Arlington Diocese's response on Papal Mass tickets for Catholics with criminal records

On March 2, the Pastor of Cathedral of St. Thomas More, Arlington Diocese, stated after mass that persons with criminal records (other than minor traffic offenses) would be denied admittance to the upcoming Papal Mass in DC. I approached the Pastor after the mass with my objections to that policy. He again stated that such an exclusion was the policy. He said he would convey my concerns to the relevant authorities. Because I was unsatisfied with his response, I wrote a letter to the Bishop that evening and mailed the letter the next morning. No announcement at mass on March 9 addressed the concerns that I brought to the Pastor's attention the previous Sunday. So, that Sunday evening (March 9), I wrote a blog post about welcoming Catholics with a criminal record. That story was subsequently picked up by DC Catholic blog and the Pope 2008 blog of the National Catholic Register.

Today I received a response from the Diocese of Arlington. With a letter dated March 13, Diocese Chancellor Mark Herrmann responded on behalf of Bishop Loverde. Bracketed by generic opening and closing paragraphs was this main paragraph of his letter:

There does appear to have been a misunderstanding at some level, because there is not a blanket exclusion of Catholics with criminal records from attending the Papal Mass. We are, however, requiring parishes to limit their ticket distributions to registered parishioners, and to submit a list of the names and addresses of those who are to receive tickets. Also, those attending the Mass will be required to have a government-issued ID and to enter the stadium through a magnetometer. Both individuals and their bags may be subject to search.

Consider the first sentence of the above paragraph. There was never any question about there being "a blanket exclusion of Catholics with criminal records." According to the announcement at the Cathedral on March 2, Catholics with criminal records consisting of minor traffic offenses were permitted to attend the Papal Mass. So, the Diocese's response is literally consistent with the announcement made at the Cathedral. Perhaps this is only a small matter of exact language. In the light of Christian spirit and charity, perhaps the Diocese's response should be interpreted to mean that all Catholics with criminal records (other than minor traffic offenses) are not categorically excluded from attending the Papal Mass.

But, as a matter of Christian spirit, what says the first clause, "There does appear to have been a misunderstanding at some level"? I don't expect the Bishop to tell me whether Fr. Rippy misunderstood the policy, or whether there was a misunderstanding between Fr. Rippy and some other Church official. Confessing to me who is at fault is unimportant. Much more important is that an incorrect and hurtful announcement was made after mass in the Cathedral on March 2. Do church officials recognize their mistake? Will the incorrect public announcement be corrected? Is the Church concerned about statements that could make Catholics with criminal records feel unwelcomed at the Papal Mass? Sadly, the Arlington Diocese's response doesn't answer these questions.

The rest of the main paragraph of the Diocese's response is not relevant to the specific concerns that I raised. All except the first sentence of the main paragraph have nothing to do with the announcement at the Cathedral that parishioners with criminal records (other than minor traffic offenses) will not be permitted to attend the Papal Mass. Suffering from weak faith, I can't help suspect some element of bad faith in ignoring the specific issues I raised while providing details about other aspects of tickets and admission. For my weak faith, pray for me! For priests and bishops to act Christian, especially towards the lowly and the shunned, pray for them!

welcoming all Catholics to the Papal Mass in DC

The Pastor of the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington, VA, last Sunday announced after mass that persons with a criminal record (other than minor traffic offenses) should not apply for tickets to the Papal Mass in DC, because they will not be allowed to attend. That seems to me to be profoundly un-Christian.

Outside the church after mass, I told the Pastor that categorically excluding persons with a criminal record was wrong. But he didn't recognize any responsibility for what he said. He said that the decision wasn't his decision, that the Secret Service required this, and that there are 400 bishops who lead the church, not him. That evening I wrote to Bishop Loverde, of the Diocese of Arlington, VA, and Archbishop Wuerl, of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, asking for their attention to this matter. At this Sunday's mass at the Cathedral there was no correction of last Sunday's announcement.

Most Christians probably would not want to attend a mass that categorically excluded Christians with criminal records. I don't believe that Pope Benedict XVI would celebrate the Papal Mass in DC if he knew that it categorically excluded Catholics with criminal records. Catholics with criminal records are just as worthy as any other Catholics to participate in the sacraments of the Church. Please help to proclaim this truth.

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Text of my letter to Bishop Loverde, with copy sent to Father Rippy:


March 2, 2008


Bishop Paul S. Loverde
The Catholic Diocese of Arlington
200 North Glebe Road
Arlington, VA 22203

Dear Bishop Loverde:

The Mass that Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate in Washington on April 17 will give a few lucky members of our Diocese a special opportunity to participate in the Church universal that Pope Benedict visibly represents. Scripture makes clear that Christ came for sinners and that prisoners are particular important persons in this universal Church. I do not believe that Pope Benedict would agree to celebrate this Mass if it categorically excluded persons with a criminal record other than minor traffic offenses.

At the 5 pm mass today at the Cathedral of Saint Thomas More, Father Rippy announced the procedure for parishioners seeking Papal Mass tickets from among the 27 tickets allocated to Cathedral parishioners. He added that because people are dumb, or seem to be getting dumber, that persons with a criminal record should not apply for tickets. He explained that the Secret Service would receive the names of persons allocated tickets and that the Secret Service would check those names against names in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. He said that persons with a criminal record, other than minor traffic offenses, would not be allowed to attend.

Please take the following actions:

1. Clarify throughout the Diocese that persons with criminal records are welcomed and valued members of the Diocese.

2. Establish whether the Papal Mass is being celebrated under security rules that categorically exclude Catholics with a criminal record other than minor traffic offenses.

3. If such an exclusion exists, work as an urgent matter to replace that exclusion with a policy that excludes from the Mass a person only if that person presents specific, relevant security concerns that cannot be feasibly and adequately addressed without excluding the person. Thus, for example, persons who were convicted of drug offense and served their judicially established penalty would not be excluded from participating in the Papal Mass.

4. If such an exclusion does not exist, ensure that parishioners who received incorrect information are informed that having a criminal record is not a categorical bar to participating in the Papal Mass.

Please let me know promptly of your intention to take these actions.

“Lord, when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and cloth you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?” And the king will say to them in reply, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”


Sincerely,



Douglas Galbi


Cc: Father Rippy

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Update: The Arlington's Diocese's response.