Of the Glenn Enterprises

Is it NORMAL for a lay Catholic to question the bishop as to why his diocese schedules: a Veteran’s Day Honor Mass around All Souls Day; a commemoration for those who died during the COVID-19 pandemic on Veterans Day; and an event that Pope Francis wants, is not?

This coming 9 October, the new synodal way will begin. Let us #PrayTogether so that the reflections and exchanges of this Assembly might help us rediscover the joy of being the People of God who journeys together, listening to everyone. #Synod #ListeningChurch

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 6, 2021

This week I’ve been counting down to the 2021-2023 Synod entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” There is 1 day until the solemn opening on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and 9 days until the Diocese of Amarillo is expected to celebrate the local ceremony on the 17th of October; however the local celebration may not occur since Bishop Zurek seems more intent right now on erecting another current sign of the “serious mistake” by changing Veterans Day to Pandemic Day, and scattering rather than gathering to journey with and listen to his diocese.

Words in italics indicate passages pulled from the Preparatory Document for the Synod 2021-2023.

Within this context, synodality represents the main road for the Church, called to renew herself under the action of the Spirit and by listening to the Word.

The ability to imagine a different future for the Church and her institutions, in keeping with the mission she has received, depends largely on the decision to initiate processes of listening, dialogue, and community discernment, in which each and every person can participate and contribute.

At the same time, the decision to “journey together” is a prophetic sign for the human family, which needs a shared project capable of pursuing the good of all.

A Church capable of communion and fraternity, of participation and subsidiarity, in fidelity to what she proclaims, will be able to stand beside the poor and the least and lend them her own voice.

In

order to “journey together,” we need to let ourselves be educated

by the Spirit to a truly synodal mentality, entering with courage and

freedom of heart into a conversion process that is indispensable for

the “continual reformation of which [the Church] always has need, in

so far as she is a human institution”

“Inasmuch as there could be serious legal implications for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles if we do fully disclose to you our concern regarding the Reverend John Salazar, Sch.P., by this letter I am informing you that the Reverend John Salazar, Sch.P. would never be allowed to minister as a priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in any way whatsoever given the circumstances of his case.”

From a 1991 letter from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to the Diocese of Amarillo prior to Bishop’s Matthiessen’s bringing of John Salazar to the Diocese of Amarillo. Bishop Matthiesen ignored this warning. Later he defended the “serious mistake” by stating that he never conducted his own checks of the priests – which included the Rev. John Salazar-Jimenez, and that it wasn’t until 10 years later that he learned some priests were not the first-time sex offenders that they purported to be when he agreed to hire.

Is it NORMAL for a lay Catholic in the United States of America to be encouraged by a bishop to fill the Cathedral at the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month to commemorate Pandemic Day rather than Veterans Day?

“During the last Presbyteral Council Meeting, one of the priests suggested that we celebrate a special Mass for the Diocese of Amarillo commemorating the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic,”

Bishop patrick J. Zurek

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of #OurLadyOfTheRosary. In this month of October, I invite you to recite this prayer, allowing yourselves to be led by Mary toward Jesus, her Son.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 7, 2021

This coming 9 October, the new synodal way will begin. Let us #PrayTogether so that the reflections and exchanges of this Assembly might help us rediscover the joy of being the People of God who journeys together, listening to everyone. #Synod #ListeningChurch

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 6, 2021

This week I’ve been counting down to the 2021-2023 Synod entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” There are 2 days until the solemn opening on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and 10 days until the Diocese of Amarillo is expected to celebrate the local ceremony on the 17th of October; however the local celebration may not occur since Bishop Zurek seems more intent right now on erecting another current sign of the “serious mistake“, by changing Veterans Day to Pandemic Day, rather than journeying and listening to his diocese.

Words in italics indicate passages pulled from the Preparatory Document for the Synod 2021-2023.

We cannot ignore the variety of conditions in which Christian communities live in the different regions of the world. Alongside countries where the Church welcomes the majority of the population and represents a cultural reference point for the whole of society, there are others where Catholics are a minority; in some of these countries, Catholics, together with other Christians, experience forms of persecution, including some very violent ones, and not infrequently martyrdom.

If, on the one hand, a secularized mentality tends to expel religion from the public space, on the other hand, religious fundamentalism, without respect for the liberties of others, feeds forms of intolerance and violence that are also reflected in the Christian community and in its relations with society.

Christians not infrequently adopt the same attitudes, even fomenting divisions and opposition, including within the Church. It is equally necessary to consider the reverberation, within the Church and in its relations with society, of the fractures caused by reasons of ethnicity, race, caste, or other forms of social stratification or cultural and structural violence, which run through the latter. These situations have a profound impact on the meaning of the expression “journeying together” and on the concrete possibilities of doing so.

“Inasmuch as there could be serious legal implications for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles if we do fully disclose to you our concern regarding the Reverend John Salazar, Sch.P., by this letter I am informing you that the Reverend John Salazar, Sch.P. would never be allowed to minister as a priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in any way whatsoever given the circumstances of his case.”

From a 1991 letter from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to the Diocese of Amarillo prior to Bishop’s Matthiessen’s bringing of John Salazar to the Diocese of Amarillo. Bishop Matthiesen ignored this warning. Later he defended the “serious mistake” by stating that he never conducted his own checks of the priests – which included the Rev. John Salazar-Jimenez, and that it wasn’t until 10 years later that he learned some priests were not the first-time sex offenders that they purported to be when he agreed to hire.

““It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.”

FRANCIS, Address for the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the institution of the
Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015)

Is it NORMAL for a lay Catholic to have a bishop who is a debt collector?

(This post has nothing to do with the United Catholic Appeal Quota)

I must be in quite a bit of debt to Bishop Zurek. Last spring I was asked to serve on a committee to help put together the sacramental preparation program for our parish. Since His Excellency had banned me from catechetical ministry two years ago I requested that he be consulted as to whether that would be okay. The answer that the go between relayed to me a few days later was, “The bishop is not there yet.”; gratefully, Abba is merciful and gracious, and will always be there.

Words in italics indicate passages pulled from the Preparatory Document for the Synod 2021-2023.

In spite of our infidelities, the Spirit continues to act despite our “serious mistake“, and to show his life-giving power. It is precisely in the furrows dug by the sufferings of every kind endured by the Amarillo Diocesan family and by the People of God that new languages of faith and new paths are flourishing, : capable not only of interpreting events from a theological point of view but also of finding in trials the reasons for refounding the path of Christian and ecclesial life.

“Inasmuch as there could be serious legal implications for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles if we do fully disclose to you our concern regarding the Reverend John Salazar, Sch.P., by this letter I am informing you that the Reverend John Salazar, Sch.P. would never be allowed to minister as a priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in any way whatsoever given the circumstances of his case.”

From a 1991 letter from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to the Diocese of Amarillo prior to Bishop’s Matthiessen’s bringing of John Salazar to the Diocese of Amarillo. Bishop Matthiesen ignored this warning. Later he defended the “serious mistake” by stating that he never conducted his own checks of the priests – which included the Rev. John Salazar-Jimenez, and that it wasn’t until 10 years later that he learned some priests were not the first-time sex offenders that they purported to be when he agreed to hire.

It is a reason for great hope that more than a few dioceses, (Austin, Corpus Christi, Knoxville, Davenport, Charleston , Brooklyn, Camden) have already begun more or less structured meetings and consultation processes with the People of God. Where they have been marked by a synodal style, the sense of Church has flourished and the participation of all has given new impetus to ecclesial life.

The desire of young people to be protagonists within the Church and the request for a greater appreciation of women and spaces for participation in the mission of the Church, already signaled by the Synodal Assemblies of 2018 and 2019, are also confirmed. The recent institution of the lay ministry of Catechist and the opening of access to those of Lector and Acolyte to women also move in this direction.

““It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.”

FRANCIS, Address for the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the institution of the
Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015)

This week begins the countdown to the 2021-2023 Synod entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” There are 3 days until the solemn opening on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and 11 days until the Diocese of Amarillo is expected to celebrate the local ceremony on the 17th of October; that is unless Bishop Zurek is, “…not there yet.”, in meeting God’s expectation.

Freedom makes free to the extent to which it transforms a person’s life and directs it toward the good. #GeneralAudience

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 6, 2021

Is it NORMAL for a lay Catholic to burden the bishop to whom he is listening?

This situation, which, despite great differences, unites the entire Amarillo diocesan family, challenges the bishop’s ability to accompany individuals and parishes to reread experiences of mourning and suffering that have unmasked many false certainties, and to cultivate hope and faith in the goodness of the Creator and his creation by crying out, “If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?“.

Words in italics indicate passages pulled from the Preparatory Document for the Synod 2021-2023.

““It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.”

FRANCIS, Address for the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the institution of the
Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015)

This week begins the countdown to the 2021-2023 Synod entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” There are 4 days until the solemn opening on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and 12 days until the Diocese of Amarillo is expected to celebrate the local ceremony on the 17th of October; unless God’s expectation becomes too much of a burden for Bishop Zurek to bear.

However, Bishop Zurek cannot hide from the fact that the Diocese herself must face the lack of faith and the corruption even within herself. In particular, we cannot forget the “serious mistake” that resulted in suffering experienced by minors and vulnerable people “due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons.”

“Inasmuch as there could be serious legal implications for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles if we do fully disclose to you our concern regarding the Reverend John Salazar, Sch.P., by this letter I am informing you that the Reverend John Salazar, Sch.P. would never be allowed to minister as a priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in any way whatsoever given the circumstances of his case.”

From a 1991 letter from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to the Diocese of Amarillo prior to Bishop’s Matthiessen’s bringing of John Salazar to the Diocese of Amarillo. Bishop Matthiesen ignored this warning. Later he defended the “serious mistake” by stating that he never conducted his own checks of the priests – which included the Rev. John Salazar-Jimenez, and that it wasn’t until 10 years later that he learned some priests were not the first-time sex offenders that they purported to be when he agreed to hire.

We are continually challenged “as the People of God to take on the pain of our brothers and sisters wounded in their flesh and in their spirit.” For too long the cry of the victims has been a cry that the Church has not been able to hear sufficiently. These are deep wounds that are difficult to heal, for which forgiveness can never be asked for enough and which constitute obstacles, sometimes imposing ones, to advancing in the direction of “journeying together.”

” The Diocese of Amarillo is called to deal with the weight of a culture imbued with clericalism that she inherits from the “serious mistake“, and with those forms of exercising authority on which the different types of abuse (power, economic, conscience, sexual) are grafted. It is impossible to think of “a conversion of our activity as a Church that does not include the active participation of all the members of God’s People who hear his word and observe it:” together let us ask the Lord for “the grace of conversion and the interior anointing needed to express before these crimes of abuse our compunction and our resolve courageously to combat them.”

#COP26 in Glasgow is called to provide effective responses to the unprecedented ecological crisis and the crisis of values we are presently experiencing, and in this way to offer concrete hope to future generations. Let us accompany it with our spiritual closeness. #Faiths4COP26

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 4, 2021

Openness to interdependence and sharing, the dynamism of love and a call to respect: these are three interpretative keys that can shed light on our efforts to care for our common home. #Faiths4COP26 https://t.co/dcuWmrLkN6

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 4, 2021

Because He could raise more money crossing to the other side!

Words in italics indicate passages pulled from the Preparatory Document for the Synod 2021-2023.

This week begins the countdown to the 2021-2023 Synod entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” There are 4 days until the solemn opening on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and 13 days until the Diocese of Amarillo is expected to celebrate the local ceremony on the 17th of October; although Bishop Zurek has given no indication he’s going down the road of this upcoming journey as expected by God.

““It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.”

FRANCIS, Address for the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the institution of the
Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015)

Momentarily, at the beginning of the pandemic, Bishop Zurek revived the sense that we were all neighbors, all in the same boat, where one person’s problems were the problems of all. Once more we realized that no one was saved alone; we could only be rescued from the pit together. We loved one another as Jesus loves.

But now, the pandemic has made the already existing inequalities and inequities of the “serious mistake“ explode: the Diocese of Amarillo seems increasingly shaken by the imposition of quotas, the turning of ministries into fundraisers and the breaking of the diocese into a collection of groups that raise funds for their own special interest; this tragic condition is exemplified by the latest posting of additional stories on activities in the Diocese of Amarillo where almost two-thirds were fundraisers. Furthermore, a check of all the news stories posted on the diocesan website for September revealed that over half of them involved the same.

This documents the depth of the fault lines that runs through the diocese of Amarillo, and which down in Bishop Zurek lies asleep. They are a call to start on the synodal road by refusing to pass by on the other side so as to avoid listening to the cry of the poor and of the earth and to recognize the seeds of hope and of the future that the Spirit continues to sow even in our time: “The Creator does not abandon us; he never forsakes his loving plan or repents of having created us. Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home”

Together with #SaintFrancis we praise You, Father, with all your creatures who have come forth from your powerful hands. They are yours and are filled with your presence and your tenderness. #LaudatoSi' #SeasonOfCreation

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 4, 2021

The path entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” will
solemnly open on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and on the following 17th of October in each diocese.

Care for our common home is also a call to respect: respect for creation, respect for our neighbour, respect for ourselves and for the Creator. #SeasonOfCreation

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 4, 2021

Words in italics indicate passages pulled from the Preparatory Document for the Synod 2021-2023.

This week begins the countdown to the 2021-2023 Synod entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” There are 5 days until the solemn opening on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and 14 days until the Diocese of Amarillo is expected to celebrate the local ceremony on the 17th of October; although Bishop Zurek has been tight-lipped to his spouse about this upcoming journey.

““It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.”

FRANCIS, Address for the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the institution of the
Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015)

We lose the capacity to realize

“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.

Bishop Patrick J. Zurek,
“A Reflection on Christian Life”

Bishop Zurek wears the ring, but he has made it clear that he does not consider his bride as bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh. He divorces himself from the a past marked by the “serious mistake“, and the crucial transition in the life of the Diocese of Amarillo it has brought about. It is within the folds of the complexity of this context, in its tensions and contradictions, that together, we are called to “scrutinize the signs of the times and interpret them in the light of the Gospel”.

This week, while counting down to the opening of the Synod, some elements of the diocesan scenario most closely connected to the theme of the Synod will be outlined; but Bishop Zurek’s wife will not be like a fruitful vine unless His Excellency lowers himself to answer Pope Francis’s call to journey together; then God will bring our love to perfection and join us together in “Communion, Participation and Mission”; thus allowing the children to come.

The path entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” will
solemnly open on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and on the following 17th of October in each diocese.

The #GospelOfTheDay (Mk 10:2-16) says that Jesus is very tender with the little ones. The difficulties and situations that reveal our weakness are privileged opportunities to experience His love: in dark or lonely moments, God’s tenderness towards is made even more present.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 3, 2021

Words in italics indicate passages pulled from the Preparatory Document for the Synod 2021-2023.

This week posts are focusing on the implications for the Amarillo Diocese” of a Synod entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” The first phase of listening to and consulting the People of God in the Diocese of Amarillo should occur from October 2021 – April 2022.

““It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.”

FRANCIS, Address for the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the institution of the
Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015)

Implication #6: Those who rank lower or are insignificant to Bishop Zurek must be received and consulted into this Synod before April of 2022.

We lose the capacity to realize

“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.

Bishop Patrick J. Zurek,
“A Reflection on Christian Life”

Is Bishop Zurek turning the Synod into another current sign of the “serious mistake” which only despises the “little ones”?

Bishop Zurek is expected to set in motion the ideas, energy, and creativity of all those who will take part in this Synodal journey, and to provide the resources which make it easier to share the fruits of their efforts.

The path entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” will
solemnly open on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and on the following 17th of October in each diocese.

“Regardless of the distinctions that are made in society today, or the varying ethnic groups that are present in our local Church or the languages that are spoken, we are called to the unity of the family of Christ in the Church. Unity must be the aim and goal of the members of each parish, of the parishes with each other and with the bishop, the priest, the deacons and all the lay Faithful.”

Bishop Patrick J. Zurek
The Church, A Pastoral Letter

How can Bishop Zurek claim that unity must be our aim and goal if he ignores an invitation from Pope Francis to a Synod entitled, “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” ?

#GuardianAngels help us in our lives and show us where we need to go. Our angel is the daily bridge to our encounter with the Father.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 2, 2021

Words in italics indicate passages pulled from the Preparatory Document for the Synod 2021-2023.

This week posts are focusing on the implications for the Amarillo Diocese” of a Synod entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission”, which will solemnly open on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and on the following 17th of October in each Diocese. (Woefully there has been no notice of this gathering occurring in the Diocese of Amarillo; yet another current sign of our “serious mistake” ) …

Implication #5 evolves from the requirement that we listen to and remain open to the Holy Spirit as we “journey together”, both locally and universally, because there will certainly be surprises that have been prepared for us along the way, and we don’t want the current signs of our “serious mistake” to guide us in the wrong direction…

““It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.”

FRANCIS, Address for the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the institution of the
Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015)

The path entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” will
solemnly open on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and on the following 17th of October in each particular Church.

Implication #4- Bishop Zurek may not want this synod to deliver us from the form, the style, and the structure of the Diocese of Amarillo which the “serious mistake” has placed us.

“Regardless of the distinctions that are made in society today, or the varying ethnic groups that are present in our local Church or the languages that are spoken, we are called to the unity of the family of Christ in the Church. Unity must be the aim and goal of the members of each parish, of the parishes with each other and with the bishop, the priest, the deacons and all the lay Faithful.”

Bishop Patrick J. Zurek
The Church, A Pastoral Letter

Bishop Zurek’s words indicate that he is longing for a dynamism that would be activated that allows us to begin to reap some of the fruits of a synodal conversion, which will progressively mature; however he often is only too ready to disregard the objectives of great importance
for the quality of ecclesial life and for accomplishing the mission of evangelization, in which we all participate by virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation.

Where Synod Journey is Going	Where Bishop Zurek has Gone
recall how the Spirit has guided the diocese through history and, today, calls us to be, together, witnesses of God’s love	“There has been a lot of unrest in the Cathedral parish for the last few months; actually, in reality, for some decades.”
living a participative and inclusive ecclesial process that offers everyone—especially those who for various reasons find themselves on the margins—the opportunity to express themselves and to be heard in order to contribute to the edification of the People of God	“You no doubt have heard of or perhaps even read the now infamous accusations against myself, your Rector and the associate Rector. These were obviously made by ‘a few’, emphasis on a few, souls that appear to be quite restless.“
recognizing and appreciating the wealth and the variety of the gifts and charisms that the Spirit liberally bestows for the good of the community and the benefit of the entire human family	“…yet “a few” of our number have allowed the secular influence to dominate their life and hence their light has dimmed.“
exploring participatory ways of exercising responsibility in the proclamation of the Gospel and in the effort to build a more beautiful and habitable world	“What has happened is that some of our number have lost focus.“
examining how responsibility and power are lived in the Church as well as the structures by which they are managed, bringing to light and trying to convert prejudices and distorted practices that are not rooted in the Gospel	“We lose the capacity to realize “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.“
accrediting the Christian community as a credible subject and reliable partner in paths of social dialogue, healing, reconciliation, inclusion and participation, the reconstruction of democracy, the promotion of fraternity and social friendship	“This is a clear indication that this one of “the few” has no intention to stop causing division in the Body of Christ. His line is quite clear; he only wants division and disunity.“
regenerating relationships among members of Christian communities as well as between communities and other social groups, e.g., communities of believers of other denominations and religions, civil society organizations, popular movements, etc.	“Now that I have finished part of my experience with this “the few” I need to address you who are not part of them.“
fostering the appreciation and appropriation of the fruits of recent synodal experiences on the universal, regional, national, and local levels.	“Finally please pray for all who are restless: that they may find peace and tranquility.“

Bishop Zurek’s heart may have been hardened along the way, but if even only “a few” will listen to the Holy Spirit the Diocese of Amarillo can use the Synod 2021-2023 as a way to avoid going down to the netherworld.

Let us #PrayTogether that every baptized person may be engaged in evangelization, available to the mission, by being witnesses of a life that has the flavour of the Gospel. #PrayerIntention #Synod pic.twitter.com/DXtWEXycMY

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) September 30, 2021

Saint #ThereseOfTheChildJesus is one of the saints who speaks to us the most about God's grace and how God takes care of us, takes us by the hand and lets us easily climb the mountain of life – if only we abandon ourselves completely to Him.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 1, 2021

This week posts are focusing on the implications for the Amarillo Diocese” of a synodal process that looks to hear from voices on the margins of the church. Implication #4 derives from the reality that not participating in this process would be another current sign of our “serious mistake“, since it is not just an invitation from Pope Francis, but an expectation from God…

““It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.”

FRANCIS, Address for the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the institution of the
Synod of Bishops (17 October 2015)

The path entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” will
solemnly open on the 9th – 10th of October 2021 in Rome and on the following 17th of October in each particular Church, but there has been no talk of it in the Diocese of Amarillo.

Implication #4- Bishop Zurek may not want to reflect on a theme that is decisive for our life and mission because his expectations are that we just live communion by forgetting, not reflecting, on the current signs of the “serious mistake” .

This is the communio or the coming into unity of all the Faithful with their bishop and the Pope; this is the essence of being Church: one bread and one body!  All the Faithful united with their own Diocesan Bishop and united with the Bishop of Rome, the Pope.

From Bishop Patrick J. Zurek’s observations made Sept. 15, 2021 during the annual RadioThon on St Valentine Catholic Radio

The harvest is abundant, so Bishop Zurek will need the laborers who are “the few” if we are to journey and reflect together on the journey that has already been made up to and since the “serious mistake“. The Diocese of Amarillo will be able to learn through Her experience which processes can help Her to live communion, to achieve participation, to open Herself to mission. Our “journeying together” is, in fact, what most effectively enacts and manifests the nature of the Church as the pilgrim and missionary People of God.

However, If Bishop Zurek does not accept Pope Francis’s Invitation, or meet God’s expectation to synodality, “the few” need to go on their way after shaking off the dust of Bishop Zurek’s episcopacy, and continue on mission, because the Kingdom of God is at hand.

.

This week posts are focusing on the implications for the Amarillo Diocese” of a synodal process that looks to hear from voices on the margins of the church. Implication #3 draws upon the similarity this process has to our United Catholic Appeal process, although the input sought would not be monetary…

Implication #3- Bishop Zurek may not be willing to take “a chance for reinvigorating an engaged community through creativity and the call to be open…a chance to reaffirm the good and reimagine some things that could be better,” if it requires leaving the nest to listen instead of collecting money to feather it…

“And may God preserve us from the ‘nest’ mentality, that of jealously guarding ourselves in the small group of those who consider themselves good: the priest with his loyal followers, the pastoral workers closed in among themselves so that no one can infiltrate, the movements and associations in their own particular charism, and so on,”

Pope francis from “‘Nest mentality’ in church leads to judgment, exclusion, pope says”

I now speak to all the rest of you, the parishioners of St. Mary’s Cathedral Parish. You are the faithful and loyal disciples that the Lord Jesus desires. I am so sorry that you have to experience this awful bashing against other members of the Body of Christ manifested here. I cannot thank you enough! I am proud of you; your Rector, your Associate Rector, all my brother priests are very proud of you.

Bishop Patrick J. Zurek, “A Reflection on Christian Life”

Bishop Zurek will need the support of “the few” if he is to abandon his “nest mentality” of the “serious mistake” and answer Pope Francis’s call for, “the church to practice synodality, that is listening to — and hearing — one another in all facets of church life“; but if he does perhaps we, “will see heaven opened
and the angels of God ascending and descending on the” Diocese of Amarillo.

Today, the Church remembers the #ArchangelSaints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, messengers of God's grace. Let us entrust ourselves to them so that our good works might make God's love visible in the world.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) September 29, 2021