Pastor’s Weekly Letter: October 28, 2018

Pastor’s Weekly Letter: October 28, 2018

26 Oct 2018 | Posted by: chadmin

Dear friends,

Tuesday and Wednesday of this past week, our Bishop hosted all the priests of the Diocese for annual conferences. The annual Clergy Days are an opportunity for the priests to socialize, pray, and receive some continuing education. Most of the 100 or so priests who attended live outside the Peoria area. Many of the priests stopped by our rectory for a social on Tuesday night and several were able to stay over, saving the cost of a hotel in town. We really enjoy and need the social time with each other, at least once a year. Our priests are spread out over the 26 counties of Illinois that are served by the Diocese of Peoria. Annual meetings are necessary, not only for continuing education, but to support one another in ministry.

One of the topics in our annual clergy days was the recent news reports about clergy and leadership in the Catholic Church. The Pennsylvania Grand Jury report seemed to open up a renewed investigation over past indiscretions in our Church leadership. Every aspect of the topic is so heartbreaking for clergy and faithful in our Church. In any situation that there was abuse or sin, we should all want revelation, truth, clarity and accountability. Part of my concern and sadness today is the false accusations that are never denied with the same publicity of the accusations. I was very thankful for the reporting of Phil Luciano in the Journal Star last week. Although I don’t know that I agree that the article was worthy of the front page of the paper, I felt Mr. Luciano gave a fair and just report of the current facts from the lawsuit and the Diocesan response. We have printed the Diocesan response in this bulletin so you are aware of Bishop Jenky’s thoughts on the matter. It is my understanding that each diocese in Illinois is cooperating and responding to any requests by the authorities for records. With all these reports, we should pray for truth to be revealed and justice to be present in only valid complaints reaching the public. In 2002, when the abuse cases were first made public, we were shocked, disappointed, ashamed, embarrassed and devastated at how the Church had so negatively effected some lives. We also learned over these years of false accusations and priests who were vindicated. Unfortunately, the news of being cleared of false accusations never receives the same publicity as the initial charge.

Please join me in praying for our Church. Pray for our Pope, Bishop and clergy. Let us pray for ourselves that we take seriously our lives as Catholic Christians. Let us pray that we fall more in love with God each day and this love inspires us to live authentic lives. Let us pray that truth, no matter how devastating or abusive, would be revealed, forgiven and reconciled. Let us pray that we can all be thankful for the gift of Jesus Christ and His revelation of truth to the world. God is Real. God is Love. God calls us to accountability. God calls us to show our love for Him in how we love one another.

God bless you,

Fr. David P. Richardson