“Do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example… Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Memorial in the Grotto of St. Mary’s Cathedral. The inscription says: “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.”
In recent years, artificial intelligence systems have increasingly taken control of the production of texts, music and videos. This puts much of the human creative industry at risk of being dismantled and replaced with the label “Powered by AI,” turning people into passive consumers of unthought thoughts and anonymous products without ownership or love. Meanwhile, the masterpieces of human genius in the fields of music, art and literature are being reduced to mere training grounds for machines.
As I reflect on Communion — the Centennial pillar for March, am I willing to set an example by safeguarding the uniquely human gifts of creativity, ownership, and love in our parish and diocesan life, or am I passively accepting a culture where “Powered by AI” replaces the hard, relational work that builds true communion between real persons with real voices and faces who suffer from our “serious mistake“?
2. Meditatio
It is very easy for me to read this passage and imagine miters, croziers, cathedras, and long ecclesiastical sleeves. After all, I do not sit on the chair of Moses. I have no tassels to lengthen, no phylacteries to widen. I am neither Rabbi nor Master nor Father.
Surely this is a clerical warning.
But Christ, with unnerving calm, strips away my defense. He does not merely forbid titles; He forbids the spirit that craves them. And the spirit of superiority fits as comfortably on a rancher as on a rabbi.
I say I have no chair. But I have opinions. I say I have no pulpit. But I have social media. I say I set no example. But I live in a community.
And every action, even a grumble, is a small sermon.
I am attracted tonight to a pep rally for state champions—young people who have practiced, sacrificed, and worked together until their discipline has become victory. They are being celebrated as an example…
And rightly so.
But Christ’s arithmetic is different. His championship is humility. His trophy is service. His pep rally is the Cross.
The Mustangs win because they practiced what they preached on the court. I lose when I preach what I do not practice in my heart.
The scribes tied up heavy burdens; Christ carried one. The Pharisees widened tassels; Christ widened mercy.
The danger is not that I will wear a long robe. The danger is that I will wear a long memory of grievances.
Today we remember Saint Katherine Drexel, a woman born into wealth who could have worn every honorary title imaginable. Instead, she gave away her fortune to serve Native Americans and African Americans who had been neglected and marginalized.
If ever there was a woman who could have insisted on “places of honor,” it was she. Instead, she built schools. She founded congregations. She lived hidden.
Her example is deliciously paradoxical: she humbled herself so thoroughly that history was forced to exalt her.
She did not widen tassels; she widened opportunity. She did not seek greeting in marketplaces; she greeted the forgotten.
And perhaps the most dangerous thing I can do is assume that because I lack a title, I lack influence.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Not your commentator. Not your critic. Your servant.
4. Oratio
Lord Jesus,
Strip me of the invisible titles I cling to. Free me from the need to be right, the need to be noticed, the need to be honored.
Make my example quiet but real. Let me practice what I preach— especially when no one is watching.
Amen.
5. Actio — In Light of Laudato Si’ and Synodality
In some places, cooperatives are being developed to exploit renewable sources of energy which ensure local self-sufficiency and even the sale of surplus energy. This simple example shows that, while the existing world order proves powerless to assume its responsibilities, local individuals and groups can make a real difference.
Laudato Si’ calls us to ecological conversion that is visible in small, consistent acts—not grand declarations. Synodality demands shared responsibility, not spiritual celebrity.
This week I will serve in one unseen way—without announcement, without commentary, without subtle self-advertisement.
The loudest leadership is quiet consistency. Practice is the only true pep rally of the soul.
7. Movie Pairing 🎬
🎬Movie:Hoosiers (1986)
Champions are not formed by speeches but by discipline. Humility and teamwork win games—and souls.
Takeaways: • Think about the people in your life who have lovingly called you out on sin and encouraged you to grow closer to Jesus. They’ve acted like prophets for you. • Through Baptism, you are called to be a priest, king, and prophet — meaning you are sent to share the Gospel as a missionary disciple. • Live out that calling by praying more, going to Mass, and receiving the Sacraments. When you live with real joy and hope, others will notice…and it opens the door to share God’s love.
Move over, celebrity sightings…this is a Sacred Heart sighting! ❤️ Duane and Theresa are popping up in parishes everywhere, helping families put Christ at the heart of their homes and spreading devotion that’s anything but half-hearted. But wherever they go, they’re on fire for the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 🔥 In this episode, Duane and Theresa talk First Fridays, 12 powerful promises, and why enthroning your home might be the best “heart upgrade” you’ll ever make. Warning: Sacred Heart enthusiasm may be contagious. ❤️🔥
Introvert + Apostle = Christian paradox unlocked. 🔓 Father Taylor Elzner explains how silence fuels mission, why labels aren’t boxes, and how to stop “communion to escape” and start living grace outward. Grace doesn’t delete your introversion — it perfects it! Introverts aren’t anti-social — we just need better WiFi with Heaven before mingling. This episode is introverted…but we make sure it is apostolic. 🌱
Your Eminence Cardinal DiNardo,
Grace and peace to you in Christ.
On behalf of many of the faithful in the Diocese of Amarillo, I wish to extend to you a heartfelt welcome as our Apostolic Administrator. Please know of my prayers for you as you shepherd us during this significant moment in our diocesan history.
As we continue celebrating our Centennial year, we give thanks for the many blessings God has bestowed upon this local Church over the past one hundred years. At the same time, anniversaries naturally invite both gratitude and honest reflection.
It is in that spirit of reflection — and in the spirit of synodality so frequently emphasized in the life of the Church today — that I respectfully ask whether there might be an opportunity for renewed dialogue regarding the Tribute to Bishop Matthiesen and what former Bishop Zurek referred to as the “serious mistake” that brought about its existence.
My desire is not to reopen wounds or foster division, but rather to seek clarity, healing, and communion. I believe many of us long to celebrate our Centennial with consciences fully at peace, confident that we have honestly acknowledged our history while entrusting it to the mercy of Christ.
Synodality, as I understand it, calls us to walk together — clergy and laity alike — in truth and charity. If there is a path forward that allows for thoughtful listening, careful discernment, and pastoral guidance on this matter, I would be deeply grateful.
Thank you for your willingness to serve us during this transitional season. Please be assured of my continued prayers for your ministry and for the unity of our diocesan family.
Respectfully in Christ,
Darrell Glenn
My Story
Photo used by permission of Douglas Kirkland/Corbis via Getty Images
Memorial in the Grotto of St. Mary’s Cathedral. The inscription says: “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.“
I was one of “the few” Bishop Zurek spoke of in this letter. He first posted it in August of 2019, and in response to my, “calling out all the more“, he kept reposting it atop the diocesan news page until December 11, 2019. There it remains to this day.
Fr. Ed Graff, brought here from Philadelphia by Bishop Matthiesen, was arrested in 2002 for sexually assaulting a minor and died later that year in jail. Despite the harm linked to his ministry, he was buried in an honored section of Llano Cemetery among our pioneering clergy — a decision that continues to wound survivors and raise hard questions for our diocese.
Bishop Matthiesen, who rode the white horse of public activism even as he brought abusive priests into our diocese such as John Salazar—wounds that still mark us today. I spoke with him often, pleading with him to reconsider his “no regrets” about bringing those priests here…
Bishop Zurek, who told the Diocese of Amarillo he had “no facts” about the Philadelphia report even as Amarillo’s connection to that tragedy was headline news. When I continued to speak out, as Bishop Yanta had once urged me to do, he later wrote that I was not among the faithful and loyal disciples whom the Lord Jesus desires.
