Dear Editor:
In response to Kathleen Gibson's column that appeared in September 25 edition of Yorkton This Week titled "Pope Francis is Dead Wrong", I would like to say the following: "Pope Francis is absolutely right in his thinking. Just as Jesus did over two thousand years, Francis is modeling true Christian evangelization by his actions of living a simpler life and showing great love for all. The clerics of his time, the scribes and the Pharisees, worked to discredit him because he did not follow the law, and we all know where Jesus ended. Jesus died for everyone of us - Christian, Muslim, atheist and everyone else as we are all sinners.
As Christians, Muslims, and Jews, we all agree that Abraham is the father of our faith, and I would venture to say that he is certainly in heaven even though he never knew Jesus, never accepted Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, never became a christian. He is the father of our faith. That is a part of the Tradition of my Catholic faith that many others believe to be true.
Pope Francis, like Jesus, is witnessing to all people without judgement or condemnation. I would like to share with readers the beginning of that infamous sentence that Kathleen Gibson and others have failed to emphasize and I quote Pope Francis: "Given that-and this is the key point - God's mercy has no limits, if you go to him with a sincere and repentant heart..."
And further on in Pope Francis' letter he concludes: "Despite the slowness, the infidelity, the errors and sins it committed and might still commit against its members, the church, trust me, has no other meaning and goal but to live and witness Jesus."
And in my mind, Pope Francis will continue to witness Jesus in everything he does. My hope and prayer is that others will stop their condemnation of this holy man and instead help to witness the love of Jesus to all. In this way we can help to build the kingdom on earth and help fulfill Jesus' final prayer "that they all may be one".
Gerry Yacishyn,
Yorkton, SK.
