Words in italics indicate passages pulled from the Preparatory Document for the Synod 2021-2023.
This week posts are focusing on the implications for the Amarillo Diocese” of a Synod entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission”, which will solemnly open on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and on the following 17th of October in each Diocese. (Woefully there has been no notice of this gathering occurring in the Diocese of Amarillo; yet another current sign of our “serious mistake” ) …
Implication #5 evolves from the requirement that we listen to and remain open to the Holy Spirit as we “journey together”, both locally and universally, because there will certainly be surprises that have been prepared for us along the way, and we don’t want the current signs of our “serious mistake” to guide us in the wrong direction…
““It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.”
FRANCIS, Address for the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the institution of the
Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015)
The path entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” will
solemnly open on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and on the following 17th of October in each particular Church.
Implication #4- Bishop Zurek may not want this synod to deliver us from the form, the style, and the structure of the Diocese of Amarillo which the “serious mistake” has placed us.
“Regardless of the distinctions that are made in society today, or the varying ethnic groups that are present in our local Church or the languages that are spoken, we are called to the unity of the family of Christ in the Church. Unity must be the aim and goal of the members of each parish, of the parishes with each other and with the bishop, the priest, the deacons and all the lay Faithful.”
Bishop Patrick J. Zurek
The Church, A Pastoral Letter
Bishop Zurek’s words indicate that he is longing for a dynamism that would be activated that allows us to begin to reap some of the fruits of a synodal conversion, which will progressively mature; however he often is only too ready to disregard the objectives of great importance
for the quality of ecclesial life and for accomplishing the mission of evangelization, in which we all participate by virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation.
| Where Synod Journey is Going | Where Bishop Zurek has Gone |
| recall how the Spirit has guided the diocese through history and, today, calls us to be, together, witnesses of God’s love | “There has been a lot of unrest in the Cathedral parish for the last few months; actually, in reality, for some decades.” |
| living a participative and inclusive ecclesial process that offers everyone—especially those who for various reasons find themselves on the margins—the opportunity to express themselves and to be heard in order to contribute to the edification of the People of God | “You no doubt have heard of or perhaps even read the now infamous accusations against myself, your Rector and the associate Rector. These were obviously made by ‘a few’, emphasis on a few, souls that appear to be quite restless.“ |
| recognizing and appreciating the wealth and the variety of the gifts and charisms that the Spirit liberally bestows for the good of the community and the benefit of the entire human family | “…yet “a few” of our number have allowed the secular influence to dominate their life and hence their light has dimmed.“ |
| exploring participatory ways of exercising responsibility in the proclamation of the Gospel and in the effort to build a more beautiful and habitable world | “What has happened is that some of our number have lost focus.“ |
| examining how responsibility and power are lived in the Church as well as the structures by which they are managed, bringing to light and trying to convert prejudices and distorted practices that are not rooted in the Gospel | “We lose the capacity to realize “I, as a lay person, do not always have all the knowledge”; while it is quite probable that the deacon, priest or bishop has a much fuller picture of what is actually happening.“ |
| accrediting the Christian community as a credible subject and reliable partner in paths of social dialogue, healing, reconciliation, inclusion and participation, the reconstruction of democracy, the promotion of fraternity and social friendship | “This is a clear indication that this one of “the few” has no intention to stop causing division in the Body of Christ. His line is quite clear; he only wants division and disunity.“ |
| regenerating relationships among members of Christian communities as well as between communities and other social groups, e.g., communities of believers of other denominations and religions, civil society organizations, popular movements, etc. | “Now that I have finished part of my experience with this “the few” I need to address you who are not part of them.“ |
| fostering the appreciation and appropriation of the fruits of recent synodal experiences on the universal, regional, national, and local levels. | “Finally please pray for all who are restless: that they may find peace and tranquility.“ |
Bishop Zurek’s heart may have been hardened along the way, but if even only “a few” will listen to the Holy Spirit the Diocese of Amarillo can use the Synod 2021-2023 as a way to avoid going down to the netherworld.
“Inasmuch as there could be serious legal implications for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles if we do fully disclose to you our concern regarding the Reverend John Salazar, Sch.P., by this letter I am informing you that the Reverend John Salazar, Sch.P. would never be allowed to minister as a priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in any way whatsoever given the circumstances of his case.”
From a 1991 letter from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to the Diocese of Amarillo prior to Bishop’s Matthiesen’s bringing of John Salazar to the Diocese of Amarillo. Bishop Matthiesen ignored this warning. Later he defended the “serious mistake” by stating that he never conducted his own checks of the priests – which included the Rev. John Salazar-Jimenez, and that it wasn’t until 10 years later that he learned some priests were not the first-time sex offenders that they purported to be when he agreed to hire.
A Memorial in the Grotto of St. Mary’s Cathedral raised by Monsignor Waldow (whom Bishop Matthiesen labeled as a “congenital liar”) during Bishop Yanta’s episcopacy. Monsignor Waldow wrote:
“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.”
