The following is taken from a letter from Father Michael Kiernan posted on the Sacramento diocese website on December 3. It was posted along with a copy of Pope Benedict XVI’s motu proprio on Catholic charities.
Dear Pastors, Parochial Vicars, and Administrators:
As Bishop Soto informed you recently, I will complete my ministry in Catholic Charities/Social Service Ministry on December 28, 2012. I write, first of all, to thank you as a parish leader for your generous care for Charities during my time of service over the past 12 years. You have been wonderful in the ministry of caring you do in various ways.
I am in awe of the efforts reported to me by parishioners all over the diocese. In great or small, unseen and unsung ways, you have put into practice the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Your concern and support for the Annual Catholic Appeal has been most impressive and speaks well of how we live our Catholic faith. As Bishop Weigand said when he appointed me, “Catholic Charities/Social Service Ministry is constitutive of the Gospel.” People who are poor depend on you as you respect each one in your many ways of service. Don’t ever get discouraged keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus and those you serve. God bless you in your good work going forward.
As we all know, it is the competent, faithful, committed and compassionate staff, volunteers and parishes along with the Diocese and the openness to our services by the families who come to us that make up the heart of Catholic Charities/Social Service Ministry. I have been indebted and given life by the challenges and the blessings of those calls and responses, the humbling, awe-inspiring meeting with individual persons and their specific needs, the generosity of the people who make great things happen. The prophetic mission of ministry to those who are poor has allowed me to serve along with you over this time. I assure you of my continued appreciation for all the good of that same mission in service and in justice.
I have been blessed to know not only the Pastors and Directors, but so many other people in Charities, Social Justice, and Advocacy as I worked with them in the service of the whole community. I loved the variety of ministry opportunities such as St. Vincent de Paul Society, AIDS Ministry, Prison Ministry, Restorative Justice, PICO Organizing, Friends CARE, Quinn Cottages, Lazarus Ministries, Clara’s House, the Moral Values Program, Catholic Charities of California, Catholic Charities USA gatherings, and the many contacts with politicians, labor unions, media, to mention just a few. I loved knowing so many people and being able to serve with them. Their invitation, love and support to me was truly a blessing and encouragement. It was so enriching to see the Annual Catholic Appeal grow and be a source of joy for all our people each Appeal Sunday as the parishes rejoiced in seeing the good works being done. Of all the ministries I have been involved in, Catholic Charities/Social Service Ministry has truly been the blessing for me. I will greatly miss this work but change is inevitable in life and new ways to serve are constantly needed in our changing world….
Canadian proabortion ‘Development & Peace’ is in open warfare with the Church till their itching ears are falling off. Legacy of the Winnipeg Statement. ‘Catholics for Free Choice’ as The Establishment.
I don’t know anything about this Priest who resigned, but the Motu Proprio that no Catholic Charity throughout the world can any longer donate to any group who goes against the teaching of the Church is super.
And the Charity MUST EVANGELIZE, not just be another social program.
If anyone knows of any Charity that is provided money by the Diocese, USCCB, or State Conference of Bishops, and who is involved in any way in going against Church teaching and does not Evangelize, report it to your Bishop. If it is not fixed immediately, the Pope has provided contact information to the Pontifical Council Core Unum. “The Pontifical Council Cor Unum has the task of promoting the application of this legislation and ensuring that it is applied at all levels ….”
Just go to the Vatican web site, search “On the Service of Charity”. Within the Apostolic Letter just click on the “Pontifical Council Core Unum” and you will find the contact info.
The Pope is not messing around. “On the Service of Charity” is clear and strong.
The Church’s first order of business is Saving Souls, not merelly providing for this life.
Groups that SUPPORT taking away the rights of innocent unborn humans through abortion, or euthanasia, or support homo-sexual marriage, or contraception, or seriously violate the 10 Commandments, or go against other non-debatable teachings of our Church can NOT get funding of any type from our Church.
And they also must EVANGELIZE.
Those who work in Catholic Charities at any level must dust off their “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” and be certain that serious teachings of the Church are adhered to.
For statements from our lastest two Popes about the CCC, info regarding the Year of Faith and the plenary indulgence related to the CCC, and more, on the net go to: “What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE”.
Great Post Mike….keep it up…..someone may learn something.
With people like Cardinal Mahoney still calling the shots at USCCB, good luck.
I always wonder how these people can be so blind to the Church whose Sacraments they celebrate. Does it not bother them?
PICO stands out like an evil sore thumb!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Thank you and God bless you Mike. I will certainly relay the message to others.
Nailed by the Moto Proprio?
Fr. Kiernan acknowledges working with PICO organizing and with legislators (Democrats all I’ll bet), labor unions and the media, all of whom surrounded him with the warm and fuzzy love they are so fond of giving to those who can help enhance their policies?
Is this what Catholic Charities is supposed to be doing? I’ll bet he had some great dinner parties with all these members of the elite political world.
I wonder what price Fr. Kiernan paid for the support of the pro-abortion, pro-sodomite, Demoncrat Unioins?
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Be Joyful. Always tell the Truth. Laugh out loud. Work diligently. Love one another. Don’t grumble. Keep your word. Help others. Do your best. Say your prayers. Be polite. Learn something new. Use kind words. Smile. Let others see Jesus in you. Be faithful, be hopeful, be charitable. Let others love you.
Spiritual Works of Mercy include: “Admonish sinners”; “Instruct the Uniformed”; “Counsel the doubtful”.
If we truly love our Neighbors as instructed by Jesus, we will want them to get to Heaven.
I would include those under help others. But it was just my attempt to remind myself to be a nicer poster. I’ve been kind of irritable lately. Death in the family and depression, I think. I should have written to Fr. Kiernan: Thank you for your service and may God bless you on your new assignment.
K, Vigorously defends the Girl Scouts of America even though they are known to have had ties with Planned Parenthood and George Soros of Media Matters, K Preaches about the sin of calumny yet selectively chose calumny to discredit Father Guarnizo and another good priest for their faithful service to the Church. Both priests were upholding Church teaching on homosexuality.
Now k thanks priests who served PICO Organizing.
Rules for Radicals = Whatever it takes.
Oh Catherine, now you know you are trying to tempt me again.
MIKE I prefer your comments…k’s are too fake to me. Her constant bickering about acting like people are monsters and she has to be the “be polite” police is getting ridiculous and illogical to say the least, just so she can make others believe she posted that just so she can remind herself. It maybe so….but who knows…
Abeca, just brush it off. It is the usual progressive double talk.
May God be with you!
The omissions in this departure letter are significant:
1. Nothing about the latest Moto Proprio on charities sticking to Church teaching or evangelizing.
2. “contacts with politicians, labor unions, media …” but no mention of private industry.
This says a lot about what continues to be wrong with the socialist / ‘big government’ approach taken by too many of our religious.
Perhaps the good Fr Kiernan forgot about subsidiarity and solidarity with all, not just socialists and liberals, somewhere along the line.
And he certainly does not want to deal with the Moto Proprio “On the Service of Charity”.
Catholic Charities’ benefactors include more than what we would consider charities. Why, for example, is the leftie, pro-socialist PICO listed? On the other hand, I see nothing pro-life to speak of. Oh well, more of the “peace and justice” agenda, as usual.
Marie and others, if we do our jobs by reporting abuses as set up by the Pope for this purpose (see my earlier posting) – there will be no more “peace and justice agenda – business as usual”.
We really have to something about the “peace and justice” folks. They are just getting in the way. Pretty soon they will want to help the poor, work for getter working conditions, help people from other countries learn about democracy – you know, get jobs, learn English, pay taxes, put their kids in good schools, vote, etc. Enough already! How do we expunge them from our vision of the good life?
Bob Gone,
Of course YOU are going to tout the rights of those who are seeking to undermine the Catholic Church. That seems to be a generic trait amongst ACLU lovers. You seem to forget that your cover was blown months ago. Let me remind you. *Faithful Catholics* do not honor and praise the ACLU, such as you have. It might be a good idea to choose a new name. Your credibility is damaged. For now I suggest you reflect on expunging yourself from playing games.
Who is undermining the Catholic Church? What does the ACLU have to do with it? Your cover was blown? HUH????? You want him to choose a new name so he has credibility? I guess these two know each other or live together or something.
Anon –
Don’t act dumb. Just be yourself.
the guy is old and wants to retire from this ministry.
why connect the pope’s motu proprio with this retirement?
Perhaps Bishop Soto asked for his resignation. Hence the Moto Proprio posted alongside his ‘farewell’ letter. Perhaps Bishop Soto did some checking when this newest document arrived. In any case, it’s a grace for the Church.
Labor unions ? ? ?
Does he remember that in 2012 – SEIU, AFL-CIO, UAW, AFSCME, and other unions
Unions – – – Let’s not forget that the SEIU, AFL-CIO, UAW, AFSCME and others, stated they support homosexual marriage and abortion. Not to mention supporting the Party of Death and Obama with millions of dollars of union dues.
It will be interesting to see what public statement is put out on Labor Day in 2013 by the USCCB.
Instead of supporting all workers in the spirit of solidarity, in 2012 the USCCB supported unions. Unions that do not want people to have a choice to work unless they help to pay for their evil political activities.
Anne,
Not only that Union thugs riot and physically attack those who want the Freedom to join or not join, contribute or not contribute, while their brother Union Policemen do nothing, see Michigan for a great example.
Viva Cristo Rey!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Here in PA, the Catholic Church historically supported the unions. Mr. Fisher, you talk about union thugs. You probably would have felt sympathy for the poor coal mine owners having to cut into their profits to pay a living wage to the coal miners. Most people don’t think it is a sin for workers to ask for living wages. But I must admit that many of the 1% see unions and union people as their enemies.
How and why would any Roman Catholic priest love his association with PICO organizing? PICO donates to and supports abortion. It does not take a lot of intelligence to check these organizations out and know what their purpose is.
It sounds as if Fr. Michael Kiernan’s resignation is a good thing. May he use the free time that he will now have to support the Pro Life movement in his diocese. He can do this with the same amount of enthusiasm that he supported PICO and our politicans in California who do so much for the unborn.
God bless our Holy Father! It appears he is on a roll in upsetting liberal apple carts! May he live many many more years to undo all the evils that have been introduced in the name of charity!
I cannot find the letter on the diocese website, nor can I find a copy of Pope Benedict XVI’s motu proprio on Catholic charities on the diocese website. Please provide a link. Thanks.
Informed an Free:
The following Article and paragraphs address the issue. You can find it on Google under Apostolic Letter, Motu propio on Charities.
Art. 10. – § 1. It is the responsibility of the Bishop to supervise the ecclesiastical goods of the charitable agencies subject to his authority.
§ 2. It is the duty of the diocesan Bishop to ensure that the proceeds of collections made in accordance with canons 1265 and 1266 CIC and canons 1014 and 1015 CCEO are used for their stated purposes [cf. canons 1267 CIC, 1016 CCEO].
§ 3. In particular, the diocesan Bishop is to ensure that charitable agencies dependent upon him do not receive financial support from groups or institutions that pursue ends contrary to Church’s teaching. Similarly, lest scandal be given to the faithful, the diocesan Bishop is to ensure that these charitable agencies do not accept contributions for initiatives whose ends, or the means used to pursue them, are not in conformity with the Church’s teaching.
Good Grief! Did somebody actually bring up the 1% here? Oh those big bad mine owners! yeah some might be corrupt but labeling them all as such because they are “the owners” is ridiculous. Let’s not forget it is those owners who employ people!!
It does unfortunately seem as most Bishops are still of the belief that the Unions today are the same as the Unions were in the early to mid 20th Century! Sigh! That is one area that I wish the Bishops would “get with the times”. Especially the public sector unions!
I hope the Holy Father’s call will guide Chatholic Charities back to Our Holy Mother Church.
Many dioceses geared up for the annual November appeal for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). At the same time, CCHD critics reiterated that, for its entire 40-plus years of existence, the collection has been disbursing money to organizations that advance blatantly immoral and politically partisan positions. The literature distributed by the bishops suggest they do nothing but good with the funds; but during the post Vatican II era millions upon millions of honest dollars have been distributed by this conference to groups directly supporting prostitution, homosexuality, same sex unions, contraception, and abortion. Ever hear of Acorn? These donations, usually assessed by the Bishop in each of their parishes, have been distributed to support evil acts condemned by the Catholic Church. Sincere Catholics donate to the Campaign believing that their donations honestly go to true Catholic organizations helping the down trodden or deserving individuals and groups. Except for a few bishops, who refused to cooperate with the program, the campaign has been a huge success in raising millions upon millions of dollars. It would be great Christmas gift to the Catholic population if the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) would disband and start again after a few years with some bishops who wish to promote the moral standards of the Catholic Church. Of course, now that the scandal of the distribution of the donations have been revealed, not by the bishops, but by honest Catholic laymen (and in particular pro-life groups), the Bishops now claim they have seen the light and will no longer support groups in conflict with Catholic teaching. In fact, they still officially claim, except for a few exceptions, Catholic laymen attacks on how they have distributed money have been unwarranted. Shades of Paul Alinsky . Do you really trust them? Do you really believe they did not know to whom the funds were being distributed during the past 40 years? I suggest that Catholics donate, not to the USCCB and CCHD, but on a one to one to the needy, or to other charitable organizations that exist in their own parish. This would assure that the bishops would not again get their hands on millions of dollars to give again to groups whose intent is to destroy or corrupt the Church.
The abuse of donations given by the faithful to the CCHD is undoubtedly part of the cause of the corruption and the filth of the homosexual network that has existed in the clergy after Vatican II; and tolerated, and sometimes directly supported by the some bishops. I could name a few. God bless the good and holy priests, young and old, and particularly the older ones, who have weathered the terrible storm and remained faithful to their vows and Jesus. On the subject of homosexuality I have often wondered why Palm Springs has always been chosen as the location in this diocese for the priests’ conferences every year? The city certainly does not have the reputation for high moral standards – just wondering.
Get a whiff of PICO “People Improving Communities through Organizing” – founded by a Jesuit – at discoverthenetworks.com. Sample “Social Justice” while there.
The hard work is ahead of the Faithful in pursuit of restoration of our Church. For every termite that is ID’d on this thread there are three more to back him/her up. They have worked hard as “Social Justice” Catholics to undermine the Church for the last half century and the Holy Father needs our help in his quest to ferret these actors out of the woodwork, and exposure to the light of truth will do just that.