Letter to the Editor: Msgr. Lechtenberg praying for Schilling

To the Editor:

In response to Dick Schilling’s column published October 29.

I pray for your peace of mind and soul, Dick!

The Catholic Church is not going to change its teaching on marriage, family and sexual morality.

The purpose of this year’s synod of bishops is to identify the challenges to marriages and families for the discussion of next year’s synod of bishops. The purpose of that gathering is to recommend to the pope pastoral guidelines that respond to those challenges.

And what the pope has always said is that the pastoral guidelines will be designed to help people know, understand, embrace and live the teachings of Jesus Christ and his Catholic Church related to marriage and family (to quote Archbishop Jackel’s response to confusion over the midterm synod report).

So have peace of mind and soul, Dick, so that the progressives and conservatives will hug each other in peace. Please, Dick, don’t start a schism.

I don’t think Cardinal Burke will be sent to Siberia as you suggest, maybe back to La Crosse. He’s a very good cardinal - something good will happen.

So that you don’t preach a gospel contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ, I suggest that you pray and meditate on Matthew 22:34-40.

Dick, know that you’re loved by an old priest!

Fr. Ed Lechtenberg

Lansing