Even though I feel like a “foreigner“, banned from ministry and blocked from Facebook pages in the “places” of the Diocese of Amarillo—which, for me, embody the “Local Church in the one and unique Catholic Church”—should I not continue to return daily to the celebration of the Eucharist to give #”thanks to God” as I raise my voice about:
From Luke 17: 11-19
- A memorial that remains standing, erected by a convicted pedophile priest for a bishop who made the “serious mistake” of granting that convict a second chance—resulting in the destruction of the innocence of youth.
- A letter that persists on the diocesan website, rebuking “a few” who reported abuse at St. Mary’s Cathedral—casting them aside instead of pursuing justice, healing and reconciliation.
- The abortion of daily Masses at St. Mary’s Cathedral, justified under the guise of fostering “an incredible sense of Reverence for the…Priests and especially for the Bishops“, thereby weaponizing the Eucharist as a tool of power and control.
- The construction of a new bishop’s residence, symbolically reinforcing hierarchical dominance and putting our next bishop “in his place” before his arrival.
Shouldn’t I give thanks daily in raising these concerns, trusting that one day I may hear Jesus say: “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”❓
XVI ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS
How to be a missionary synodal Church
Instrumentum laboris
Part III – Places
Local Churches in the one and unique Catholic Church
93.
Bishop Zurek, for his part, called what Matthiesen did a ‘serious mistake,’ yet the memorial still remains.”
“In a similar vein, attention must be paid to the composition of these bodies to encourage greater involvement of women, young people, and those living in conditions of poverty or marginalization in the composition of these bodies. ‘” Accordingly, is a memorial erected by a convicted pedophile priest for a bishop who made a “serious mistake” in a rural parish over a decade ago something that survivors of clergy abuse—those who seek to give thanks to God, “Who fosters people’s growth from their mother’s womb,” —can genuinely embrace❓
Moreover, as the First Session emphasized, it is fundamental that these bodies include men and women committed to witnessing to the faith in the ordinary realities of life and in their social contexts, with a recognized apostolic and missionary disposition (cf. SR 18d), and not only those involved in organizing the life and services of the community. Consequently, shouldn’t “the few” who reported clergy abuse at St. Mary’s Cathedral have been given thanks for their courage, rather than being told they were not “faithful and loyal disciples that the Lord Jesus desires.”—and subsequently banned from ministry and blocked from social media platforms whose goal is to unite all people in proclaiming, “I will praise your name for ever, Lord.“
Nevertheless, even though I believe that ” In this way, the ecclesial discernment carried out by these bodies will benefit from greater openness and ability to analyze reality and a diversity of perspectives.“, if it does not, will I still be able to say, “I give thanks to my God always on your account“
Alleluia, alleluia, “Finally, many contributions point to the desire to make mandatory those Councils whose establishment is discretionary under current law.” Furthermore, if my questions regarding the decision to abort the daily Eucharist at St. Mary’s Cathedral for the sake of the priest’s health and spirituality were brought before a mandated Parish Council—rather than being left solely to the discretion of our priests—would that not give cause to: “In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.“❓
Alleluia, alleluia
Therefore, since I am joined to the incarnate Son, present in the Eucharist, and united with the whole cosmos, shouldn’t I give thanks to God even if “sins against synodality —the very sins that now place our new bishop in a position where he must “Just Say NO❣️” to being “put in his place.”)—have made me a foreigner in the “places,” that for me, constitute the “Local Church in the one and unique Catholic Church”; for, as Jesus said:
“‘Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God❓'”
Joined to the incarnate Son, present in the Eucharist, the whole cosmos gives thanks to God.
From paragraph 77 of ENCYCLICAL LETTER LAUDATO SI’ OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME