A Note from the Pastor
Fr. Gerard Lecomte, CJM
Brothers and sisters, I’m sure most of you are aware of the horrific sexual abuse crisis that has haunted our Church, especially in recent months. I know many of us feel, understandably, demoralized and defeated.
With these scandals in mind, our parish has decided to share with you a new book by Bishop Robert Barron (Archdiocese of Los Angeles and founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries). His book is entitled Letter to a Suffering Church: A Bishop Speaks on the Sexual Abuse Crisis. We have ordered a copy of the book for every family in the parish. My hope is that you will read it slowly and attentively. Then after finishing the book, I encourage you to pass it on to a friend or family member who could use it, or to anyone struggling with the Church during this crisis. If you would like additional free copies of the book, you may indicate how many you would like on the clipboard near the books, or email psmith@stjames-stleo.org .
As we read through the book, Bishop Barron has created a short video series to guide us along. These videos will be available through our Friday emails and on our parish website over the next five weeks starting August 16th (or they are all available now at this link).
Each video corresponds to one of the five chapters in the book, including a short reflection by Bishop Barron followed by a few discussion questions. If you’d like to form a study group with other parishioners, you’ll find a free group discussion guide at SufferingChurchBook.com which has guidance and sample discussion questions.
So please make sure to take a copy of the book as you leave Mass this weekend, and know that we care deeply about helping you navigate these stormy waters.
God bless you!