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Contents © 2005
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

LETTERS
December 2005

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A STUDENT OF THE DIVINE WILL

(Editor's note: this letter was edited for length. The spirit remains.)

In response to Robert Kumpel's article about the Divine Will, ("Divine Inspiration, or Satanic Ploy," November 2005), first of all I place myself in God's Divine Will and I write this with Jesus from my nothingness.

There are many devotions in the rich treasury of our church, including, but not limited to the Divine Mercy, and Mr. Sullivan is to be applauded for his work in propagating the devotion of the Divine Mercy. However, I feel called to respond to Mr. Sullivan's attack on the Divine Will, because it is obvious that he has not been fully informed of just how the Divine Will is a separate spirituality and totally distinct from Divine Mercy....

God has chosen Luisa as His "instrument" or "link" for revealing the next step in His Divine plan for humanity. Luisa's life speaks for itself -- her confessor, Saint Annibale Maria Di Francia, and the first person on earth to die with the gift of the Divine Will (after the Blessed Virgin Mary, of course), has already been elevated to sainthood. The cause for Luisa's beatification is in process. Theologians in Rome have determined that nothing in her writings is opposed to teachings of the Catholic Church, and they have the imprimatur. Luisa's volumes appropriately have the title -- The Kingdom of the Divine Fiat in the Midst of Creatures, Book of Heaven, The Call to the Creature to Return to the Order, to the Place, and to the Purpose for Which It was Created by God

Luisa's writings were confiscated and held in the Vatican until 1994, when Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI), who was in charge of the archives at that time, gave permission for the original writings to be copied. Five people -- three priests, a layman and laywoman, were allowed to go into the Vatican and photocopy all the original writings of Luisa, which comprised 36 volumes.

Shortly after, they were translated into English and two of these same people were directed by God to bring the volumes to Julian, California, through the San Diego Marian Center for Peace. There, at a Holy Spirit inspired presentation to approximately 50 people, myself included, we were introduced to the spirituality of the Divine Will. I have been a student of the Divine Will ever since, and have read, and am now re-reading and studying, all the available volumes. The Divine Will is a great gift -- and He wants to give it to us -- to restore us to our original state as when Adam and Eve were created ... to those who are disposed to receive it.

Jesus told Luisa: "...to reestablish the Kingdom of my Will on earth, there must be sufficient acts by creatures (souls) to keep my Kingdom from remaining suspended and enable it to descend and take form upon the very acts which creatures have formed in order to obtain such an immense good.... Since God has established and ordered everything, He awaits that souls pray more insistently and with the power of their prayer, strengthened by the power of his own Will, draw down the Eternal Will from Heaven and with their sweet chains of love tie it to the earth in order to let it reign in the midst of creatures."

Satan uses pride, egoism and ambition to cause divisiveness and confusion -- what better way to try to stop the spread of the Divine Will. That is his ploy ... not the Divine Will, as Mr. Sullivan suggests.

I hope this clears up Mr. Sullivan's confusion about the distinction between the Divine Will and Divine Mercy ... Mercy is part of His Will. I again applaud Mr. Sullivan's dedication and enthusiasm in promoting the Divine Mercy. His enthusiasm is also a gift from God and I invite him to use this very same enthusiasm further in exploring the writings of Luisa Piccarreta. God's adorable Divine Will is a gift for His people and can be accepted, or rejected -- "For many are called, but few are chosen." For myself, I only continually work at being faithful and attentive ... FIAT!

Mary Hills,
Alpine

FIAT!

How much of the [Piccarreta] writings has Robert Kumpel read and how much of his article is based on conjec ture? I found his article truly offensive and will respond that it was this Pope who released the books from the ar chives. Let the Holy Mother Church decide on the writings please and just for one moment look at who was Luisa Pic caretta. You may be surprised and even draw to her when you see the virtues that are displayed by her. God Bless you in His Holy Divine Will! Fiat!

Philip
(via email)

DEAR MR. KUMPEL

I was shocked by your article against the Divine Will mostly because the Divine Mercy Devotion does not contain anything against the Divine Will nor do the Divine Will writings contain anything against the Divine Mercy. Do you know why? Because anything that goes against the Will of God is a sin.

The Divine Will is the very Life of God, it is His eternal love, it is His movement, it is His wisdom, it is His justice, and it is also his Divine Mercy. This means that God's mercy as well as His justice and everything that God is by Nature is willed by Him, because His Divine Will is nothing other than His love.

The Divine Will is the very life that Jesus and Mary lived here on earth, it is the divine life for which God created Adam and Eve, so that they could give God the glory, the honor, the love, and adoration that He deserves to receive from His creatures. That's why God created us in His image and likeness.

Living in the Divine Will is nothing but the fulfillment, in this time and age, of the Our Father prayer, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."

May God give you the Grace to live in His Divine Will and in His love always.

Teresita
(via email)

ESPEDAL'S OUT OF HIS MIND

I am writing to you in reference to Stanford Espedal's articles. He is very detailed in his descriptions, even down to what the people were wearing. However, I wonder what is the purpose of these articles? They seem just to make statements without any real purpose. Also I take exception with Mr. Espedal's thoughts on the tabernacle at St. John of the Cross in Lemon Grove. I think he gives away what thoughts are truly in his heart when he describes the tabernacle as "obscene." Who in their right mind would have "obscene" thoughts when looking at a tabernacle in a church.

Additionally Mr. Espedal is not always accurate in his articles. For example in his article about Saint John of the Cross in Lemon Grove (Roamin' Catholic, November 2005) Monsignor Ned did not ask the people to read the financial report, it was the "balding man in the dark suit" who said that. But that is a very minor point. I am the "balding man in the dark suit," and Mr. Espedal's synopsis of my talk was close but not completely accurate. In his last sentence he uses quotation marks. I never said that nor used that particular verse of scripture in my talk. Yes, it generally captures the point of my talk. However, it is incorrect to attribute his interpretation as a quote.

Bill Zucconi

SAN DIEGO'S CATHOLIC MINI-RENAISSANCE

Thanks to the good folks at News Notes for your valuable work ("Tradition Begone," by Robert Kumpel, November 2005). Fallout from Blessed Sacrament's dismissal of Chorus Breviarii is both ironic and illustrative. Almost immediately after receiving word the group was no longer welcome at Blessed Sacrament, Chorus Breviarii received a brilliant letter of praise from Rosaries for Peace (RFP). The RFP committee wrote of the wondrous sound filling the Jenny Craig Pavilion at USD this summer, and how such a return to traditional music through Chorus Breviarii is so essential. They also hoped we'd come back next year. This event was celebrated by Bishop Cordileone, countless clergy, and roughly three thousand people.

A couple of weeks later, completely undaunted by the nonsensical criticisms outlined in the article, Chorus Breviarii participated for the second year in a row at the Padre Pio Mass held in the Immaculata. The September 25th event was completely under the musical direction of Chorus Breviarii. The reaction? Besides comments of 'wonderful' and 'beautiful,' Bishop Chavez himself publicly thanked the 'Latin group' for its service.

What's clear is there seems to be a giant hunger for a return to recognizable, solemn, and liturgically sound Catholicism. Evidence? While most San Diegans were stuffing their faces with Halloween candy, close to one hundred people gathered in Saint John the Evangelist church on October 31st to reclaim All Hallows Eve for Christ. No ghouls, no pagan references, no culturally deadening costumes. For almost two hours, glorious polyphony and chant could be heard by psalmists praising and thanking God during Vespers. Two priests, a seminarian, and almost 20 men in careful and beautiful vestments packed the sanctuary to reassert tradition, to reassert what's good, and to reassert what's right.

My prayers go out to the poor souls not aware of the mini-Renaissance of Catholicism happening in San Diego. There is hope: Chorus Breviarii is more active than ever. Pax tecum,

Craig Kelso,
San Diego

BIG MISTAKE

Regarding "Tradition Begone" in the November 2005 issue: Chorus Breviarii should not be surprised that they are no longer welcome at Blessed Sacrament Parish. They were instructed to say the new rite of the Mass in Latin, not the Tridentine Mass. Technically, that is just what they did. However, they made a big mistake in moving the altar around and saying the Mass with the priest facing the tabernacle. This is not wrong in itself but one must first have permission from the pastor before changing the location of the altar. I might add that it is very difficult for ordinary Catholics to distinguish between the Tridentine Mass and the new rite said in Latin while facing the tabernacle. It was therefore logical for someone to assume the Mass was of the Tridentine rite. In not being specific with the pastor, Chorus Breviarii overstepped their bounds, and in doing so, deprived the parish of something good. I like having the Mass in Latin but we must follow the rules and have complete permission from the pastor.

David Lopez,
10th Grade,
Bay Park

LAME INDEED

Regarding the article "What Do You Have to Do to Lose Your License" [by Carlos Reyes, November 2005] -- give me a break. That article that you wrote is lame! Have you checked to see how Dr. Rivera's life is today.... Tell us something positive instead of trying to bash other people's lives.

The abortion issue will always be there. For once let a good doctor who really cares about his patients and makes it a rule to see his patients before the procedure and talks with them and tells them they have other options, instead of just going into that room and performing the procedure and not giving a shit about the patient ... all they want is to get paid ... which would you prefer?

Has Dr. Rivera killed anyone or has he been sued like Dr. Phillips. Give us those facts not what happened to him years ago ... lame ... you call yourself a reporter?

Why don't you investigate his life today and report what happened then and how much his life has changed today because of that incident. There are so many doctors, attorney's, judges, athletes that have the disease of alcoholism and I think Dr. Rivera's life would inspire other people to think about what they're doing and how different their lives could be. I looked up Dr. Rivera's license and I'm sorry to tell you that his license was not revoked! Why don't you let the real reporters do their jobs!!!!

Everyone has a past, do you? "He who has not sinned throw the first stone"

Elizabeth Moreno
(via email)

PAPAL PRIMACY

(Editor's note: This letter was edited for length.)

Stanford Espedal is to be commended for a fine report on the Orientale Lumen IX Conference held June 13-16 at the University of San Diego. ("East Meets in West, September 2005). The speakers at the conference who contributed to the Catholic-Orthodox dialogue and the liturgical services celebrated there did much to acquaint those in attendance with the problems that impede the restoration of full communion between the Eastern Orthodox churches and the See of Peter.

The interview between Espedal and Archbishop Vsevolod of Scopelos of the Ukranian Orthodox of the Ukranian Orthodox Church of the USA was especially interesting and the hierarch's answers worthy of comment. The Archbishop, who is known for his warm sympathies for reunion with Rome, acknowledged once again that the Pope must be regarded as "the first among equals" among all the hierarchs of the Church and that there can be no ecumenical council without his participation and approval. "During the first millennium there was no question that the first among all bishops was the Pope of Rome."

There remains, however, a certain ambiguity in the Archbishop's comments on the Pope being "the first among equals" as there is in his (and others) long- hoped-for ecumenical council of Catholic and Orthodox bishops coming together to recognize Papal primacy as of divine origin. It is important to note here that an ecumenical council cannot teach papal primacy to be of divine origin what is not already of divine origin by the words and will of Christ and acknowledged as such not only in the first millennium of the Church but in the second millennium as well. The divine origin of the petrine office was not instituted or established by any ecumenical council. It was rather instituted by the Lord of the Church Himself as disclosed in the foundational texts of scripture (the famous Petrine texts: Matt. 16:18; Luke 22:31-32; Jn. 21:15-17), and long ago acknowledged at the famous Reunion Council of Florence, and at Vatican I and Vatican II. By the grace of God another ecumenical council would bring about the welcome acceptance of papal primacy as of divine rather than ecclesiastical origin by our Eastern Orthodox brethren but that acceptance would only confirm the existence of a petrine office in the hierarchical structure of the Church which Christ Himself established as necessary for its visible unity.

James Likoudis
Montour Falls, New York

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