Open Letter to the USCCB

November 2, 2017 The Feast of All Souls Catholic Bishops of the United States Your Excellency: By now you will have read of the letter addressed to Pope Francis by Fr.

Thomas Weinandy, O.F.M.Cap., his explanation of how he came to write it, and the immediate response from the USCCB in asking for his resignation as a consultant. Fr. Weinandy served as Executive Director of the Secretariat for Doctrine and Pastoral Practices from 2005 to 2013.

It is too obvious that the action by the USCCB perfectly exemplifies the vengeful environment about which Fr.

Weinandy complained in his letter. Is this really worthy behavior in the Church of Jesus Christ? Is this how St. Peter responded to correction by St. Paul? Is this how the saints, including St. Thomas Aquinas, have taught that superiors and prelates should behave?

To make matters worse, Cardinal DiNardo excused the USCCB action by complaining that recent public comments about events in the Church "are often expressed in terms of opposition, as political – conservative vs. liberal, left vs. right, pre-Vatican II vs Vatican II." But these words in no way describe Fr. Weinandy’s respectful letter and to imply that they do adds calumny to cowardice on the part of the USCCB.

Your Excellency, you are a member of the USCCB. Are you going to allow its leaders, representing you, to persecute this good and faithful son of the Church for doing what is his right and duty as a theologian and, at the very least, a member of Christ’s faithful (cf. Canon 212)? On this Feast of All Souls, on which the Church calls on us to pray for those who have died in the Faith and to contemplate our own judgement, I ask you to act expeditiously with justice and wisdom to correct the wrong done to Fr. Weinandy and redeem the honor of the Bishops of the United States.

With every prayer for your faithful service, I am Sincerely yours,

Donna F. Bethell cc: Apostolic Nuncio to the United States Congregation for Bishops Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith ■