Hi Everyone --
A very heart-felt thank you to all of you who have signed this petition, created to re-store Fr. John’s priestly faculties and to begin healing our parishes and those harmed by his forced resignation and wrenching departure. Please know that everyone of you played a role in his being re-instated last Monday, October 7th. As you know, he will now be a priest at St. Margaret Mary Parish and related churches in the New Kensington and Lower Burrell communities, beginning August 23rd.
Much gratitude as well to the many of you who penned powerful and personal OpEd pieces sent to the Tribune Review and the Post-Gazette; who sent letters to Bishop Kulick, Archbishop Perez, and Cardinal Pierre, imploring them to take action; who produced, distributed, and displayed the many “Pray for Fr. John” yard/window signs; who sent beautiful cards and letters to Fr. John; and, of course, those who incessantly prayed for his re-instatement and his health.
I have been greatly humbled by those of you who have shared with me your agonizing personal experiences as victims of past child abuse, please know that your enormous courage inspires me. To all readers – please know that in each of these cases, the victims (or loved ones of these victims) that I have spoken with are all adamant that the church must do its very best to correct and prevent and never tolerate such abuse. But they were equally adamant that the way that the Bishop and the diocese have handled the situation with Fr. John was absolutely wrong.
The first objective of our activities has always been for the return of Fr. John to his calling, leading others to Christ, and we have collectively succeeded. Unfortunately, we have not succeeded in convincing the Bishop, Archbishop, and Cardinal that we are still a flock that needs healing, a flock that continues to be dispersed. We have not convinced the Bishop to stop disparaging and attempting to damage the reputation of Fr. John, let alone forgive him for his transgression. We have not convinced Cardinal Pierre that the Bishop’s/diocese’s actions merit a canonical investigation, to prevent them from further targeting other beloved and respected priests in the diocese who have become “too popular”, or, who have committed the “sin” of trusting those reporting to them on the completeness of their work. And, we have not convinced the Bishop of his accountability to those of us who have entrusted him with our souls, and our gifts of time, talent, and treasure. But God knows that we have tried our best to correct these injustices.
Let us pray for Fr. John and for one another, knowing that it’s our Faith and trust in God that will never let us down – humans are trusted to lead us, with some humans holier than others – but God provides!
Thank you again, rgrds, chris
Chris Peta