From: Theodore Heuchling [theuchling@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2006 10:09 AM
To: 's Ou'; Arnold Colletti; Donna Heuchling
Subject: Our Fate
 
Dear All,
 Please, please, read this, and think about it!
 Like everyone else, but for my own reasons, I was very disappointed by 
last night's joint PPC meeting.
 The Cardinal has said that we may have two parishes under one pastor 
in Lexington, but he wants us to be one Catholic community. Despite 
what the Cardinal has said, Father Colletti and some members of the St. 
Brigid PPC are pushing to merge our two parishes into one, as the only 
way they see that we can be one community.
 Father Colletti and the Cardinal would both prefer one parish. Why? 
Because it would be simpler to administer, and at least in the 
abstract, would diminish the potential for conflict. However, in the 
real situation in which we find ourselves, it would exacerbate rather 
than diminish existing conflicts, because it would shove down the 
throats of Sacred Heart parishioners the elimination of their parish.
 I believe that the Cardinal has come to understand this. Hence his 
willingness to countenance two parishes under one Pastor.
 The evident ambiguity in the Cardinal's position requires us to 
discern what he means by being willing to allow two parishes under one 
pastor, but desiring one Catholic community in Lexington. I believe 
that he must mean that he wants us all to work together to build the 
body of Christ in Lexington, even if we are members of two distinct 
parishes.
 I believe that the members of Sacred Heart parish are absolutely 
willing to commit themselves to doing that, but we wish Sacred Heart to 
remain a parish. Our parishioners may have differing reasons for that 
desire, but they have nevertheless expressed it over and over again. 
It is a desire deeply held. It is pointless to argue about whether the 
reasons for that desire are valid. Implicitly, the Cardinal has 
recognized the validity of that desire.
 The question which remains, and must be answered, is whether the 
members of the St. Brigid PPC and Father Colletti are willing to commit 
themselves to working with the parishioners of Sacred Heart, as a 
separate and distinct parish, to build the body of Christ in 
Lexington. Until that question is answered in the affirmative, I don't 
think that those of us who have been working for the past two and a 
half years to sustain Sacred Heart parish should be expected to cease 
our efforts.
 Sincerely, Ted Heuchling
P.S. Shukong, I have asked Donna to send this e-mail to the members of 
the two PPC's. Would you be good enough to put it on the web-site. 
Thanks very much.