Can I still hope to reach “the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven” if I #comefrom places of speaking out against actions in the Diocese of Amarillo that seem to undermine “The bonds that shape the unity of the Church” such as:
- A memorial that remains standing, erected by a convicted pedophile priest in honor of a bishop who made the “serious mistake” of granting that priest “a second chance,” leading to the destruction of the innocence of youth;
- A letter still present 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—resulting in the exclusion or exile of 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;
In voicing these concerns, am I still walking the path of faithfulness and humility that leads to the banquet, as Jesus welcomed the faith of the centurion in Matthew 8:5–11❓
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
97.
Bishop Zurek, for his part, called what Matthiesen did a ‘serious mistake,’ yet the memorial still remains.”
“From all that has been gathered so far, during this synodal process, the following proposals emerge: (a) recognition of Episcopal Conferences as ecclesial subjects endowed with doctrinal authority, assuming socio-cultural diversity within the framework of a multifaceted Church, and favoring the appreciation of liturgical, disciplinary, theological, and spiritual expressions appropriate to different socio-cultural contexts;” however, can such recognition truly “come from” 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; subsequently, can we claim to “come from” a place of justice and truth if actions like these undermine where “we may walk in his paths.”❓
(b) Evaluating the real experience of the functioning of the Episcopal Conferences and the Eastern hierarchical structures, and of the relations between Episcopates and the Holy See, to identify the concrete reforms to be implemented; the ad limina visits, which fall under Study Group 7, could be a fitting context for this evaluation; nevertheless, doesn’t some form of evaluation need to “come from” the treatment of “a few” who reported clergy abuse at St. Mary’s Cathedral, only to be dismissed with the judgment that they were not “faithful and loyal disciples that the Lord Jesus desires”; consequently, doesn’t such actions leave them feeling excluded, apart from those who joyfully proclaim : “Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.“❓
Alleluia, alleluia, “And (c) ensuring that all Dioceses or Eparchies are assigned to an ecclesiastical Province and an Episcopal Conference or Eastern hierarchical Structure (cf. CD 40).” Therefore, when such a structure is firmly in place, will not the Church come to recognize 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—”come from” one who cries out: “Come and save us, LORD our God; Let your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.“❓
Alleluia, alleluia
Finally, as Saint Thomas Aquinas wisely observed, multiplicity and variety “”come from” the intention of the first agent,” who willed that “what was wanting to one in the representation of the divine goodness might be supplied by another,” recognizing that God’s goodness “could not be represented fittingly by any one creature”; accordingly, shouldn’t the places that, for me, that embody “The bonds that shape the unity of the Church” reflect this divine intention and not be marked by “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” no matter where he may “come from“; after all, have we not been assured…
“‘…many will come from the east and the west…”‘”❓
Saint Thomas Aquinas wisely noted that multiplicity and variety “come from the intention of the first agent” who willed that “what was wanting to one in the representation of the divine goodness might be supplied by another”,[60] inasmuch as God’s goodness “could not be represented fittingly by any one creature”.[61]
From paragraph 86 of ENCYCLICAL LETTER LAUDATO SI’ OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME