Thursday 20 December 2012

Newtown priests harassed



Elizabeth Scalia, a renowned Catholic blogger in the States, exclaims on her blog, "What the hell is wrong with these people?" She is responding to the reports that the two Catholic priests ministering in Newtown, where the dreadful murder of young children occurred, are being subjected to harassment!

In the face of unimaginable evil there many stories of people of faith and people of no faith together doing whatever they can to help in some small way. Yet in the midst of this there are people who want to do whatever they can to hurt the work of these servants of the Church who are doing what they can for people.

Here is a letter from Fr Suarez's sister (the young priest pictured above). Fr Suarez assists Mgr Weiss (also pictured) in the parish of Newtown.

My friends,
All of you, I am sure, have heard so much about the tragedy in Newtown, CT. Many of you have received emails from me about my younger brother, Father Luke Suarez, who is a priest at St. Rose of Lima parish, a Catholic church just down the road from Sandy Hook Elementary. He, and his pastor, Monsignor Weiss, arrived at the school within moments of the shooting, and have been caring for the community ever since. The picture I have included was taken at the school.
Father Luke has an impossible task before him. His diocese is without a bishop right now…. Monsignor … is personally devastated by the losses. The parish is very large…. The rectory has received serious threats, and as my brother gave the homily Sunday at the noon mass, the church had to be evacuated by SWAT teams. After experiencing identity theft and online hacking incidents, he had to erase all of his internet accounts. After a weekend of endless media requests, notifications and vigils with heartbroken families, and little sleep, he now has two wakes and two funerals every day, until the fourth Sunday of Advent. Father Luke has not even been ordained two years.

My large family has been trying to send Father Luke our love and support from afar, and one of my brothers was able to visit with him briefly a couple times. All he asks for is prayer.

I have been wracking my brain, trying to think of a way that our beautiful, loving community could tangibly reach out to Father Luke, Monsignor Weiss, and the St. Rose parish, to support them in this most awful of times. I have sent many prayer requests, and I am asking for more prayers again. But I also want to ask everyone to search their hearts, and if the Holy Spirit moves you, please consider sending one of your family’s Christmas cards to the rectory, with a few words of love and encouragement. Here is his address:
Father Luke Suarez
46 Church Hill Road
Newtown, CT 06470
My brother has said over and over again that without the prayer support he is receiving, he could not keep going. And this week is only the beginning. Everyone there is still in shock. Their peaceful home has been desecrated by violence. They will need to live with this sorrow forever.

But in our weakness is His strength. Grace abounds. Can you help me carry him through this time of trial?”

H/t Thomas Crowe, who adds:
“…I was in seminary for one year with Father Luke Suarez, parochial vicar at St. Rose of Lima parish in Newtown, Connecticut. He is one of the gentlest and most generous souls I’ve known. As I remarked on Facebook when I saw the below picture, I had never seen him without a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye until this picture…”

Let us remember to pray for Mgr Weiss and Fr Suarez as they not only face the difficulties of ministering to grieving parents and loved ones, but also combating this harassment.







Reflections on Worship in Sacrifice