Should it come as any #surprise to me that I’m daily caught in the struggle of speaking out about the places in the Diocese of Amarillo—places that seem to undermine “The bonds that shape the unity of the Church” through actions such as:
From Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36
- 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“—leading to 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“, effectively weaponizing the Eucharist as a tool of power and control—terminating or exiling members of His Body;
- The construction of another bishop’s residence, symbolically reinforcing hierarchical dominance and putting our next bishop “in his place” before his arrival❓
XVI ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS
How to be a missionary synodal Church
Instrumentum laboris
Part III – Places
The bonds that shape the unity of the Church
96.
Bishop Zurek, for his part, called what Matthiesen did a ‘serious mistake,’ yet the memorial still remains.”
“Eastern hierarchical structures and Episcopal Conferences are fundamental instruments for creating links and sharing experiences between the Churches and for decentralizing governance and pastoral planning.‘” Conversely, is it any surprise that a memorial erected by a convicted pedophile priest for a bishop who made the “serious mistake” of granting him “a second chance“—a decision that ultimately led to the destruction of innocence—fails to foster links or shared experiences between the Churches; after all, isn’t such an act far from reflecting “what is right and just in the land.“❓
“The Second Vatican Council stated that, like the ancient patriarchal Churches, episcopal conferences are in a position ‘to contribute in many and fruitful ways to the concrete realization of the collegial spirit’ (LG 23). However, was it not far from a true collegial spirit when “a few” who reported clergy abuse at St. Mary’s Cathedral were dismissed with the judgment that they were not “faithful and loyal disciples that the Lord Jesus desires”—leaving them, in their surprise and pain, to intercede: “To you, O Lord, I lift my soul“❓
“‘Yet this desire has not been fully realized, since a juridical status of Episcopal Conferences which would see them as subjects of specific attributions, including genuine doctrinal authority, has not yet been sufficiently elaborated’ (EG 32).” Accordingly, will I not be in for a real surprise when such a desire is finally realized, and I come to understand more deeply “how you should conduct yourselves to please God“❓
Alleluia, alleluia, “Seeking how to be a synodal Church in mission requires addressing this question.” Subsequently, when this question is truly addressed, perhaps it will as no surprise to find that my concerns regarding the decision to abort the daily Eucharist at St. Mary’s Cathedral—for the sake of the priest’s health and spirituality—are also addressed; nonetheless, may this be done in such a way that we can, without surprise, together proclaim: “Show us, Lord, your love; and grant us your salvation.“❓
Alleluia, alleluia
Finally, will it surprise me in the end to discover that, alongside the omnipresent technocratic paradigm and the cult of unlimited human power, a rising relativism—one that deems everything irrelevant unless it serves one’s immediate interests—has infiltrated the places that, for me, should embody “The bonds that shape the unity of the Church“; Consequently, are not these very places now seem marked by “sins against synodality—the same sins that now place our new bishop in a position where he must “Just Say NO❣️” to being “put in his place”…
“‘…and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.‘”❓
Hence we should not be surprised to find, in conjunction with the omnipresent technocratic paradigm and the cult of unlimited human power, the rise of a relativism which sees everything as irrelevant unless it serves one’s own immediate interests.
From paragraph 122 of ENCYCLICAL LETTER LAUDATO SI’ OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME