“The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,
‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?'”
mt 9:11
Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
I just don’t belong
But then, I’ve been there before
Everything’s all right
I’ll just say goodnight
And I’ll show myself to the door
Hey, I didn’t mean
To cause a big scene…
‘Cause I’ve got friends in low places”
I agree with our bishop, Patrick J. Zurek, in putting forth in his Holy Week homilies this year the Encyclical of Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, as the standard for love and unity in our diocese. Today, let’s reflect upon paragraph #250, current events and an occasional question in that regard:
CHAPTER SEVEN
PATHS OF RENEWED ENCOUNTER
MEMORY
Forgiving but not forgetting
“A serious mistake was made in bringing John Salazar to the Diocese of Amarillo for ministry,”
Bishop Patrick J. Zurek
250. Forgiving does not mean forgetting.
“Christ has no body on earth now but yours, no hands but yours.”
Or better, in the face of a reality that can in no way be denied, relativized or concealed, forgiveness is still possible.
“I know that this process will be long and difficult. I know that this process will be painful. It won’t undo the heartbreak and loss we feel. But only by acknowledging the past can we work toward a future that we’re all proud to embrace,”
In the face of an action that can never be tolerated, justified or excused, we can still forgive.
“vaccines have a history that is marked by injustice and oppression. It is difficult to ask for trust from people who have had to deal with systemic victimization by the countries that are generally the ones that produce vaccines.”
In the face of something that cannot be forgotten for any reason, we can still forgive.
“each diocese can be the focal point for a local meeting for its families and communities. In this way, everyone will be able to participate, even those who cannot come to Rome.”
Free and heartfelt forgiveness is something noble, a reflection of God’s own infinite ability to forgive.
If forgiveness is gratuitous, then it can be shown even to someone who resists repentance and is unable to beg pardon.
“The Glenn” in conjunction with the Laudato Si’ Action Platform has pledged to develop a Laudato Si’ Plan, which we can use to discern and implement our response to Laudato Si’. This part of the blog will update readers on this journey.
the wellbeing of all, as we equitably address the climate crisis, biodiversity loss,
and ecological sustainability.
That is why “protecting waterways and land by ensuring sensible fertilizer use,
instituting drop irrigation and other conservative irrigation models,
planting waterway buffers, avoiding the installation of impermeable
surfaces around buildings, instituting regular litter removal and
prevention campaigns, and pursuing conservation schemes” is part of our Laudato Si Plan.
The Diocesan Youth Office has begun the process of accepting names for the event, taking place in August 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal.
So, what is the diocese doing to get ready for the World Meeting of Families in June of 2022?
It never
A Reflection on Christian Life, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek
ends.
Today I pray that those of us in the Diocese of Amarillo, but especially those at St. Mary’s Cathedral and, “the few” , listen to Bishop Zurek’s concern in “A Reflection on Christian Life“, and help bring to an end the legacy of clergy abuse in our diocese, by “forgiving” not “forgetting”; “if forgiveness is gratuitous”, then, like Jesus, we can “eat with tax collectors and sinners” “who resists repentance and is unable to beg pardon”.
In memory of the death of innocence of the victims of clergy sexual abuse. When innocence dies…a life stops. It is essential that we never forget.
