“We cultivate a very small field for Christ, but we love it, knowing that God does not require great achievements but a heart that holds back nothing for self.” Saint Rose Phillippine Duchesne
I had the privilege of being in charge of the gardens at our seminary in Rome, and although this entailed a lot of responsibility and different projects, I always gave special attention to the grotto in front of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Seminarians stopped there all the time to visit Mary and pray the rosary, and I wanted to make sure that Mary was happy with really beautiful flowers and no weeds!
As parents, you too have a lot going on, but the most important flower garden in your life are your children. Fertilize them with your good example, keep them “weed free” and exposed to the sunlight with the Sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist, inspire them with your good example and watch over them day and night with your prayers. This is what really matters…a small garden but so important to Christ and Mary!!
Dear Fr Sliney,
Sometimes even our best efforts to keep our children free of the weeds goes awry. I believed sending my children to a LC school and the influence of RC was a good parenting choice, one that would help them to grow spiritually. Sadly, with everything that has happened in the last 2 years, there is now so much that has been lost. As a parent, it’s hard to see one’s own flesh and blood turn away from the Church due to lost faith and trust. My own faith is shaken, and I trust almost no one. Mostly I don’t trust my own judgment, and I carry the burden of responsibility for my family’s suffering.
Your posts here are nice, but no one really needs nice articles about flower gardens or cookie jars. So many of us in and out of RC need honest talk about what has been a very traumatizing time. Please don’t refer to it as the failings of the founder. I never met him. He was never dishonest to me. The founder did not let me down, but rather, it was regular LCs like you and your brother-friends in the Legion who let us down. Do they teach you how to be pastoral in the Legion? Pastoral is what many of us need now. We need permission to let down our guard and shed our tears.
I pray you will be the priest who opens the door to much-needed dialog. God bless you.
Father Sliney sends his response to Mrs. G: Thank you for your honest and straight forward note. As I read your email, my heart did feel your pain and frustration, and I really wish I could do something to help. I will pray for you and your family during my time in front of the Blessed Sacrament this evening.
Personally, I came into contact with the Legion when I was 12 years old while attending St. Hugo of the Hills in Michigan. Fr. Lorenzo Gomez then became my High School chaplain at Brother Rice High School and I can only say how much good he and his fellow Legionaries did for me and my friends. He taught me how to pray, he helped me fall in love with the real person of Christ in the Eucharist, he was always available for Confession, he encouraged my devotion to the Blessed Mother and showed me the importance of being an apostle both in and out of school. I can honestly say, that if it were not for the Legionaries and Fr. Gomez guiding me along, me and my best buddies would not have kept our virginity and morality throughout High School and college. Fr. Gomez was always there for me, and I will be eternally grateful. This was my experience, Kristina and after 16 years here in the DC area working with youth, there are countless kids and families who would say the same about their contact with the Legionaries.
This is not to say that we are perfect or infallible. We make a lot of mistakes. We need to be a lot holier. We need to be more pastoral, sensitive and caring with all the souls entrusted to us…especially with those who have been hurt because of our inattentiveness or lack of fidelity. Personally, I have learned a lot over these past few years, and I can say with my fellow priests that we are all learning to be more pastoral and more humble. I ask you to bear with us. This scandal caught all of us off guard and we are trying our best to stay on course and help those around us as well. It has not been easy, but we have great confidence in Christ and in his Vicar on earth who continues to encourage us to push forward as this process of renewal is being worked out. If you are ever in the DC area, I would be happy to meet you and please be assured of my prayers.