Love Letter

by Fr. Roger J. Landry - February 3, 2006

Most of us, when we receive a letter, normally open and read it. When the letter is from a close family member, we generally consume it faster. And most of us do not seem to mind when, at Christmas for example, the letter we receive is identical to those that other family and friends receive. The only mail we generally do not read is what we classify as junk mail.

Last week, each of us received a letter from our holy father in the faith. For sure, it was a form letter, sent not uniquely to one of us, but to all the members of our family. It was his first letter to us, and for that reason is an even more important missive. Even though some have called him a "rottweiler" and others compared him to an army tank, in this letter he shows to all his true character and the tenderness of a father. In it, he talks to us candidly, beautifully and deeply about the things that matter most in life: about real love, about God, about who we are and who we're called to be.

We print that letter in its entirety in this edition.

The question for each of us is whether we will treat that letter as we do one from a loving father or as we do junk mail from strangers, which we ignore and discard. Without a doubt our father is brilliant and he can't hide it in his letter. And even though he tries to simplify complex topics, some things he says will still be over some of his family members' heads. But he writes nevertheless to all the members of his family — bishops, priests, deacons, religious and "all the lay faithful" — in the hope that all will do the best they can with it, knowing that they do not have to master every detail in order to profit from it.

In future editorials, we will consider some of the most important insights of the letter. But like movie critics who do not want to give away the plot before others have had a chance to view the film, we will wait so that you can form your own opinions on the letter before you read ours.

Our father's greatest teacher was St. Augustine of Hippo. His conversion happened when he overheard a voice, which he later determined was an angel's, chanting repeatedly concerning the love letters of God the Father in the Bible, "tolle et legge," Latin for "take and read." He took up those love letters, read them and his life was forever changed. Those angels are now close by, gently prodding us — tolle et legge — to do the same with our holy father's letter on love.

Amazing Turnaround on Beacon Hill

January 25th not only brought us the good tidings of Pope Benedict's encyclical letter from the Vatican, but good news of great joy from Beacon Hill. Senate bill 1074, which passed the Senate 33-4 two months ago was defeated 147-3 in the House of Representatives. As we described in an earlier editorial, this bill, dubbed "An Act Relative to Charities in Massachusetts," would have imposed costly financial burdens and violated the religious freedom of every house of worship in the commonwealth.

The Copernican shift in legislators' attitudes toward the bill from November to January was brought about by the concerted effort of citizens of every religion to persuade legislators of the harm that would ensue. The legislators heard the message. It was a great victory, hopefully one that will inspire members of all houses of worship to continue to pool their influence and work together to bring about similar moral good.

Legal Leaven

With the confirmation of Samuel Alito, the highest court in our land now has five Roman Catholics — a majority that Catholics in former generations would never have deemed possible. Beyond the personal merits of each of the justices, it's a tribute to the success of Catholic education and respect for the rule of law within Church culture. All Catholics should be proud of their brothers' achievement and prayerful that they will use their high office, and their reason purified by faith, for the good of all, especially the most vulnerable.

Father Roger J. Landry is pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in New Bedford, MA and Executive Editor of The Anchor, the weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Fall River.