Dear OLOL Parishioners,

Every diocese throughout the world is broken up into deaneries. These territorial groupings of parishes
permit a bishop to better communicate on a more personal level with his flock. In the Diocese of Metuchen,
our parish is part of the Round Valley Deanery. During Bishop Emeritus Bootkoski’s bishopric, Lay Deanery
Councils were instituted, which assist the pastors of the parishes in their mission. Our Council, answering
the call of the Bishop to bring people together in prayer and reflection, has organized many events, such as
a Jubilee Year Prayer Service and a Youth Concert. In the spring of 2017, the Council suggested an
evening of reflection for Lent 2018 that might bring parishioners together to prayerfully celebrate this holy
season. Council members felt that a national speaker would make this event more meaningful.

After much research and consultation with the clergy, the group agreed to invite internationally known
speaker Fr. James Martin, SJ to offer a reflection on his book, JESUS: A PILGRIMAGE. He agreed and
suggested Thursday, February 15, his only open date for the season of Lent. Once confirmed, I agreed to
host Fr. Martin at our parish. All was going well in preparation for the event until Tuesday, January 16. From
that day forward, I have received many calls and emails from individuals who are not pleased with Fr.
Martin’s speaking at our church. Their difficulties with Fr. Martin arise from his most recent book, BUILDING
A BRIDGE, in which he reflects upon how our Church is called to open its doors to “build bridges” with the
LGBT community. Their concern is that in the book Fr. Martin focuses on respect, compassion, and
sensitivity and not on moral teachings. Although Fr. Martin’s reflection on February 15 is on Lent and Jesus,
they do not want him to speak on any topic because of this book. They have gone so far as to plan a protest
at the Church at the time of Fr. Martin’s talk. All are entitled to their opinions; however, we need to reflect on
the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 7, which reads, “do not judge lest ye be judged.”

My intent was to support the Council and their efforts and address the situation when I returned from my time
away, which was this week. Last weekend I received a call and an email from a group that has been quite
vocal and aggressive in their actions on this topic. Since I didn’t immediately respond to their request, they
have been sending emails to the parish staff and me almost daily. Also a number of other groups,
encouraged by the initial group, have gotten onto the bandwagon with email blasts to individuals throughout
the country and an online petition to cancel the talk.

The decision whether to have Fr. Martin speak is not mine to make; it is up to the Council. However our
hosting of the event is up to me. I thought about it a great deal over these days that I have been away from
the parish. I considered how our parish has dealt with not only the death of our former pastor, Fr. Gall, but
the ghastly revelation that he was murdered. This situation became national news. I then reflected on last
year’s tragic incident at Penn State resulting in the death of one of our young parishioners. Again, during a
time of great sadness and grief, his family and our parish were thrust into the news. And so I asked the
simple question: Do we need to go through this once again?

After much prayer and reflection this week, I have decided to rescind the offer to use our parish as a site for
the talk. It was a difficult decision, but when all is said and done, I can be at peace that our parish, our staff,
and our community will be without divisive individuals and circumstances in our midst as we prepare for and
begin the season of Lent. I am certain that there will be many ramifications to this decision, but I can
confidently move forward knowing that this decision was not influenced by any organization or group of
individuals but by my conscience and the good of the parish.

This season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving can only be meaningful if we open our hearts and minds to the
love and compassion of the one who gave His life so that we could all be saved.

Fr. Len Rusay, Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes

January 26, 2018