Letter to Pope Francis

Everyday people are straying away from the church and going back to God.
Lenny Bruce

I do benefits for all religions---I'd hate to blow the hereafter on a technicality.                Bob Hope

All religions are the same: basically guilt, with different holidays.               Cathy Ladman

Dear most promising and potentially loving Pope Francis,

In my most head bowed, humble request I'd like to implore you in the strongest language [without one swear word uttered] to please be a Pope for all the people of the world. 

If you do this, you could literally save lives. This saving lives was true of the "Pope of the People", the late, great Pope John the XXIII. Prior to becoming Pope in 1958, he valiantly, without constraint, saved the lives of hundred of thousands of Jews, the handicapped, and Gypsies from the Nazis prior to and during WWII. Your opportunity is at hand. Without constraint and quite simply, you could encourage the faithful and the faithless to use condoms. This could prevent the needless loss of life to AIDS throughout the world. Just by making this a health issue, not a moral problem, you'd literally save millions of lives. Think of it, millions of souls saved by saying a few words. Then, another reality to consider: if your faithful do acquire AIDS and die, they leave their children behind or worse infect them also. The condom helps prevent children from becoming orphans. I believe this is the strongest and most loving Christian act: to help children of the world live and enable adults to lead healthier lives.

Another point I'd like to see you address is truth and bravery in the Church. This is something that the Catholic Church [basically this is true of all fundamentalist religions] has been cowardly about. Please come out strong and hard on the men who inflict harm on their small brethren, the defiled innocents. Take a stand! Use your position to not only condemn but punish the pedophiles who have sexually and emotionally abused so many children. Incarceration and excomunication come to mind as appropriate responses. Be fearless and point the way to holiness, goodness and truth. Use your position for good, it's only right to get abuse out of the church.  

I am hoping in your work with the poor in South American and championing their plights and rights that you will recognize and honor the good works done by the Nuns of the world. Lately they have been unfairly [and ridiculously] villainized by the former Pope and our  bishop in Seattle. These women give succor and love to the least loved and cared for in the world and this is the epitome of goodness. In short, this ministering to the poor and downtrodden is what the Church should stand for. The Nuns generosity should be cherished, acknowledged and valued.

Finally, thank you from the bottom of my soul, for injecting hope into the heart of millions of Catholics who were walking, or even running away from the Church in disgust. Take the road that leads to the greater good for the most. Let all your actions and utterances be based on love. Love is all there is. After all, isn't that the only words that can be verified that Christ said, "love one and other". Fulfill his dream [and mine!], be loving to all the people. 
Yours sincerely in truth and justice, Susan R. Grout

susansmagicfeather copyright 2013 Susan R. Grout all rights reserved