How can I say that we at St. Mary’s Cathedral profess “One Nation Under God” when both our pastor, Bishop Zurek, and Rector, Father Tony, celebrated Independence Day today by using their authority to take a day off from the job❓
There was a special Independence Day Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral this morning: the main sanctuary was opened; a graphic with “One Nation Under God” was projected on the wall; the celebrants, Monsignor Bixenman and Father Avitus wore white; special music was played; the homily spoke of this Independence Day, when our land is being divided by a “measuring line” , should not be a day of being independent of each other, but realizing we need each other; however, Bishop Zurek and Father Tony did not feel called to accompany the community that they serve, nor commit themselves with prayer, discernment and apostolic zeal in ensuring that their ministry was suited to the needs of a synodal and missionary Church, because, going against what was taught in the homily, they were independent of us on Independence Day believing that they had “a much fuller picture of what was actually happening“, and their knowledge told them, “We have no need of them, nor they of us!”;…
We lose the capacity to realize
from Bishop Zurek’s Letter to St. Mary’s Cathedral, “A Reflection on Christian Life”
“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.
…perhaps they didn’t see the need to be present for such a small group (one that would have easily fit inside the Chapel with room to spare); yet, believing that “The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just“, I wonder how will the Lord judge the effort put into promoting today’s Independence Day Mass when it is compared to the effort put into filling the Cathedral for the Mass (canceling of confessions; rescheduling of daily Mass to correspond with a dinner; putting out notices; ordering of the priest of the diocese to be present) which celebrated Father Tony’s 20 years of “Humble Service”…
Following is the only notice given for the “special” Independence Day Mass
…consequently, although, “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation“, this Independence Day, he was not getting any help from Bishop Zurek or Father Tony in doing so…
…finally, can what Benedict XVI affirmed come to pass: “in continuity with the social teaching of the Church: “To manage the global economy; to revive economies hit by the crisis; to avoid any deterioration of the present crisis and the greater imbalances that would result; to bring about integral and timely disarmament, food security and peace; to guarantee the protection of the environment and to regulate migration: for all this, there is urgent need of a true world political authority, as my predecessor Blessed John XXIII indicated some years ago”; unless the authorities, like ours at St. Mary’s Cathedral, start using their authority so that we can glorify “God who had given such authority to men” on Independence Day and everyday❓
