CIRCULAR TO PARISHIONERS WEEK TWENTY-ONE OCT 23, 2004
“We know that RIGHT IS RIGHT, AND WRONG IS WRONG.
No one has THE RIGHT TO DO WRONG.
Some have the POWER TO DO WRONG”
_____________________________________________________________
October 12, 2004
Dear Father Beltran,
This is to inform you that I am resigning from my position as a volunteer in the Altar Guild at St Martin of
Tours Parish. I have faithfully performed these duties for almost twenty years and it is with much sadness
and regret that I am taking this step.
The shabby treatment many of my fellow parishioners have received at your hands - in both the lay ministry
and the general congregation - has made it impossible for me to continue my Altar Guild duties in good
conscience. These parishioners are good, decent people, many of whom it has been my privilege to know
and respect for more than twenty-eight years as a parishioner of St. Martin of Tours, and frankly, Father
Beltran, I am at a total loss as to why you have taken issue with, or dismissed, so many of them.
Furthermore, I take personal exception to your press statement that some of us do not welcome new people,
young people, or new immigrants to our community. In twenty-eight years, I have never witnessed even a
whisper of racial or social prejudice, so if that is what you were implying by that remark, I can’t even find
the words to describe how offensive I find it.
With so many parishioners jumping ship for other parish shores because they feel alienated, disillusioned,
hurt, or heartsick that their beloved Christian community has been polarised, surely you can’t be happy?
Surely, as an honest man, you must have asked yourself at some point why all this turmoil occurred only
after you took the helm? No one is disputing the fact that the Catholic Church is not a democracy but neither
should it smack of dictatorship.
While many hurts and accusations and counter-accusations have now accumulated on the table, no impasse
is ever hopeless when good and honest people sit down to share in open and honest dialogue. I wish you
well, I wish you peace, and I wish you a hopeful heart.
Sincerely,
Moira Gazzola
_____________________________________________________________
Email:bishop.boissonneau@rogers.com Fax: 416 207-4984.
His Eminence, Aloysius Cardinal Ambrozic Fax: 416 934-3452.
For more information, contact:
Anna Jushkevich 905 279-7822 Aisling Egan 416 671-4710
Pat DeAngelis 416 809-1819 Duncan Walker 905 277-9825
Lucy Pires 905 273-6093 Dunstan Bazely 905 275-3946
Judy Byrnes 905 275-1536 Patricia Russell 905 279-9205
_____________________________________________________________
GOD HELPS THOSE THAT HELP THEMSELVES
_____________________________________________________________
Have YOU heard of a solution to our parish problems from Bishop Boissonneau or Fr. Beltran??? DON’T
BE TIMID – DON’T BE AFRAID! The office of Bishop and the office of Pastor are about pastoral
leadership. ASK THEM for a solution!
Write a letter, send a fax, send an email. Let’s all communicate. Let them know that we care.
Communication leads to dialogue.
Dialogue leads to understanding.
Understanding leads to peace.
If you have something to say, write it down. Send a copy to mail@saveourparish.com or to one of the
names overleaf.
Why is the parish being partitioned? This is your/our parish. You built it. You support it and you work hard
as a caring community to sustain it. You have always invited and welcomed newcomers’ involvement in
parish life.
People from outside our parish have offered to help. This is great and very welcome. But do we have faith
in our own ability to first help ourselves? “God helps those that help themselves”.
Where is the promised Parish Council?
Where is the Finance Council’s Share Life Report?
Where is the bishop’s promised visit?
Will there be another diatribe, as was rendered at the 5 pm Mass Oct.16?
_____________________________________________________________
How can our voices be heard? Let your money be your voice.
The following charities listed below are very grateful for your support.
Please continue to send your contributions to them.
1. Catholic Missions of Canada, 201-1155 Yonge St., Toronto, Ont. M4T 1W2
2. St. Vincent de Paul Society, 240 Church St., Toronto, Ont. M5B 1Z2
3. Birthright Mississauga, 307-2600 Edenhurst, Mississauga, Ont. L5A 3Z8
4. Canadian Food for Children, 40 King George Rd. Toronto, Ont. M8X 1L3
5. Ian Anderson House, 430 Winston Churchill Blvd. Oakville, Ont. L6J 7X2.
