The following is an open letter to Bishop Jugis that I just sent to the Charlotte chancery. By the way - here's a
commentary by American Life League on the abysmal treatment being meted out to Sister.
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I am a lifelong Catholic who embraces ALL the Church’s
teachings, including those on life, sexuality and marriage. While I understand from friends that you
have a reputation of being similarly oriented – and because of that
understanding – I am disappointed by the statement that you released on April 9th.
While it was very nice that you expressed “support” for the
staff, faculty, students and parents of the school, you omitted one key person
in your support – Sister Jane Dominic Laurel.
That omission was glaringly obvious; a reasonable person could conclude
that omission to be capitulation to those students and parents who took umbrage
at Sister’s clear proclamation of Catholic truth.
While you are shocked at the reports you heard of the “lack
of charity and respect” at the parents’ meeting, did you consider the
underlying root of that rancor? The
parents took umbrage with Sister’s clear teaching – no, not Sister’s teaching,
but the teaching of the Catholic Church as faithfully and accurately rendered
by Sister. When dissidents are presented
with the unabridged truths of the Faith and have no disposition to conform to the
truths taught by Jesus Christ, they will hurl bile and venom at the faithful
souls who “preach the Gospel in season and out of season”. Such was the mindset of those who crucified
Our Lord and Savior and who have been shedding the blood of Christians ever
since. We all need to get used to it and
not chase after some vaporous illusion of “charity and respect”.
Some opined to me that the motive behind your statement may
have been to pacify certain noisy individuals and quiet things down. If that was the case, may I suggest that
motive is not at all valid? If you
really want to address the root cause of the snit-fits pitched by the parents
and their children, please consider immediate remedial catechism from the
pulpits of your parishes (or some other form of instruction in the Faith). Otherwise these parents will persist in
beliefs and perhaps conduct that will only increase their chances of eternal
damnation AND they will continue to lead their own children down that same
hideous path. Let’s be clear; such
preaching may well occasion additional rancor on the parts of those who will
remain obdurate in their disobedience.
So what? That’s simply part of
the price that we must all bear when proclaiming the truth to a hostile
world. That proclamation of truth may
well lead others may be led to repentance.
That won’t happen unless all hear unambiguous truth. Let us harbor no illusion that real peace
will be restored by smiles and happy-talk.
Real peace will only happen when people accept Catholic truth and
conform their lives to the same.
I appreciate that David Hains expressed his support of
Sister Jane. But such support should
have been reinforced by the one entrusted with the miter, crosier, pectoral
cross and ring of the Bishop’s office.
Your unfortunate statement of April 9th only served to
further undermine a faithful teacher of Catholic truth. In all justice – not only to Sister but to
all those associated with the school – please amend that statement immediately,
with no delay “because of Holy Week”.
Thank you.
