Standing with Church Teaching
Letter from Father Nagel (July 3, 2019)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Peace be with you! The past few weeks have brought much trial and division in our local Catholic Church, community and country as we have experienced the dissention between our Church Teaching on Marriage and two local Catholic High Schools, Brebeuf Jesuit and Cathedral. After two years of accompanying these two schools and their respective employees living in a same sex union, Archbishop Thompson, along with his leadership team, made an important decision to stand with the Church’s teaching on marriage between one man and one woman and underscore the uncompromising pillars of the Sacramental Truths of our Church being defended, especially within Catholic Schools. Unfortunately, this defense of the teaching of the Church caused great strife inside and outside of the Church.
I want to be clear that our St. John’s Ministry Team and I stand with Archbishop Thompson and the Church! We are fully committed to the truth of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and authentic Catholic teaching and exemplary living of ministers of the Church. We find ourselves in a time and day when what we believe is not always popular in the culture. When I was ordained, I promised fidelity to the church’s teachings and to my Archbishop. Each day that I serve as a priest, I am more and more grateful for Holy Mother Church as she guides us to heaven.
This is more than a cultural issue; it is a question of eternal life. The church exists to guide us to heaven! When we stray from Her, we place ourselves in the muck of relativism where anything goes and truth is only decided by an individualistic pursuit rather than in seeking truth in the Creator.
Of course, primary to all church teaching is that our God is Love! And thus, we seek and defend truth in love. I pray that we will always know that the road to heaven is paved in love! St. Thomas Aquinas says that love is to will the good of the other for the sake of the other. What greater good is there than eternal life with our God for all people? Love then, means that we sometimes have to stand with hard truths and accompany others who struggle. The Church, Archbishop and I seek to love all people. That’s why we stand, in love, to call people higher.
Jesus exemplifies this love in truth in so many encounters in Sacred Scripture...
I pray that we will always welcome all people in our church as we are all sinners. However, to welcome must not be confused with allowing the winds of the times to dictate our beautiful and truthful church teaching on marriage or any other doctrine.
Additional Resources:
Please know that I hope we will continue to address the tough issues of our times and be a steadfast parish as we stand with Archbishop and the Church and stay the course!
With a Father’s Love,
Father Rick Nagel
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Peace be with you! The past few weeks have brought much trial and division in our local Catholic Church, community and country as we have experienced the dissention between our Church Teaching on Marriage and two local Catholic High Schools, Brebeuf Jesuit and Cathedral. After two years of accompanying these two schools and their respective employees living in a same sex union, Archbishop Thompson, along with his leadership team, made an important decision to stand with the Church’s teaching on marriage between one man and one woman and underscore the uncompromising pillars of the Sacramental Truths of our Church being defended, especially within Catholic Schools. Unfortunately, this defense of the teaching of the Church caused great strife inside and outside of the Church.
I want to be clear that our St. John’s Ministry Team and I stand with Archbishop Thompson and the Church! We are fully committed to the truth of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and authentic Catholic teaching and exemplary living of ministers of the Church. We find ourselves in a time and day when what we believe is not always popular in the culture. When I was ordained, I promised fidelity to the church’s teachings and to my Archbishop. Each day that I serve as a priest, I am more and more grateful for Holy Mother Church as she guides us to heaven.
This is more than a cultural issue; it is a question of eternal life. The church exists to guide us to heaven! When we stray from Her, we place ourselves in the muck of relativism where anything goes and truth is only decided by an individualistic pursuit rather than in seeking truth in the Creator.
Of course, primary to all church teaching is that our God is Love! And thus, we seek and defend truth in love. I pray that we will always know that the road to heaven is paved in love! St. Thomas Aquinas says that love is to will the good of the other for the sake of the other. What greater good is there than eternal life with our God for all people? Love then, means that we sometimes have to stand with hard truths and accompany others who struggle. The Church, Archbishop and I seek to love all people. That’s why we stand, in love, to call people higher.
Jesus exemplifies this love in truth in so many encounters in Sacred Scripture...
- To the woman caught in adultery he said, “Go and sin no more.” (See John 8:4-11)
- To the rich young man he said, “Go and sell all your belongings and come follow me.” (See Mark 10:17-22)
- To his many followers he said, “Unless you eat my body and drink my blood, you will not have life within you.... Many found this hard to believe and left him.” (See John 6:35-69)
I pray that we will always welcome all people in our church as we are all sinners. However, to welcome must not be confused with allowing the winds of the times to dictate our beautiful and truthful church teaching on marriage or any other doctrine.
Additional Resources:
- Please see Archbishop Thompson’s press conference at: https://www.archindy.org/archbishop/press-2019-video.html
- For more facts about the decision of the Archdiocese go to: https://www.archindy.org/archbishop/press-2019-faq.html
- For an article on the press conference go to: https://www.archindy.org/archbishop/press-2019-story.html
Please know that I hope we will continue to address the tough issues of our times and be a steadfast parish as we stand with Archbishop and the Church and stay the course!
With a Father’s Love,
Father Rick Nagel
Additional Resources:
Watch Archbishop Thompson's Press Conference:
Tap into the Spirit Talks:
Relativism vs Absolute Truth
Tolerance
Speaking the Truth with Love - the Importance of Dialogue
Importance of Dialogue from St. John's Indy on Vimeo.