[As you probably know, the Catholic Church has directed all bishops to hold “listening sessions” with parishioners, to inquire how well the Church is “accompanying” Catholics through their faith journeys. I sent the following letter to my bishop since I could not attend the session near me. Whether you attend or not, please consider sending a similar letter.]
Dear Bishop Dewane,
The Listening Sessions present a great opportunity for laity to express our thoughts and concerns, for which I am grateful. I may have difficulty getting to any of the sessions, so I want to express in written form what I would say to you if I were present in person. (I also look forward to a possible Virtual Session, if it occurs.)
I am an adult convert and a parishioner of St. Raphael’s in Englewood, attending mass weekly. I also serve as an Extraordinary Lay Minister of the Eucharist, bringing communion to shut-ins. I participate in the Cornerstone Catholic Bible Study group.
The Church has accompanied me well in the brief years since my conversion, through good priests, good churches, and good friends.
But many things that I see in the wider Church are deeply disturbing to me.
I see “Gay Pride” rainbow flags adorning churches, where humility should be preached and homosexual acts identified as sins.
I see the Holy Father cause pain to many faithful Catholic hearts by papal remarks mocking fruitful Catholic families “breeding like rabbits”. My closest Catholic friends have four beautiful children, and I saw the hurt in their eyes when they heard this.
I see confusion sweeping the Church over issues like divorce and re-marriage.
I see blessings of same-sex “marriages”.
I see the false ecumenical pandering that calls the existence of false religions “God’s will” and reveres pagan idols like “Pachamama”
And while I personally prefer the New Mass, I have friends who love the TLM. Neither they nor I understand the insulting and needless ghettoization of these deeply reverent individuals.
Overall, I see what looks like a near-total embrace of modernism and a rejection of all the warnings past popes have issued over this tendency.
As I rejoice at the grace that has brought me to this moment in my life, I hope and pray that the Holy Spirit will purge His Church of the error and confusion that are tearing it apart.
And I thank you for asking.
Yours in Christ,
David Smith
O Ben Finiti 