bring Father Joe back!

Father Joe is a great priest who helps many people and he should be allowed to return to Blessed Sacrament immediately

Please reinstate

Father Joe, we miss you!!!

Father Joe is a blessing to his church, our neighborhood, and our community.

I call for the immediate public release of the charges against Father Joe Metzger by the Bishop and the Board of our Diocese. I suspect the charges would NOT stand up to public scrutiny as anything that would warrant the dismissal of such a fine priest and gentleman as Father Joe. It is painfully obvious to me and many others that the actions being taken against Father Joe are a knee jerk reaction by the Bishop and Diocese bureaucracy to protect themselves against charges of inaction in the current climate of abuse allegations and investigations. My understanding of the accusations against Father Joe do NOT involve allegations of harming anyone. He is not accused of anything which could suggest to anyone with a rational mind that he might pose any risk of harm to anyone. He is not accused of anything sexual. He is not accused of dishonesty. He is not accused of neglecting the needs of his parishioners. Father Joe is an exemplary priest under whose spiritual leadership our parish has continuously thrived and grown. On a personal note, he is a very big part of the reason I and my wife joined Blessed Sacrament parish when we were searching for a church with which to affiliate. In my opinion the Bishop and the Board are acting out of cowardly self-interest, in deliberate disregard of the interests of Blessed Sacrament and the interests of the Diocese as a whole. The Board's primary concern is avoiding being criticized for responding inadequately to a complaint about a priest, and they are more than willing to sacrifice Father Joe to protect themselves from such criticism. I will pray for Father Joe and his return, and for courageous leadership in our Diocese which places what is right ahead of what is expedient.

We want Father Joe back to our church

I have known this man all my life and spent a lot of time with him and my family he is a good man and the leader at our church if he does not come back numbers will fall.

Bring fr. Joe back

I’m signing this petition in the behalf of my son / 6 years old I wish I had an answer for his question where is fr. Joe ?? We all miss fr. joe grownups & kids. we want him back.

Bring him back

Please let Father Joe be brought to justice and return to his parish we miss and love him

We want father Joe!

Please reassign Father Joe

I am disheartened to see that this situation is still going on. There is no information being offered as to where things stand or as t what is taking so long. This is an injustice to the parish and the community. Father Joe deserves better.

I think the office of the Bishop has completely mishandled this incident. It is preached to us weekly that we are a Family that we are a Community, yet the Bishop refuses to communicate with us as to the allegations or the progress of the "investigation." Further, it is insulting that a police officer is detailed to our church every Sunday, presumably to keep worshipers under control. Shame on you, Bishop Knestout.

Bring Father Joe back, this latest “action” by the Bishop is inappropriate, and disrespectful.

Father Joe is a good man with a good heart and good intentions. He is human, and like the rest of us, makes mistakes. In this day of media driven hyperbole, it seems no one is safe from the dissecting lens, under which every single one of us would crumble. It is unthinkable to me that reconciliation of whatever procedural error he committed would take this long; Richmond fiddles while Rome burns. Unthinkable and very poorly handled. Please give back to Father Joe the responsibility and respect that he deserves, so he can continue God’s work on this planet with the beauty and fervor for which he is known. God bless.

I have heard nothing but wonderful things about Father Joe.

Father Joe is the reason I decided to join a church again and get my children baptized and involved with church. He is the most engaging and involved priest that I have ever had the pleasure to be around. I have a special needs child and Father Joe has always made a point to speak with him and engage with him every Sunday. He needs to be allowed to return to Blessed Sacrament.

I drive farther to attend Blessed Sacrament Church over the churches closer to my house BECAUSE OF Fr. Joe. He is a priest of the people. He speaks from a humble, human perspective that resonates with his parishioners - he admits his faults and failings and makes us feel connected. This is a GROWING parish - and it is growing due to the personality and charisma of Fr. Joe. He makes me want to participate, donate, interact and grow with the parish. I am a single female - in any other parish, I would be a wall-flower hanging on the sidelines...but because of Fr. Joe and his way of asking for help, laying opportunities before us, it makes me choose to be involved and participate. It says a lot that he got me up off the sidelines.....we need him back to continue his mission.