Support Fr. Rodriguez – send a letter to Apostolic Nuncio

If you would like to support Fr. Rodriguez by more concrete action than prayer, you could, in your charity, send a letter to the Apostolic Nuncio  indicating your support.  Some form letters are provided below for your convenience:

SAMPLE:

Your Excellency,

My name is [Joe Smith] and I live in [Chicago, IL].  As a faithful Catholic, I am very concerned and upset with the latest action taken by Bishop Armando Ochoa against Fr. Michael Rodríguez.  Fr. Rodríguez is a good priest who has helped me through the sermons he provides. it appears the action the bishop has taken is unjust and is motivated by the fact that Fr. Rodriguez taught the Chruch’s truth regarding the sanctity of marriage and the sinfulness of homosexual actions. It would be a great help to the faith of all Catholics and a witness to non-Catholics as well if Holy Mother Church looked into this matter directly and ensured that truth, goodness and justice prevailed in the matter. Please your Excellency, we ask you to investigate and intervene in the matter. We are convinced this is an unjust persecution of Fr. Rodríguez and is outrageous.

SAMPLE:

Your Excellency,

My name is [Mary Johnson] and I am a Catholic from [Dallas, TX]. I have been a Catholic all my life (or I converted to Catholicism x years ago, or even I am a non-Catholic if that be the case]. I have followed the situation from Fr. Rodriguez from afar, especially because I believe in holy Matrimony [or anything else, like the Truth of the Faith, appreciate the Latin Mass, etc.]. I am dismayed that Bishop Ochoa has chosen to make a public case against Fr. Rodriguez, since it seems it would have been far more prudent to deal with this matter in the internal forum of the Church. Such actions do not seem to help the Church or provide a good witness to the world of how Christians should act. Your Excellency, we implore that you investigate and intervene in the matter directly. An outside third party, be it the newly assigned Bishop to El Paso or a temporary Diocesan Administrator,  would be able to examine the evidence, hear the parties involved fairly, and arrive at an honest, just, and objective solution to the matter without hurting the Church or causing any slander. I believe this would by far be in the best interests of the people of El Paso, Catholics all over the world, and Holy Mother Church. Our prayers are with you and the Holy Father, Pope Benedict, and may our Lord strengthen you with His grace.

SAMPLE: 

Even a personal testimony can help, regarding what you know of how Fr. Rodriguez lives, very simply and never misusing money. For example, someone already sent me this email. Details like this can be incorporated into a letter to the nuncio: “Everybody who met Father Rodríguez knows he is a very simple person. When he was here he asked me even to be transferred to a cheaper hotel because he thought the hotel I arranged for him, which was considerably simple at that time, was too sophisticated for him. He despises even technological gadgets in his sermons. I remember his desire to take a bus instead of a taxi with a lot of suitcases. How can that bishop make such a terrible accusation against Father Rodríguez?” This is just one person’s simple experience of Father but the testimony is a powerful one and will help the Nuncio understand who the people are that are involved in this situation.

What should be common to all the letters is an expression of confidence in and support for Fr. Rodríguez, and a plea for the Nuncio to intervene on Father’s behalf.

Letters to the Nuncio can be sent to:

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano

Apostolic Nuncio to the United States

3339 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20008-3687

[End samples/Quote]

If you would like to make up your own letter, be sure to stress that you perceive this action against Fr. Rodriguez to be unjust and that Fr. Rodriguez is an upright, virtuous, and stalwart defender of the Faith.

I think many prayers should also be offered for Bishop Ochoa and whatever needs he has with regard to growth in virtue, execution of the office of bishop, etc..