Thursday, July 16, 2020

Open Letter to Archbishop José Gomez

Your Excellency:

With all due respect for your attempts to stop the spread of COVID-19, the faithful of the Los Angeles Archdiocese feel betrayed that you have allowed state officials to step in and impose a political lock-down of the Church. You couldn’t act fast enough to heed Governor Newsom’s latest directive to close the churches in response to the “increase” of COVID-19 hospitalizations, yet supermarkets and other non-essential enterprises continue to operate at full capacity.   

Why do you dignify this modern-day pharaoh who is using COVID-19 as a tool to oppress the Church? Is Newsom your master? You seem to have forgotten that the Church is not bound to the state, and this would especially apply when state officials are accomplices to crime.

Certainly you must know that Governor Newsom and L.A. Mayor Garcetti were calling for a disbanding of the police for the purpose of encouraging race riots. Newsom told Black protesters, "I want you to know that you matter. To those who want to express themselves [riotously] ... keep doing it. Your rage is real." https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/your-rage-is-real-gavin-newsom-tells-california-protesters/ar-BB14THDJ       

According to Newsom, criminals "matter" but the innocent owners of looted shops don't matter.  Neo-Nazis like Newsom want to prosecute the Church, not those who burn down the Church. Are these the people you consult in directing Christ’s Church?

COVID-19 was sprung on us by these very socialists to place society and Church on lockdown, so your duty as bishop is to ignore tyrannical state rulings and to remember your fidelity to God who commands that you listen to Him and not to corrupt state officials that have exaggerated the COVID-19 figures for their own political gains.

The numbers are way over the top. Doctors have testified to how the government has pressured them into lying about COVID-19 death figures. They deliberately up the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths to justify continuation of their socialist lockdown, which is all the more reason for the Church to ignore these state rulings and recommendations.  

Even if the state was just in its recommendationswhich it is notthe final decision is with the Church, not the state, since the state cannot impose itself on the Church. The Church is autonomous and is even protected by the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment (Separation of Church and State) that says the state cannot interfere with the Church. Even the  CDC admits that “The federal government may not prescribe standards for interactions of faith communities in houses of worship,” so why do you allow the state to bully the Church?  

We often praise the martyrs who accepted persecution and death at the hands of pagan leaders because they stood up against these tyrants, but when it's our turn we suddenly shrink and make excuses for fleeing the cross. You wrote a book about "Men of Brave Heart," so please live up to it by rebuking these Neo-Nazis who want to boss the Church. 

AND PLEASE DO NOT allow Cardinal Mahony to exert any more influence in the church, because he and his deep-state cronies are also using COVID-19 as a tool to impose Communion in the hand. Several churches in the Archdiocese are mandating this practice in accord with your directives, though the state hasn't actually required this of you. Why are you encouraging this practice, to please Mahony?

What is absurd is that receiving in the hand poses a far greater COVID-19 contagion risk than receiving on the tongue, proving all the more that these imposed restrictions have little to do with COVID-19. We've become like the hypocrites in Christ's time, touting our hand-washing and "sanitary" procedures and adopting ridiculous "traditions of men" while the work of God is ignored! 

By definition, Communion in the hand is an indult, and a sacrilegious one at that, and as such, may never be imposed on the faithful. Pope John Paul II's Redemptionis Sacramentum (March 25, 2004) clearly states: 

“Each of the faithful always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue” (n. 92), nor is it licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ’s faithful who are not impeded by law from receiving the Holy Eucharist (cf. n. 91).
Anti-church progressivists were hoping to use COVID-19 to get Communion in the hand mandated on a permanent basis, so we ask that you stand against this sinister plan to profane the Eucharist under the guise of “public health and safety.” All this fuss about face-masks, social distancing, limited attendance, and receiving in the hand has accomplished nothing more than to turn the Church into something of a police-state. Let’s drop the protocol and open the churches without reserve that the people might be on their knees in reparation for the many sins in the Church that brought this chastisement upon us to begin with.

For COVID-19 is a chastisement for our profanation of the Church through modern practice, especially the practice of receiving Communion in the hand. When chastisements are given by God, we’re supposed to learn by them. Have we learned our lesson or are we continuing like Pharisees to impose sin upon God’s people?

Sincerely in Christ and His Holy Mother,


David Martin
Our Lady’s Workers of Southern California




19 comments:

newguy40 said...

Good luck with that. I am in Cali a bit "north" of LA. 400k poplation 700 infected 3 deaths. Closed up tight in the diocese. Two letters from bishop one in March on initial closing and another today on the reclosings. Oh yeah, one letter on the er... as he called in the "repositioning" of the St Serra statues. That's it. Tried emails no response. A couple of call to the chacellery and they would not allow be to talk to the bishop.

Anonymous said...

no real Californian calls it "Cali".....fraud! Probably an immigrant......

newguy40 said...

Anon -- hahahah. Immigrant. Yep, from Illinois in 1987. Tell me your approved appelation for a legal California resident?

Tancred said...

I’ve heard bitchin’ surfer douches like Thug Gordon call it Cali.

Pico Della Mirandola said...

The comments so far reflect a common sense non-response to yet another piece of high low grade doggerel from Martin of Our Lady of the Immaculate Contraception sheltered workshop.

Anonymous said...

Great article, David, and I agree with you completely. It's okay to shop at Costco and Walmart - and for protesters without masks to destroy cities - but we can't worship. Welcome to the paradise of socialism that is embraced by much our church hierarchy.

Tancred said...

Must be a slow day on the dole.

Unknown said...

I agree with the comments made in the letter. If in fact you are a true believer than your trust is in GOD. If it is His will then let it be done. I've lived long enough to make my own decisions without the leading of some politician. I will not put others in jeapordy, but my freedom will be mine to exercise. My faith is my stronghold, Not the government. They are there to guide not make demands. We the people are this country. Doctors do their best, but they are not God. Have faith love and respect one another... Live your faith. Open the churches!

Sven Olafsen said...

Yes,
Follow the Swedes and open up everything.

Unknown said...

With all due respect to the Archbishop and his office of an apostle of our Lord, the above letter has a lot of truth. Our Catholic Church has been under attack from the ultra-left Democratic Party and the silence of our clergy has been both deafening and a sin of omission. Since before January of 1973 the teachings of our faith have been under attack and it seems with the complicity of our silent bishops. The only time I have seen the bishops of California stand up and fight from the pulpit was when George Soros and the evil Democrats of Sacramento tried to pass an evil law attempting to force our priests to break the seal of the confessional under penalty of prison. Then and only then by order of every bishop did every pulpit in the entire state scream bloody murder. The fire came much too close to the heals of our bishops so they spoke out in unison to stop that evil. I propose that every bishop of this state now use every pulpit in defense of the unborn child and to open our churches! To do otherwise is shameful, cowardly and not in sink with the example of all our martyrs. Saint Thomas More, Saint John Fisher, pray for our clergy!

Anonymous said...

And when is it wrong to sing in church? Singing is praying in fact when you sing to God, you are praying twice. We saw these crazy protesters sharing megaphones, sharing water, beer, wine, and sodas with each other and screaming their bloody heads off in rage without masks, and we have to sit back and stand for that? NO! NO! NO! NO! It's time to take a stand and do what we know best and that is to PRAY vocally and singing to God with our heads held up high.
And let's talk about Chastisement...Covid 19...God's chastisement on the world for not defending the unborn in their mother's womb and letting abortions happen. Hmmm! Think about that!

Andrew said...

I Agree with everything above!
Thank you for your articulation.

Thanks be to God for imbibing you with the virtue of courage.

I’d like to add that in 1926 Faithful Catholics in Mexico stood up to President Calles.

If you’re reading, your excellency, the next time you walk through the cathedral contemplating its emptiness, please kneel before Saint José Luis Sánchez del rio. Questions may flood your mind.
The question should not be “why are our churches so empty?”

but instead,

Nearly 100 years later from the time of the cristeros where do you stand? Where will you stand every time?

David Martin said...

Anonymous hit on a good point. According to Gov. Newsom, it's perfectly alright to go out and riot in droves -- no masks or distancing required -- and the liquor stores, massage parlors, and supermarkets can bustle with activity, but the church has to be put in the dog house and supervised by 'Nazi' lay attendants who snitch for the Archdiocese. I can tell you for a fact that some of the people reporting to the Archdiocese are BLM members. The COVID crisis and BLM riots are generated by one and the same socialist movement.

Unknown said...

Absolutely true Mr Martin!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your courage and for speaking up, Mr. Martin. I agree with you.
I am grateful to those priests and bishops who have spoken up. I pray for our fellow Catholics, Christians and Church leadership that they will not remain silent but to stand up for Christ. Please pray for our President Trump who is fighting for the American people, for life and religious freedom. Pray for all those who speak the truth.
We need to educate our younger generation on the truth of the gospel. Let's bring back the teaching of American history and civics classes in our schools.
Lord help us! Mother Mary and all the saints, pray for us!

David Martin said...

'Tis my duty and my pleasure. I know there a number of priests throughout the Southern California area that are fed up with the situation and have expressed hopes that legal action can be taken against the state as was successfully done in New York. I know there is a case in the works right now. Let's pray it unfold successfully and redound to God's glory!

Unknown said...

Agree with you Mr Martin 100%!
I wrote a much shorter, and not as eloquent, a letter, but with the same message, and send it to Archbishop Gomez. No response yet.....

Catherine said...

Please get your pastors and churches to have outdoor parking lot masses instead of raging at the archbishop. Who are you to sit in front of your computers and criticize those who have the heavy responsibility of trying to lead many others? Do you really know better than them? Are you sinless and perfect? Are you proud?

Is it really that hard to just wear our masks, sanitize our hands, and keep our distance to prevent the spread of what is at best a very severe cold/ flu disease and at worst possibly an engineered biological weapon? I for one am happy to obey with these simple precautions instead of following the example and rebellion of the rioters. Let's not give them an excuse to prolong the COVID-19 shut down and cause many people to lose their jobs and businesses.

Unknown said...

Catherine, I was in agreement with you through the first paragraph, but you lost me on the second. I believe civil disobedience is our only hope if we wish to be free Americans and free-to-practice Catholics.