An Open Letter to Papa Benedetto

Caro Padre Santo,

It was with great joy that I heard the news of your plans to vist the USA in April of this year. Your visit is a sign of your obedience as successor of Peter to obey Christ's call to "strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:32). We are in need of your guidance in so many ways & I look forward to your teaching & encouraging us to faithfulness during your visit.

& while I am honest enough to admit that the odds are you will not see let alone read this, I would like to ask you to please deal with some things that I feel are in great need of your clear teaching as well as leadership.

The 1st area that we need you to speak out loud & clear about is in the area of abortion. Unfortunately, too many of our American Bishops have failed in their duty to speak out loud & clear when it comes to Life Issues. Last year Judie Brown (Ameican Life League) wrote a book that does an excellent job of looking at not only how the Bishops are failing, but also gives an excellent look at the root causes behind their failure (Saving Those Damned Catholics). The latest failure on their part has been in the states that are trying to pass constitutional amendments defining life as starting at conception.

Please call the Bishops to do what they were ordained to do. Challenge them to be the shepherds God has called them to be.

Also, we have too many politicians who claim to be Catholic yet support abortion, fetal stem cell research & cloning. Make it clear that they cannot be truly Catholic & hold these positions. I know you will be attacked by many for supposedly interfering in our political system by the very same so-called Catholics who demand you interfer when it is 1 of their pet views (like the war). As you know, what you will be doing is not interfering. Rather, as I said earlier, you will be exercising your role as the successor of Peter. Part of that role is to correct when it is needed. & I am sure that you will not let any cries of "seperation of church & state" stop you either.

There are many other areas in which the Bishops are failing to do their duty as shepherds. The same root causes mentioned in Judie's book that are behind why most are not speaking out on abortion as the should are behind these other failures as well. Too many Bishops are willing to compromise with the world rather than challenge it with the truths of the Gospel. As I already asked, challenge them to live out their ordination faithfully.

While in DC, you have scheduled a meeting with the heads of the Catholic Colleges in the USA. Unfortunately, even after all these years most of them are ignoring Ex Corde Ecclesia. Or at best paying lip service to it. Often the lone voice out there calling them to task is the Cardinal Newman Society. They are doing an excellent job of challenging these colleges to be faithful to the magesterium. Make it clear that they can no longer claim to be Catholic if they fail to be authentically Catholic. Please praise & encourage the work that Cardinal Newman Society is doing.

While you are at it, there is another orginization that needs your praise & support is EWTN. You know how much this network has done to promote the teachings of the Church & support your efforts as the Vicar of Christ.

Another stop of yours will be the United Nations where you are scheduled to give an address. Sadly, theat orginization has failed to live up to its promise. Instaed of a forum to promote peace & cooperation between nations it has become a cesspool of corruption & a supporter of oppression, abortion etc. On their wall they have inscribed "They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again." (Isaiah 2:4 as well as Micah 4:3) It is this very Scripture being taken out of context that shows the ultimate reason for their failure. The Scripture is refering to the reign of Jesus, the Messiah. Without Jesus at the center of their efforts, peace will never be achieved. & the UN has completely left Jesus out of their efforts. Challenge them to do what their quote says in context, promote the reign of Jesus so that true peace will be promoted.

I know many people have criticized you for proclaiming the truth & battling relativism. I want you to know there are many of us out there who a greatful to you for doing so. Thank you for standing up & faithfully proclaiming the Gospel. Thank you for calling us to follow Jesus. Thank you for being a true shepherd who guides us by words & actions in every aspect of our faith, from liturgy to theology. You are in our prayers for your protection & continued guidance by the Holy Spirit.

I wish that I could attend 1 of your liturgies while you are here in the USA. Unfortunately I can't. But I will watch you on EWTN as much as I can. May God bless your efforts during your visit here so that it will bear much fruit for the Kingdom.

Again, mille grazie caro Papa Benedetto.