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Part XIV of “Fourteen Letters to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV” Series
Dear Holy Father:
Perhaps the Vatican must “reinvent” first the Church’s socioeconomic policies and then its theology, if needed. Yes, if the pontiff and his think tanks want to clarify further the dogmas that their believers embraced as the gospel truth (pun intended) during the years Jesus Christ lived in the Holy Land, which was Judea.
On November 7, 2021, this columnist discussed: “Reinvent First the Church’s Socioeconomic Policies and Then Its Theology” at this link.
Yes, the main focus of this series of “reinventing” the Christian churches is changing the churches’ socioeconomic policies. And church members — once they become more affluent and economically empowered — can move to address themselves the theological aspects of their religion.
The 2021 column article suggested 12 simple steps that Christian churches (especially those located in rural areas) may consider adopting as their socioeconomic policies to provide their members’ doable socioeconomic empowerment first.
The 12th suggested step was the establishment of “sister parishes”, which is similar to the ties between “sister cities” located in two countries. More details about it are found in this column article dated October 6, 2021.
On Oct. 9, 2006, this journalist presented a formal proposal about a “Sister Parish” initiative to His Eminence, Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, of California’s Archdiocese of Los Angeles (ADLA). I addressed the letter to the attention of the Most Rev. Bishop Oscar Solis and submitted another original of the letter through the Rev. Msgr. Michael F. Killeen, the pastor emeritus of the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Rowland Heights, California. (On this writer’s initiative as the 2002 chairman of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Fiesta of the United Bicolandia-Los Angeles, Monsignor Killeen was made an “Adopted Bicolano.” For he aided several parishes of the Diocese of Albay in the Bicol Region of the Philippines.)
This wordsmith presented the formal letter to Bishop Solis at the Philippine Consulate General, where on that autumn day in 2006, there was a reception for the visiting Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales. And I provided a copy of my proposal to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) through His Eminence, Cardinal Rosales.
“Perhaps the Vatican must ‘reinvent’ first the Church’s socioeconomic policies and then its theology, if needed. Yes, if the pontiff and his think tanks want to clarify further the dogmas that their believers embraced as the gospel truth (pun intended) during the years Jesus Christ lived in the Holy Land, which was Judea.”
But nobody in the Archdioceses of Los Angeles (California) and Manila (Philippines) replied to this journalist — even an acknowledgment by e-mail.
This concludes the series of fourteen letters to Your Holiness, Pope Leo XIV. Should your office decide to request for copies of the referred columns — as mentioned in this instant series, please let the author know of your request.
Looking forward to the reaction of the appropriate office in the State of the Vatican, we remain hopeful of the positive action that the papal office may like to decide and undertake.
Thank you, Holy Father, for the attention and assistance.
Very respectfully yours in Jesus Christ,
Roberto (Bobby) M. Reyes
Journalist and Book Author
