Dear Friends,
These are trying times for us Catholics. But as a careful student of Church history could tell you, the times have always been trying.
The advice of the Apostle Paul remains as useful to us as it was to the Philippians: “Work out your own salvation in fear and trembling.” We cannot allow the moral or doctrinal failings of the princes of the Church to slacken our steadfast pursuit of heaven.
However, we can, and must, storm heaven with our prayers. Prayers that those good priests and bishops who are obedient to God and faithful to their vows of consecration may find strength in these evil times to continue to strive for holiness. Prayers that God will raise up more men like them as our future pastors. Prayers that these men will work to purify the Church from within. Prayers for graces for them and for us. Prayers that we, too, will persevere in striving toward holiness.
In addition to our prayers, we should each be offering some portion of our daily works and sufferings as acts of reparation for the damage done to souls and to the Church. As these sins cry to heaven, so too, our offerings will rise to heaven and may yet be the trigger for a great renewal.
Frankly, as donors to the MEFV you have already begun that work. Because of your financial sacrifice of donations to the MEFV, more men and women are in religious life, daily praying for the sanctity of men in the priesthood.
I thank you and encourage you to persevere in your giving to the MEFV. Not only for the good of our individual grant recipients, but for the good of the whole Church.