Pastor receives disturbing letter regarding church policy

Father Jason Vidrine issued a letter in response to a letter of protest he recently received, but the chairman of a committee chosen by Bishop Michael Jarrell assured the community that the letter of protest had nothing to do with parents and alumni of Sacred Heart School who have been protesting over issues involving that school’s administrative policies.
Father Vidrine’s letter (below) summarizes the seriousness of the offense presented by the letter he received. He begins the letter by requesting it be read during all local Masses during the weekend of May 30 and 31.
“Recently, I (Father Vidrine) received a disturbing letter, which even in view of the many passionate letters about our school indicates a situation of extreme gravity. The anonymous letter, communicated disagreement with parish policies about music at Catholic funerals. However, the letter indicated that unnamed people have planned to show their protest by:
•pretending to receive Holy Communion
•then putting consecrated Hosts in their pockets
•inserting them in hymnals or
•even leaving the Hosts in the pews.
“Scotch taped to this terrible letter were three Hosts. As you hear this, I hope that you are as horrified as I am The implication, of the words, was that taped to this letter, was the Blessed Sacrament, the Body, Blood Soul and Divinity of Jesus. This action is without precedent. I (Father Vidrine) had no other choice than to consider them to be Consecrated Hosts. I (he), therefore, treated the Hosts with the reverence and Catholic procedures for a dignified disposal of these Hosts.
“Monsignor Curtis Mallet, Vicar General for the Diocese, cautions that to treat the Blessed Sacrament in this way is criminal action in Canon Law. A Catholic who commits sacrilege against the Blessed Sacrament is automatically excommunicated by that very action, if the person knows that this action is wrong and if the act is premeditated. If any person did this out of uncontrolled anger and without knowledge of its implications, they are now warned that to do it again will result in their automatic excommunication. Even Bishop Jarrell cannot remove this excommunication. It is reserved only to the Apostolic See in Rome.
“Canon 1367 clearly states: ‘A person who throws away the consecrated species or who takes them or retains them for a sacrilegious purpose incurs automatic (latae setentiae) excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See: if a cleric, he can be punished with another penalty including dismissal from the clerical state.’
“Bishop Michael Jarrell has asked that I inform you of the severity of this matter. For a person to treat the Eucharist with such contempt is a crime against what we Catholics hold most dear. We are simply aghast because this is a sin against our religion. Deliberate irreverence towards the Holy Eucharist is reputed the worst of all sacrileges.
“We Catholics, upon entering a Catholic Church, genuflect, or if unable, bow towards the altar. We prepare our children carefully for their First Holy Communion. We spend Holy Hours of devotion before the tabernacle. We do so out of reverence and love. No matter how strong our anger might be we cannot allow ourselves to disgrace the holiness of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus.
“I (Father Vidrine) am (is) asking our ushers to stand with all ministers of Holy Communion to stand vigilant against abuses. If there are not enough ushers, I ask that a volunteer stand with each minister of Holy Communion.
“The Church invites every Christian to pray for forgiveness and repentance of those who committed these acts.”
The letter ends with a prayer of reparation.
During the first meeting in Ville Platte, of a five-member Blue Ribbon Committee named by Diocese of Lafayette Bishop Michael Jarrell to resolve certain issues involving the administration of Sacred Heart School, the committee chairman spoke about the letter Father Vidrine received.
The committee chairman, Joseph Giglio, said that letter “had nothing to do with the conflict,” between the school administration and the protesting parents and alumni. “You may rest assured it will not enter our deliberations,” as the committee determines what recommendations it will make to the bishop.
The meeting of the Blue Ribbon Committee with parents of Sacred Heart School students and other interested people took place on the same day, Sunday, May 31, as Father Vidrine’s letter was read during Mass to local congregations.