Fr. Don’s Weekly Letter ~ 19 April 2026

Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,

Having the bulletin to the printer nearly a week before the scheduled weekend has a tendency to warp your my of time. I sometimes wonder in what week I actually am.

About so many things today I wonder if I can speak. As a nation we are so divided, it is difficult to say anything that remains neutral and doesn’t divide people further.

So we don’t say anything. Those divisions, whether philosophical, political, or social have crept into the fabric of the Church, as well, primarily I believe because people can say whatever they want on social media. I try to stay away from social media, but it seeps in in unexpected ways. I am deeply troubled by the venom which has resulted in the recent exchange between a president and a pope. A president who disrespects a pope and treats him like a politician, seeking to divide our house against itself and choose one or the other. Our work as a Church is to resist and conquer the author of division over whom, by the way, Jesus is already victorious.

I believe that if the person is right there in front of you, you think twice before saying some things. The inherent dignity of a real person overrides things that do not dignify. Trapped in your own mind you won’t hear how it sounds as your words echo across the room and into outer space. Online, you only hear the click of the button as you hit send.

Thank God we have a pope who is speaking. Notice, he doesn’t undignify even the undignified, he just speaks the Gospel and reminds us of the truth.

We must remind each other that what is happening in our world is not okay. Our children must be clear in this so as not to become like this. That the inhumanity served up with indifference is not okay. This kind of unacceptable behavior in the way people are treating each other is not okay. Blasphemy is not okay, nor is indiscriminate killing or threats to eliminate peoples, bringing devastation, destruction.

We have long condemned such behavior in others. We need to search our own tent to root out anything that is not of the Gospel of Jesus.

This week has been a busy one with several dialogues: the local interfaith clergy gathering, a regional interfaith (Metro DC) gathering, a formal dialogue with the Vaishnava Hindu community. Everywhere I go, I am reminded of the hope that our leader the Pope is bringing to darkness that would like us to stop hoping. They love him. I have shared so many texts in the spirit of Pope Leo. In speaking about the situation we find ourselves in globally, I found myself reading the Beatitudes to Won (Korean) Buddhists at a dialogue last weekend. It doesn’t say “blessed are Catholics who are poor in spirit;” “blessed are Catholics who mourn;” “blessed are Catholics who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” And everyone in the room immediately knew that Jesus was talking directly to them. There was a silence. And then there was peacefulness. Jesus would have been very pleased with this interfaith gathering.

Since then, I have had this image in my mind. Every time the Gospel is heard, or seen in your actions and words, wouldn’t it be great if the response was this kind of acceptance, even applause, for the Word of God who came to change our world and turn us toward each other, not apart.

The Lord be with you,