Of the Glenn Enterprises

Memory (Part 1)

“…but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.“
mt 8:12

Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

“For we are the children of darkness
And the prey of a foul command.“

I agree with our bishop, Patrick J. Zurek, in putting forth in his Holy Week homilies this year the Encyclical of Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, as the standard for love and unity in our diocese. Today, let’s reflect upon paragraph #246, current events and an occasional question in that regard:

CHAPTER SEVEN

PATHS OF RENEWED ENCOUNTER

MEMORY

Will we “be driven out into the outer darkness” for perpetuating the , “serious mistake” Bishop Matthiesen made by demanding “a sort of ‘social forgiveness’ from “those who have endured much unjust and cruel suffering“; by our keeping in place a dedication by a serious sexual abuser at a Religious Education Center for his benevolent bishop who went against the Church in giving him a second chance; a second chance that John Anthony Salazar used to land himself in prison for indecency with a child by sexual contact at the parish of which the dedicated Center is a mission?

“A serious mistake was made in bringing John Salazar to the Diocese of Amarillo for ministry,”
Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

246. Of those who have endured much unjust and cruel suffering, a sort of “social forgiveness” must not be demanded.

**Catholics must know how Peter’s Pence is spent, Vatican official says**
“Sometimes contradictions arise from a lack of knowledge, which, in turn, comes from a lack of transparency,”

Reconciliation is a personal act, and no one can impose it upon an entire society, however great the need to foster it.

**Pain of division must push Christians to seek unity, pope says**
“it will be important to examine with spiritual and theological humility the circumstances that led to the divisions, trusting that, although it is impossible to undo the sad events of the past, it is possible to reinterpret them as part of a reconciled history,”

In a strictly personal way, someone, by a free and generous decision, can choose not to demand punishment (cf. Mt 5:44-46), even if it is quite legitimately demanded by society and its justice system.

**Catholic agency offers help after ‘heartbreaking’ collapse of building**
“I have worked hurricanes, but nothing like this: It is just a look of sadness you see on everyone’s face. It is heartbreaking,”

However, it is not possible to proclaim a “blanket reconciliation” in an effort to bind wounds by decree or to cover injustices in a cloak of oblivion.

**UPDATE: During border visit, bishop speaks with vice president about immigration**
“Why is your visit today important? Borders are places where the drama of human life — its suffering and aspirations — unfolds and they put squarely before us a moral choice — to build bridges of encounter or walls of fear,”

Who can claim the right to forgive in the name of others?

**Father of Amazon.com founder gives gift of $12 million to Catholic school**
“There was a priest in charge of us, and it was a tremendous experience for me. I’m sure you’ve heard sad stories about what terrible experiences some of the Peter Pan kids had, but for us in Wilmington, we had each other, and we became very close,”

It is moving to see forgiveness shown by those who are able to leave behind the harm they suffered, but it is also humanly understandable in the case of those who cannot.

**COMMENTARY: Reckoning with the church’s constellation of unmarked graves**
“most of the people who have lived their lives under the sign of Catholicism (in the Americas including the Caribbean) have been Native American and African descended, not European.”

In any case, forgetting is never the answer.

**COMMENTARY: Unpacking the controversy about eucharistic consistency**
“In a document addressed to all Catholics, it will cover the broad range of Catholic social teaching,”

Love, following in the footsteps of Christ, in concern and compassion for all, is the highest expression of our faith and hope.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 26, 2021

“The Glenn” in conjunction with the Laudato Si’ Action Platform has pledged to develop a Laudato Si’ Plan, which we can use to discern and implement our response to Laudato Si’. This part of the blog will update readers on this journey.

DIALOGUE ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

164. Beginning in the middle of the last century and overcoming many difficulties, there has been a growing conviction that our planet is a homeland and that humanity is one people living in a common home. An interdependent world not only makes us more conscious of the negative effects of certain lifestyles and models of production and consumption which affect us all; more importantly, it motivates us to ensure that solutions are proposed from a global perspective, and not simply to defend the interests of a few countries. Interdependence obliges us to think of one world with a common plan. Yet the same ingenuity which has brought about enormous technological progress has so far proved incapable of finding effective ways of dealing with grave environmental and social problems worldwide. A global consensus is essential for confronting the deeper problems, which cannot be resolved by unilateral actions on the part of individual countries. Such a consensus could lead, for example, to planning a sustainable and diversified agriculture, developing renewable and less polluting forms of energy, encouraging a more efficient use of energy, promoting a better management of marine and forest resources, and ensuring universal access to drinking water.

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The Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyles is grounded in the idea of sufficiency,
and promoting sobriety in the use of resources and energy. That is why growing some of our own food is part of our Laudato Si Plan.

***Retreat Center To Host Day Of Prayer And Remembrance***
“We are all grieving, whether we lost someone to the virus, or lost someone during the pandemic. But loss of life is not the only loss we’re grieving. Many people are grieving the loss of a job and income, a sense of safety, social connection, daily routines, plans and hopes for the future and even joyful events such as weddings, graduations and other celebrations.”

We no longer love.
A Reflection on Christian Life, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

Today I pray that those of us in the Diocese of Amarillo, but especially those at St. Mary’s Cathedral and, “the few” , recall Bishop Zurek’s warning in “A Reflection on Christian Life“, to not lose focus on Jesus and thus “no longer love” and become unable “to leave behind the harm…suffered” from the legacy of clergy abuse in our diocese, “but to also understand “in the case of those who cannot… forgetting is never the answer” because that only drives the “children of the Kingdom…out into the outer darkness”.

The Best Way to Move On (Part 2)

Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one,
but go show yourself to the priest,
and offer the gift that Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them.”
mt 8:4

Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

“I got to go, I got to go
Faith
Faith is an island in the setting sun
But proof, yes
Proof is the bottom line for everyone“

I agree with our bishop, Patrick J. Zurek, in putting forth in his Holy Week homilies this year the Encyclical of Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, as the standard for love and unity in our diocese. Today, let’s reflect upon paragraph #245, current events and an occasional question in that regard:

CHAPTER SEVEN

PATHS OF RENEWED ENCOUNTER

THE VALUE AND MEANING OF FORGIVENESS

The best way to move on

What further “proof” do we need to become united in believing that it is a
“serious mistake” to keep the name of Bishop Matthiesen, which was put by a serious sexual abuser on a Religious Education Center because Matthiesen went against Church officials in giving that same abusive priest a second chance; a second chance that John Anthony Salazar used to land himself in prison for indecency with a child by sexual contact at the parish of which the dedicated Center is a mission?

“A serious mistake was made in bringing John Salazar to the Diocese of Amarillo for ministry,”
Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

245. On numerous occasions, I have spoken of “a principle indispensable to the building of friendship in society: namely, that unity is greater than conflict…

**New Manila archbishop promises to be a shepherd who listens to his sheep**
“It is my ardent desire to listen to all, especially the lambs, which represent the youth and the people on the peripheries, because of the least attention given to them by the Catholic Church sometimes,”

This is not to opt for a kind of syncretism, or for the absorption of one into the other, but rather for a resolution which takes place on a higher plane and preserves what is valid and useful on both sides”.[229]

**USCCB webpage answers questions about vote on Communion document**
“There will be no national policy on withholding Communion from politicians,”

**Will Bishop Zurek give us his thoughts about this document?**

All of us know that “when we, as individuals and communities, learn to look beyond ourselves and our particular interests, then understanding and mutual commitment bear fruit…

**UPDATE: Hundreds of bodies found at former Saskatchewan residential school**
“As you have communicated elsewhere, Chief Cadmus, even for those of us who were not there or not involved, it is nonetheless the painful legacy that we need to carry. The incredible burden of the past is still with us, and the truth of that past needs to come out, however painful, as only truth can lead to reconciliation. As you said of the gravesite, ‘the truth is there.’ Thank you for your courage as chief and that of your whole community as you seek out the truth and search for a reset that brings an end to racism and opens a path to justice and to healing.”

in a setting where conflicts, tensions and even groups once considered inimical can attain a multifaceted unity that gives rise to new life”.[230]

**Abandoned at birth, Safe Haven Baby Boxes founder: ‘I was made for this’**
“I didn’t want to be that unwanted, unloved child that was whisked into this world by violence. I wanted to be the child I grew up thinking I was, which was loved so much that your birth mother gave you to two parents.”

Charity is the beating heart of the Christian: just as one cannot live without a heartbeat, so one cannot be a Christian without charity.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 25, 2021

Caritas & Laudato Si’
On care for our common home Celebrating the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si’- A renewed commitment to hear the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth.
Join CARITAS & LAUDATO SI Website
LINES OF APPROACH AND ACTION (Laudato Si 164-175)
“So far I have attempted to take stock of our present situation, pointing to the cracks in the planet that we inhabit as well as to the profoundly human causes of environmental degradation. Although the contemplation of this reality in itself has already shown the need for a change of direction and other courses of action, now we shall try to outline the major paths of dialogue which can help us escape the spiral of self-destruction which currently engulfs us ((LS 163)).

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***Bishop Zurek To Bless Catholic Charities Buildings***
“Poverty exists all over the City of Amarillo, but now our footprint is right in the heart of an area suffering from a higher percentage. We are in the neighborhood of people who desperately need our assistance. Catholic Charities of the Texas Panhandle, formerly Catholic Family Service, started in 1932 to comfort the poor and alleviate poverty. We continue that work today.”

When we lose that
focus, we begin to adopt other secular vices.
A Reflection on Christian Life, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

Today I pray that those of us in the Diocese of Amarillo, but especially those at St. Mary’s Cathedral and, “the few” , recall Bishop Zurek’s warning in “A Reflection on Christian Life“, to not lose focus on Jesus and thus “adopt other secular vices” such as ” a kind of syncretism, or…the absorption of one into the other”; “‘but rather (opt) for a resolution which takes place on a higher plane and preserves what is valid and useful on both sides’… look beyond ourselves and our particular interests, then understanding and mutual commitment bear fruit… in a setting where conflicts, tensions and even groups once considered inimical” because of the legacy of clergy abuse in our diocese, “can attain “a multifaceted unity” ; “that will be proof” of a “rise to new life”.

The Best Way to Move On (Part 1)

He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,”
and all were amazed.
lk 1:63

Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
Mass during the Day

“Like the pine trees linin’ the windin’ road
I’ve got a name, I’ve got a name
Like the singin’ bird and the croakin’ toad
I’ve got a name, I’ve got a name”

I agree with our bishop, Patrick J. Zurek, in putting forth in his Holy Week homilies this year the Encyclical of Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, as the standard for love and unity in our diocese. Today, let’s reflect upon paragraph #244, current events and an occasional question in that regard:

CHAPTER SEVEN

PATHS OF RENEWED ENCOUNTER

THE VALUE AND MEANING OF FORGIVENESS

The best way to move on

Is it not another
“serious mistake“, that has and will “lead to complicity in grave misdeeds and sins”, to keep the name of Bishop Matthiesen on a Religious Education Center while keeping ” hidden or buried in the past ” the fact that it was a serious sexual abuser named John that put that his bishop’s name there because Matthiesen went against Church officials in giving that same abusive priest a second chance; a second chance that landed that priest in prison for indecency with a child by sexual contact at the parish of which the dedicated Center is a mission?

“A serious mistake was made in bringing John Salazar to the Diocese of Amarillo for ministry,”
Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

244. When conflicts are not resolved but kept hidden or buried in the past, silence can lead to complicity in grave misdeeds and sins.

**Catholic Charities leaders urge wider federal support for affordable housing**
“There’s a misperception out there of what a senior who needs affordable housing looks like. The reality is the majority of seniors who live in our buildings worked in industries, worked in the trades, maybe they were a police officer. They had a full life of contributing to the community and now need some support to meet their needs,”

Authentic reconciliation does not flee from conflict, but is achieved in conflict, resolving it through dialogue and open, honest and patient negotiation.

**CLINIC joins forces with U.N. agency to help people who are ‘stateless’**
“People without a country that claims them are ‘stateless,’ and with statelessness comes a host of constraints that make it nearly impossible for them to travel, prosper, and live free lives.”

Conflict between different groups “if it abstains from enmities and mutual hatred, gradually changes into an honest discussion of differences founded on a desire for justice”.[228]

**Pandemic’s economic fallout must not stop Catholics’ generosity, pope says**
“while the crisis may have encouraged us to focus on what is essential, we cannot remain indifferent when we think of the deserted streets of Jerusalem and the loss of those pilgrims who go there to strengthen their faith, but also to express concrete solidarity with the local churches and their people.”

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of #SaintJohnTheBaptist. Let us imitate his humble witness to the Lamb of God.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 24, 2021

I ask you, in the name of God, to defend Mother Earth (Holy Father).

Our common home is being pillaged, laid waste and harmed with impunity. Cowardice in defending it is a grave sin. We see with growing disappointment how one international summit after another takes place without any significant result. There exists a clear, definite and pressing ethical imperative to implement what has not yet been done. We cannot allow certain interests – interests which are global but not universal – to take over, to dominate states and international organizations, and to continue destroying creation.

People and their movements are called to cry out, to mobilize and to demand – peacefully, but firmly – that appropriate and urgently-needed measures be taken. I ask you, in the name of God, to defend Mother Earth. I have duly addressed this issue in my Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, which I believe will be distributed at the end.
ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER – WORLD MEETING OF POPULAR MOVEMENTS 2015.

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Ecological Spirituality recovers a religious vision of God’s creation and
encourages greater contact with the natural world in a spirit of wonder, praise,
joy and gratitude. That is why blessing a natural space as a reflection/meditation
area and regularly praying there is part of our Laudato Si Plan.

***World Youth Day 2023 Delegates Sought***
**Amarillo—**Interested in attending World Youth Day 2023 as a member of the delegation representing the Diocese of Amarillo?

The focus must always…always…remain on Jesus.
A Reflection on Christian Life, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

Today I ask St. John the Baptist to pray that those of us in the Diocese of Amarillo, but especially those at St. Mary’s Cathedral and, “the few” , heed Bishop Zurek’s words in “A Reflection on Christian Life“, and focus “always…always… on Jesus“; conflict caused by the legacy of clergy abuse in our diocese ,“if it abstains from enmities and mutual hatred, gradually changes into an honest discussion of differences founded on a desire for justice” and brings about events in which all will be “amazed”.

Legitimate Conflict and Forgiveness (Part 3)

“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.”
Mt 7:18

Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

“A sadder man but wiser now I sing these words to you. Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.”

I agree with our bishop, Patrick J. Zurek, in putting forth in his Holy Week homilies this year the Encyclical of Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, as the standard for love and unity in our diocese. Today, let’s reflect upon paragraph #243, current events and an occasional question in that regard:

CHAPTER SEVEN

PATHS OF RENEWED ENCOUNTER

THE VALUE AND MEANING OF FORGIVENESS

Inevitable conflict

243. To be sure, “it is no easy task to overcome the bitter legacy of injustices, hostility and mistrust left by conflict.

**Self-righteous continue to disturb Christian community, pope says**
“it is the ancient practice of presenting themselves on certain occasions as the sole possessors of the truth — the pure ones — and trying to belittle the work of others with slander.”

It can only be done by overcoming evil with good (cf. Rom 12:21) and by cultivating those virtues which foster reconciliation, solidarity and peace”.

**Pope advances sainthood causes, including martyred Polish nuns**
Pope Francis recognized the martyrdom of 10 nuns who were brutally murdered by Soviet soldiers in Poland at the end of World War II and declared venerable Robert Schuman, who is considered one of the founding fathers of European unity.

[225] In this way, “persons who nourish goodness in their heart find that such goodness leads to a peaceful conscience and to profound joy, even in the midst of difficulties and misunderstandings.

**Seen and unseen: The role of faith, reason in the search for alien life**
“Science can purify religion from error and superstition; religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes. Each can draw the other into a wider world, a world in which both can flourish,”

Even when affronted, goodness is never weak but rather, shows its strength by refusing to take revenge”.[226]

**COMMENTARY: Supporting women in the transition to motherhood**
“Mothers, in their unconditional and sacrificial love for their children, are the antidote to individualism; they are the greatest enemies against war.”

Each of us should realize that “even the harsh judgment I hold in my heart against my brother or my sister, the open wound that was never cured, the offense that was never forgiven, the rancour that is only going to hurt me, are all instances of a struggle that I carry within me, a little flame deep in my heart that needs to be extinguished before it turns into a great blaze”.[227]

*Is it not another*
“*serious mistake*” to expect that “good fruit” can come from a “rotten tree” planted by a *serious sexual abuser* when he dedicated a Religious Education Center in honor of Bishop Matthiesen because Matthiesen went against Church officials in giving that abusive priest a second chance; a second chance that landed that priest in prison for indecency with a child by sexual contact at the parish of which the dedicated Center is a mission?

“A serious mistake was made in bringing John Salazar to the Diocese of Amarillo for ministry,”
Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

The path indicated by Saint Paul in his Letter to the Galatians is the path of meek and obedient trust, in the certainty that the Holy Spirit works in the Church in every age. #GeneralAudience
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 23, 2021

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Ecological Spirituality recovers a religious vision of God’s creation and
encourages greater contact with the natural world in a spirit of wonder, praise,
joy and gratitude. That is why outdoor play is part of our Laudato Si Plan.

***Locations Announced For Totus Tuus***
Now through Saturday, June 26, at St. Ann’s Church, Canyon and Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Spearman;
• Saturday, June 26-Friday, July 2, at St. Anthony’s Church, Hereford and St. Mary’s Church, Umbarger;

However, as soon as he looked down at the
powerful waves and felt the strong wind, he began to sink
A Reflection on Christian Life, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

Today I pray that those of us in the Diocese of Amarillo, but especially those at St. Mary’s Cathedral and, “the few” , do not allow Bishop Zurek’s words in “A Reflection on Christian Life“, or “even the harsh judgment I hold in my heart against my brother or my sister, the open wound that was never cured, the offense that was never forgiven, the rancour that is only going to hurt me,” to cause us to look “down at the
powerful waves” and feel “the strong wind,” and begin to sink into the legacy of clergy abuse in our diocese; thus becoming a rotten tree that bears bad fruit.

Legitimate Conflict and Forgiveness (Part 2)

“Do not give what is holy to dogs,^* or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.”
Mt 7:6

Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

“A pig is an animal with dirt on his face
His shoes are a terrible disgrace
He has no manners when he eats his food
He’s fat and lazy and extremely rude
But if you don’t care a feather or a fig
You may grow up to be a pig”

I agree with our bishop, Patrick J. Zurek, in putting forth in his Holy Week homilies this year the Encyclical of Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, as the standard for love and unity in our diocese. Today, let’s reflect upon paragraph #242, current events and an occasional question in that regard:

CHAPTER SEVEN

PATHS OF RENEWED ENCOUNTER

THE VALUE AND MEANING OF FORGIVENESS

Inevitable conflict

**UPDATE: Rhoades: ‘There’s a great need to better understand Eucharist’s centrality’**
“worship pleasing to God can never be a purely private matter, without consequences for our relationship with others: It demands a public witness to our faith.”

*When will Bishop Zurek give us his thoughts on this matter?*

242. The important thing is not to fuel anger, which is unhealthy for our own soul and the soul of our people, or to become obsessed with taking revenge and destroying the other.

**Pope names Oblate priest secretary of child protection commission**
“It’s my belief that with something as important as the protection of minors and safeguarding policies, there are small and big ways to move the ball forward, especially in institutional systems like the church,”

Why is the religious education center at St. Paul the Apostle in Kress named after Bishop Matthiesen, even though the priest who oversaw the dedication was a known serious sexual abuser whom Church officials had warned of and of whom Bishop Patrick Zurek has said “a serious mistake” was made when Matthiesen brought the priest to the diocese?

No one achieves inner peace or returns to a normal life in that way.

**Pope to grandparents, all elderly people: ‘You are needed’**
“The Lord is always — always — close to us. He is close to us with new possibilities, new ideas, new consolations, but always close to us. You know that the Lord is eternal; he never, ever goes into retirement,”

Dear grandmother, dear grandfather, the Lord’s closeness will grant to all, even the frailest among us, the strength needed to embark on a new journey along the path of dreams, memory and prayer. #DayforGrandparentsandtheElderly @laityfamilylife
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 22, 2021

The truth is that “no family, no group of neighbours, no ethnic group, much less a nation, has a future if the force that unites them, brings them together and resolves their differences is vengeance and hatred.

**Alumna of New York Catholic high school named NASA deputy administrator**
“I look forward to returning to the NASA family and working with Administrator (Bill) Nelson,” Melroy said, “to ensure the United States continues to lead in space and beyond — exploring the wonders of the universe, expanding the earth science research critical to combating climate change, unlocking scientific discoveries that will change the world as we know it, and inspiring the next generation of discoverers and dreamers.”

We cannot come to terms and unite for the sake of revenge, or treating others with the same violence with which they treated us, or plotting opportunities for retaliation under apparently legal auspices”.[224]

**Celebrate freedom to live faith publicly, work to protect it, says bishop**
“We have the truth, and we must be bold enough to stand up and proclaim it, no matter the cost. May our Lord give us strength and wisdom for the work that lies ahead,”

Nothing is gained this way and, in the end, everything is lost.

**Quadruple amputee has set high goals for college, his future**
“I don’t have any physical limits: I drive a car, I run, I swim, I can do anything. That is the message that I am giving everyone who follows me or sees me and is something I want to take to another level,”

Even at the darkest moments, as in these months of pandemic, the Lord continues to send angels to console our loneliness and to remind us: “I am with you always”. #IamWithYouAlways @laityfamilylife https://t.co/fjot6VNqUw
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 22, 2021

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One response to the Cry of the Earth goal is an effort to live in a closer relationship with God’s creation by considering where our waste is going and that all “waste” is not meant to be wasted and can be returned to the earth. That is why a compost pile is part of our Laudato Si Plan.

***Singers Wanted***
**Amarillo—**Singers of all backgrounds from all parishes in the Diocese of Amarillo are invited to help lead the assembly in song at a number of diocesan events in the near future, according to Dr. Greg Onofrio, Music Director at St. Mary’s Cathedral. To learn more about participation in the diocesan choir, please contact Dr. Onofrio at 806-376-7204.

As long as he remained focused on Jesus, he was able to do the
impossible…walk on water!
A Reflection on Christian Life, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

Today I ask Saints Paulinus of Nola, John Fisher and Thomas More to pray that those of us in the Diocese of Amarillo, but especially those at St. Mary’s Cathedral and, “the few” , remember that although Bishop Zurek’s words in “A Reflection on Christian Life“, seem to tell us not to even attempt to walk on the stormy waters of the legacy of clergy abuse in our diocese; let’s not trample underfoot the pearl he gave us when he said, remain “focused on Jesus”.

Legitimate Conflict and Forgiveness (Part 1)

“For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.”
Mt 7:2

Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious

“No, I wouldn’t put you on because it really did
It happened just this way
The day my mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA”

I agree with our bishop, Patrick J. Zurek, in putting forth in his Holy Week homilies this year the Encyclical of Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, as the standard for love and unity in our diocese. Today, let’s reflect upon paragraph #241, current events and an occasional question in that regard:

CHAPTER SEVEN

PATHS OF RENEWED ENCOUNTER

THE VALUE AND MEANING OF FORGIVENESS

Inevitable conflict

**Pope welcomes prisoners to Vatican before they tour museums**
“It is important to seek out what is positive at a time when life is not at its most beautiful. Seek the positive in order to keep going forward.”

In writing, “A Reflection on Christian Life”, was Bishop Zurek seeking, “out what is positive at a time when life is not at its most beautiful”, or was he debasing the dignity of “the few”?

241. Nor does this mean calling for forgiveness when it involves renouncing our own rights, confronting corrupt officials, criminals or those who would debase our dignity.

**Pope renews call for peace in Myanmar**
“We plead with all to kindly allow humanitarian corridors and that churches, pagodas, monasteries, mosques, temples, as well as schools and hospitals be respected as neutral places of refuge,”

We are called to love everyone, without exception; at the same time, loving an oppressor does not mean allowing him to keep oppressing us, or letting him think that what he does is acceptable.

In writing, “A Reflection on Christian Life”, is Bishop Zurek oppressing “the few” with a, ” false religiosity that” tells us not “to disturb God”, by crying “out to him” when in the midst of a storm “that diminishes” our “own humanity and that of others”?

On the contrary, true love for an oppressor means seeking ways to make him cease his oppression; it means stripping him of a power that he does not know how to use, and that diminishes his own humanity and that of others.

While it does nothing to solve the perennial problem for real-life parents that obedient children rarely have adventures, director Enrico Casarosa’s animated fantasy “Luca” (Disney+) is otherwise a winsome tale full of charm and Italian flair.

Forgiveness does not entail allowing oppressors to keep trampling on their own dignity and that of others, or letting criminals continue their wrongdoing.

Needlessly gory, the action-comedy sequel “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” (Lionsgate) also presents a debased view of sexual intimacy between spouses.

Those who suffer injustice have to defend strenuously their own rights and those of their family, precisely because they must preserve the dignity they have received as a loving gift from God.

The work of God’s providence is central to the drama “A Father’s Legacy” (Cinedigm), which comes to theaters for one night only June 17 as a Fathom Events presentation.

If a criminal has harmed me or a loved one, no one can forbid me from demanding justice and ensuring that this person – or anyone else – will not harm me, or others, again.

Composer and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda’s award-winning 2008 Broadway hit “In the Heights” (Warner Bros.) comes to the big screen (and to HBO Max) in a sweeping adaptation directed by Jon M. Chu and scripted by the writer of the stage show’s book, Quiara Alegría Hudes.

This is entirely just; forgiveness does not forbid it but actually demands it.

The beloved characters created by Beatrix Potter in her series of children’s books stray even further from their amiable roots in “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway” (Columbia).

Christ is alive and desires that each of you live. He is the true beauty and youth of this world. Everything he touches becomes young, becomes new, full of life and meaning.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 21, 2021

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Part of the Ecological Spirituality goal is to “encourage greater contact with the natural world in a spirit of wonder, praise, joy and gratitude”. That is why creating this outdoor gathering area for our family and friends is part of our Laudato Si Plan.

**Eucharistic Ministers Needed**
**Amarillo—**Volunteers are needed to bring Communion to patients in BSA Hospital. According to BSA Chaplain Davlyn Duesterhaus, safety is definitely the hospital’s concern, and there are established procedures which will be explained to those interested.

For additional information, please contact Duesterhaus at 806-212-4283 or the main Spiritual Care Office at 806-212-5343.

Remember when St. Peter attempted to walk on the water of the Sea of
Galilee?
A Reflection on Christian Life, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

Today I ask St. Aloysius Gonzaga to pray that those of us in the Diocese of Amarillo, but especially those at St. Mary’s Cathedral and, “the few” , remember that although Bishop Zurek’s words in “A Reflection on Christian Life“, seem to tell us not to even attempt to walk on stormy waters; that “true love for an oppressor means seeking ways to make him cease his oppression”, and that the “true love”, “with which you measure will be measured out to you.”

Inevitable Conflict (Part 4)

“Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil.’”
Mt 6:34

Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

“In every life we have some trouble
But when you worry you make it double”

I agree with our bishop, Patrick J. Zurek, in putting forth in his Holy Week homilies this year the Encyclical of Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, as the standard for love and unity in our diocese. Today, let’s reflect upon paragraph #240, current events and an occasional question in that regard:

CHAPTER SEVEN

PATHS OF RENEWED ENCOUNTER

THE VALUE AND MEANING OF FORGIVENESS

Inevitable conflict

**UPDATE: Bishops vote to draft teaching document on the Eucharist**
Bishop Robert M. Coerver of Lubbock, Texas, said he was concerned the document was being developed in time to be used as a political cudgel given that congressional elections are on tap for 2022 with a presidential campaign two years later.

I know that Bishop Zurek was one of 67 bishops that, “respectfully urge that all conference-wide discussion and committee work on the topic of eucharistic worthiness and other issues raised by the Holy See be postponed until the full body of bishops is able to meet in person.”; but will he inform us on how and why he voted the way he did?

240. Yet when we reflect upon forgiveness, peace and social harmony, we also encounter the jarring saying of Christ: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

“But let’s never forget that the results of sowing do not depend our abilities: they depend on the action of God.”

For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s foes will be members of his own household” (Mt 10:34-36).

**Technology eyed to help Bethlehem’s fragile economy emerge from pandemic**
“We are looking at better ways to be doing our mission to serve the Palestinian people with education,”

These words need to be understood in the context of the chapter in which they are found, where it is clear that Jesus is speaking of fidelity to our decision to follow him; we are not to be ashamed of that decision, even if it entails hardships of various sorts, and even our loved ones refuse to accept it.

**Disciple Maker Index helps church leaders share Gospel more effectively**
“It’s one of the tools along the way as we try to really create disciples,”

Christ’s words do not encourage us to seek conflict, but simply to endure it when it inevitably comes, lest deference to others, for the sake of supposed peace in our families or society, should detract from our own fidelity.

**COMMENTARY: Seven surprising places to find God this summer**
Here are seven places you might delight to encounter God with your family this summer.

Saint John Paul II observed that the Church “does not intend to condemn every possible form of social conflict.

**The saving gift of fatherhood**
What I did not suppose was the way fatherhood would be an occasion for conversion.

The Church is well aware that in the course of history conflicts of interest between different social groups inevitably arise, and that in the face of such conflicts Christians must often take a position, honestly and decisively”.[223]

**Lessons for Father’s Day and a lifetime**
“I was so scared. But he just listened to me and didn’t judge me. Things used to be so harsh. I think things are changing. I really do. It felt good. It really did.”

**Catholic school principal follows father’s path in same job at same school**
“Sometimes I still find myself wanting to pick up the phone and tell him what is happening and seek his advice.”

God knows that the only way to save us, to heal us from within, is by loving us. He knows that we become better only by accepting his unfailing love, an unchanging love that changes us.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 19, 2021

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My conscience has major disagreements with the WOKE ideology, but as with all ideologies there is an element of good. It is for this good that we fly the flag. “Stretching Out to Great Things” is part of our Laudato Si Plan.

***Borger Drawing***
**Borger—**Parishioners at St. John the Evangelist Church are selling tickets for a Springtime Drawing. Tickets are a suggested $20.00 donation, with the drawing taking place on Sunday, June 20.

What has happened is that some of our number have lost focus.
A Reflection on Christian Life, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

Today I ask St. Romuald to pray that those of us in the Diocese of Amarillo, but especially those at St. Mary’s Cathedral and, “the few” , when faced with Bishop Zurek’s words in “A Reflection on Christian Life“, remember that “Christ’s words do not encourage us to seek conflict, but simply to endure it when it inevitably comes“, and, “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil.“

Inevitable Conflict (Part 3)

“The lamp of the body is the eye.
If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light;”
Mt 6:22

Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

“Doctor, my eyes
Tell me what you see
I hear their cries
Just say if it’s too late for me”

CHAPTER SEVEN

PATHS OF RENEWED ENCOUNTER

THE VALUE AND MEANING OF FORGIVENESS

Inevitable conflict

**Catholic groups ask bishops for ‘pastoral, moral’ leadership on immigration**
“Your leadership is critical to countering the demonization of immigrants, reducing polarization on this issue and making the moral and practical case for putting our parishioners, friends and neighbors on a pathway to full social inclusion.”

239. Reading other texts of the New Testament, we can see how the early Christian communities, living in a pagan world marked by widespread corruption and aberrations, sought to show unfailing patience, tolerance and understanding.

**Ruling seen as victory for children, foster parents and religious liberty**
“In their history, Catholic Charities agencies have enjoyed a cooperative partnership with government to work for the common good,”

Some texts are very clear in this regard: we are told to admonish our opponents “with gentleness” (2 Tim 2:25) and encouraged “to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone.

**EU bishops criticize report for stance on abortion, conscience clauses**
“In the church’s view, abortion is not a means of family planning or part of ordinary health care.”

For we ourselves were once foolish” (Tit 3:2-3).

**Nicaraguan bishops seek end of ‘arbitrary’ restrictions of citizens**
“Nothing can stop the actions of God in history.”

The Acts of the Apostles notes that the disciples, albeit persecuted by some of the authorities, “had favour with all the people” (2:47; cf. 4:21.33; 5:13).

“You should maybe say, ‘There are more weird things in the world than I expected.'”

The current pandemic has reminded us that there are no differences or boundaries between those suffering. The time has come to eliminate inequality and to cure injustice that is undermining the health of the entire human family.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 18, 2021

Underlying all our strengths and weaknesses, stronger than all our past hurts and failures, or our fears and concerns about the future, there is this great truth: we are beloved sons and daughters.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 18, 2021

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Although I don’t think this is what is really considered, the Laudato Si goal, “re-think and re-design educational curricula”, but as an educator from a Land Grant University, “Ecological Education” is part of our Laudato Si Plan.

And the constant and insistent claim “I have proof”
means nothing when all is fabricated.
A Reflection on Christian Life, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

***Wade McNutt To Perform At Retreat Center***
**Amarillo—**Hereford native Wade McNutt will present a free concert Friday, June 18 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm on the lawn at the Bishop DeFalco Retreat Center, 2100 North Spring.

Today I pray that those of us in the Diocese of Amarillo, but especially those at St. Mary’s Cathedral and, “the few” , through the Holy Spirit’s grace, show “unfailing patience, tolerance and understanding”, when we read, “A Reflection on Christian Life“, and thus keep our eye sound and our, “whole body will be filled with light.”

Inevitable Conflict (Part 2)

““But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
Mt 6:15

Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

“Yeah, what could I do?
I got all choked up and threw down my gun
Called him my pa and he called me his son
And I came away with a
Different point of view”

CHAPTER SEVEN

PATHS OF RENEWED ENCOUNTER

THE VALUE AND MEANING OF FORGIVENESS

Inevitable conflict

**Nuncio points to dialogue as a step toward unity after pandemic**
“That is important for us during this ‘Amoris Laetitia’ Year of the Family — to encounter families, even broken ones, and to accompany them on their journey through thoughtful dialogue,”

In the Diocese of Amarillo one wouldn’t know that this is “Amoris Laetitia” Year of the Family. We’re still all about promoting “Holy Orders” as the focus Sacrament of Vocation, with an imposed “Prayer for Priestly Vocations” and a “quota” that threatens us with no priests if we don’t pay.

238. Jesus never promoted violence or intolerance.

**Bishops debate how long to discuss proposal to draft Communion document**
The St. Louis prelate (as well as Bishop Zurek) was among 67 bishops and cardinals who sent a letter to Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, USCCB president, in May asking that any discussion on “eucharistic coherence” be removed from the assembly agenda.

He openly condemned the use of force to gain power over others: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.

**Supreme Court upholds health care law’s individual mandate in 7-2 ruling**
Since 2010, the Catholic Church has had a complicated relationship with the health care law. Catholic hospitals have long emphasized the poor and vulnerable must have access to health care, but church leaders have objected to the law’s contraceptive mandate, requiring that employee health insurance plans provide contraceptive coverage.

It will not be so among you” (Mt 20:25-26).

**Supreme Court rules in favor of Catholic agency in foster case**
“seeks only an accommodation that will allow it to continue serving the children of Philadelphia in a manner consistent with its religious beliefs; it does not seek to impose those beliefs on anyone else.”

*Unfortunately this ruling does not mean much for the Diocese of Amarillo because Catholic Family Services closed it’s adoption agency in 2010.*

Instead, the Gospel tells us to forgive “seventy times seven” (Mt 18:22) and offers the example of the unmerciful servant who was himself forgiven, yet unable to forgive others in turn (cf. Mt 18:23-35).

**NRB chair urges bishops to continue focus on healing for abuse survivors**
“We must focus on the areas of healing and reconciliation, accountability, transparency and ongoing education for all involved in child and youth protection,”

The Diocese of Amarillo’s former victim’s assistance coordinator, Belinda Gonzales Taylor, is also on the NRB. A lack of focus on healing for abuse survivors added to the, “Crisis at the Cathedral”.

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Encouraging greater contact with the natural world in a spirit of wonder, is part of the Laudato Si goal, “Ecological Spirituality“. That is why caring for a space where children and adults can recreate is part of our Laudato Si Plan.

A lie is a lie…always!
A Reflection on Christian Life, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

***Family Social June 19***
**Amarillo—**Wednesday, June 16 is the deadline to RSVP to a Family Social, on Saturday, June 19 at 6:30pm at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, 4512 NE 24^th Ave., sponsored by the Engaged Encounter team and the diocesan Family Life Office. If you’re interested in finding out more about Engaged Encounter, this is a perfect opportunity, as the EE team is expanding its marriage preparation team. To RSVP or for more information, please call James Schulte in the Family Life Office at 806-414-1059. Childcare will be available upon request.

*Rather than mandated prayers, “quotas”, or blaming “the few”, *evangelization of this type* is the key to growing priestly vocations in the Diocese of Amarillo.*

Today I pray that those of us in the Diocese of Amarillo, but especially those at St. Mary’s Cathedral and, “the few” , come to forgive Bishop Zurek for writing, “A Reflection on Christian Life” simply because “the Gospel tells us to forgive”.

Inevitable Conflict (Part 1)

““Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;”
Mt 6:1

Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

“Levon wears his war wound like a crown
He calls his child Jesus
‘Cause he likes the name
And he sends him to the finest school in town”

CHAPTER SEVEN

PATHS OF RENEWED ENCOUNTER

THE VALUE AND MEANING OF FORGIVENESS

Inevitable conflict

**On the cross and still today, Jesus prays for everyone, pope says**
Jesus “was not a philanthropist who took care of human suffering and illness — he was that, but was more than that,” he said. In him there is not only goodness, there is “total salvation, messianic salvation, that gives hope in the definitive victory of life over death.”

37. Forgiveness and reconciliation are central themes in Christianity and, in various ways, in other religions.

**On DACA anniversary, bishop urges pathway to citizenship for ‘Dreamers’**
“these young people have far too often faced uncertainty and rejection at the hands of our broken immigration system.”

Yet there is a risk that an inadequate understanding and presentation of these profound convictions can lead to fatalism, apathy and injustice, or even intolerance and violence.

**People with disabilities faced more barriers during pandemic, academy says**
“they also stem from society’s failure, generally, to value and include persons with disabilities when developing and implementing public health policies,”

Our prayers are fulfilled and completed when we intercede for others and take care of their concerns and needs. #Prayer does not separate us or isolate us from anyone, as it is love for all. #GeneralAudience
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 16, 2021

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Guaranteeing access to clean water for all is part of the Laudato Si goal, “RESPONSE TO THE CRY OF THE EARTH“. That is why conserving water from the Ogallala Aquifer is part of our Laudato Si Plan.

I can understand this influence of our secular society; but it does not
justify constant violation of the Seventh Commandment of the Decalogue!
A Reflection on Christian Life, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

Today I pray that those of us in the Diocese of Amarillo, but especially those at St. Mary’s Cathedral and, “the few” , “Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them” and give us “Likes”; because inadequate understanding and presentation of these profound convictions can lead to fatalism, apathy and injustice, or even intolerance and violence.“