On Sunday, June 23rd (Corpus Christi), Gaylord Diocesan Watch hosted its first conference in Petoskey. Over 70 people attended. Concerned faithful from across the Diocese, representing numerous parishes, came to share their insights, stories, criticisms, and compliments regarding this apostolate. We received numerous suggestions and heard a variety of concerns.
In addition to continued concerns of the plight of Father Matthew Cowan, points of discussion included the following:
- The transfer of disgraced Fr. Dennis Stilwell from St. Francis Church in Petoskey to St. Matthew Church in Boyne City as Sacramental Minister
- Lack of transparency and accountability of the Diocese
- Anger and frustration by many over what they see is corruption and cover-up in the Diocese
- Concerns of the Catholic Services Appeal and its funding of organizations opposed to Church teaching
- Suggestions and constructive criticism of Gaylord Diocesan Watch actions, both past and future
- The need to have an organization such as this to reach more of the faithful, including those who do not have regular or any internet access
We want to offer our sincere thanks to all who came and had a voice. It is truly heartening to see so many sincere and concerned Catholics who love their Church and desire nothing more than truth, holiness, and the Catholic Way! It has inspired us to take your words to make our apostolate even better.
An invitation for a Diocesan representative was sent to the Diocese on June 8, 2019. We have a certified mail receipt to confirm the Diocese received this invitation. The invitation was received in the Diocesan office on June 10, 2019. We received no response from the Diocese as of noon on Friday, June 21st. An Email was received by Gaylord Diocesan Watch from Candace Neff, Commications Director of the Diocese, on Friday afternoon stating that a representative of the Diocese would not be present to speak at the meeting.
We strongly encourage all concerned Catholics to write Bishop Raica with any concerns they have with regard to their parish or the Diocese. We strongly recommend that correspondence be sent via certified mail in order to track the status of the correspondence. Also, we highly encourage that a copy of all Diocesan correspondence also be sent to the papal nuncio. We have been told (by reliable sources) it is the policy of the nuncio’s office that all letters and information they receive regarding Bishop Raica and the Diocese is recorded and filed. The address is below:
Archbishop Christophe Pierre
Papal Nuncio
3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20008