Open letter to Pope Francis: thank you for Archbishop Cordileone! (petition)

4,853
6 years ago

By signing this open letter you consent to have your name publicly listed as a signatory, and published below the text of this letter in the newspaper.

BACKGROUND: Any one who agrees with the content of this open letter to Pope Francis is welcome to sign. However, we are primarily seeking the signatures of Catholics located in the San Francisco archdiocese (which includes the San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties) . The goal is to publish this open letter, accompanied by the signatures of the thousands of ordinary local Catholics who support Archbishop Cordileone, in the San Francisco Chronicle. This letter is a response to the recent "open letter" from 100 so-called "prominent" San Francisco Catholics asking Pope Francis to replace Archbishop Cordileone.

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PETITION TO
Pope Francis

FULL TEXT OF OPEN LETTER (Lea la carta en español a continuación)

Dear Holy Father, Pope Francis:

Thank You for the gift of your service and that of your servant-leader, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, to the city of San Francisco.

We, the undersigned, are ordinary Catholics, young and old, daily and occasional Mass attendees, casual and regular recipients of the Sacraments, venial and mortal sinners. We hold no special social standing, no positions of power.

However, we are united by our love of the Catholic Church and the wisdom She imparts through 2,000 years of unchanged doctrine and rich tradition, originating in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. We are also unapologetically pro-life, pro-family and pro-traditional marriage.

For this reason, we wish to express our gratitude for the invaluable gift your predecessor Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI gave San Francisco when he appointed Archbishop Cordileone to shepherd our flock.

Since Archbishop Cordileone’s installation, he has challenged us to better model our lives on the compassionate love of Christ and the teachings of His Church. Under his fatherly guidance the city’s Catholic community has grown in numbers, conviction, and vitality, while the diocese has improved and expanded the Catholic Church’s many services to the city’s poor and marginalized.

Holy Father, those who quote your famous words, “Who am I to judge?”, out of context to promote an agenda, are also quick to dismiss or forget your many strong statements defending traditional Catholic values. Like you, Archbishop Cordileone understands that the Church is in the business of saving souls, and that we cannot afford to compromise on the truth or be complacent when the actions of our brothers and sisters put their souls in peril.

This is why Archbishop Cordileone is exactly the shepherd we need - a shepherd who leads his flock by personal example to live according to a higher moral standard, while simultaneously responding to your call to reach out to sinners and the marginalized on “the peripheries” with the message of the love and mercy of God.

We are saddened that Archbishop Cordileone’s actions have been deliberately misconstrued as “divisive and intolerant” to serve a political agenda by an outspoken minority. However, we are edified by his example, as he has remained steadfast in his convictions, serving as a model of mercy and humility for all of us.

Finally, we humbly and graciously invite you to visit the City of Saint Francis, your patron saint, so you can see for yourself the vibrant community you and your servant-leader Archbishop Cordileone have fostered.

IN ESPAÑOL:

Querido Santo Padre, Papa Francisco:

Gracias por el regalo de su servicio y el de su siervo-líder, el Arzobispo Salvatore Cordileone, a la ciudad de San Francisco.

Nosotros, los firmantes de esta carta, somos Católicos comunes, jóvenes y mayores, de los que asistimos a Misa todos los días y los que vamos ocasionalmente, los que recibimos los Sacramentos con regularidad y los que lo hacemos menos frecuentemente, pecadores veniales y mortales. No ocupamos ninguna posición social especial, ni estamos en puestos de poder.

Sin embargo, estamos unidos por nuestro amor a la Iglesia Católica y a la sabiduría que ella imparte a través de sus 2.000 años de doctrina constante y rica en tradición, originaria de la vida y las enseñanzas de Jesucristo. No tenemos complejos por estar abiertamente a favor de la vida, de la familia, y del matrimonio tradicional.

Por esta razón, queremos expresar nuestra gratitud por el inestimable regalo que su predecesor, el Papa Emérito Benedicto XVI, le dio a San Francisco cuando nombró al Arzobispo Cordileone como pastor de nuestro rebaño.

Desde la instalación del Arzobispo Cordileone, el nos ha desafiado a modelar nuestra vida mas sobre el amor compasivo de Cristo y las enseñanzas de su Iglesia. Bajo su guía paternal, la comunidad Católica de la ciudad ha crecido en número, en convicción y en vitalidad, mientras que la diócesis ha mejorado y ampliado muchos de los servicios que la Iglesia Católica les brinda a los pobres y los marginados.

Santo Padre, los que citan sus famosas palabras: "¿Quién soy yo para juzgar?", fuera de contexto para promover su agenda, también se apresuran a olvidar sus muchas declaraciones claras en defensa de los valores Católicos tradicionales. Al igual que usted, el arzobispo Cordileone entiende que la misión de la Iglesia está en salvar almas, y que no puede permitirse el lujo de renunciar a la verdad o ser complacientes cuando las acciones de nuestros hermanos y hermanas ponen sus almas en peligro.

Es por esto que el Arzobispo Cordileone es exactamente el pastor que necesitamos - un pastor que cuida a su rebaño con el ejemplo personal de vivir de acuerdo con un estándar moral más elevado, y que al mismo tiempo responde a su llamada para llegar a los pecadores y los marginados en "la periferia" con el mensaje del amor y de la misericordia de Dios.

Nos entristece que las acciones del Arzobispo Cordileone hayan sido caracterizadas como "divisoras e intolerantes" para servir a una agenda política por una minoría estridente. Nosotros nos sentimos edificados por su ejemplo, ya que se ha mantenido firme en sus convicciones, sirviendo como modelo de la misericordia y la humildad para todos nosotros.

Por último, con humildad y alegría, le invitamos a visitar la Ciudad de San Francisco, su santo patrón, para que pueda ver por sí mismo la vibrante comunidad que usted y su siervo-líder el Arzobispo Cordileone ha fomentado.

Open letter to Pope Francis: thank you for Archbishop Cordileone! (petition)

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