“‘Jesus began to reproach the towns
where most of his mighty deeds had been done,
since they had not repented.”
MT 11:20
Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
You say you care less how I feel
How many of you that sit and judge me
Ever walked the streets of Bakersfield?”
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 #254, current events and an occasional question in that regard:
CHAPTER SEVEN
PATHS OF RENEWED ENCOUNTER
MEMORY
Forgiving but not forgetting
…or are we looking for more “mighty deeds” to be done in our midst without preparing our hearts to encounter our brothers and sisters who survived the abuse of John Anthony Salazar; which was imposed by Bishop Matthiesen when he gave a priest banned from his home diocese a second chance; a second chance that Salazar used to dedicate a Religious Education Center for his benevolent bishop before landing himself in prison for indecency with a child by sexual contact?
“A serious mistake was made in bringing John Salazar to the Diocese of Amarillo for ministry,”
Bishop Patrick J. Zurek
254. I ask God “to prepare our hearts to encounter our brothers and sisters, so that we may overcome our differences rooted in political thinking, language, culture and religion.
“live this time as an opportunity, even if experienced in pain, to open themselves with tenderness to their sick brother or sister in the next bed, with whom they share the same human frailty.”
Can we not see our ” serious mistake ” as “an opportunity, even if experienced in pain,” to seek God’s mercy?
Let us ask him to anoint our whole being with the balm of his mercy, which heals the injuries caused by mistakes, misunderstandings and disputes.
“Not only our religious faith, but our belief in basic human rights of all people, requires us to challenge this inhumane directive which endangers the lives of vulnerable pregnant women,”
Does not “our religious faith” require us to seek “the demanding but enriching path of seeking peace” with the legacy of clergy abuse in our diocese?
And let us ask him for the grace to send us forth, in humility and meekness, along the demanding but enriching path of seeking peace”.[236]
“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 biodiversity by planting native trees, planting native gardens,
removing invasive species, practicing regenerative agriculture, and
protecting pollinators” is part of our Laudato Si Plan.
Amarillo—Our Lady of Guadalupe Church will host its 40th Las Fiestas de Amarillo Saturday, July 17 and Sunday, July 18 on the parish grounds at 11th and Houston.
7/5/21: Why was Bishop Zurek wearing white vestments during Ordinary Time when he presided at the normally posted livestreamed 9:30 Mass from the Cathedral on Independence Day?
7/5/21: Why wasn’t the livestreamed 9:30 Mass from the Cathedral on July 4, posted on You Tube as Masses usually are on Sundays?
7/9/21: Instead of simply answering my question about the posting of the 9:30 Mass for July 4th; why were all the other normally posted Masses removed?
UPDATE: Is not posting on You Tube the Sunday 9:30 Livestreamed Mass to be the “new normal”?…If so, why?
I am also compelled to share some events in regard to the treatment of
A Reflection on Christian Life, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek
the priests that serve you.
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 listen to his sharing of “some events in regard to the treatment of the priests that serve” us; perhaps then, the legacy of clergy abuse in our diocese will be remembered and we will seek repentance.
A Memorial in the Grotto of St. Mary’s Cathedral
“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.”
