More About Edward

Dear Kanickers,
The firing of Edward Arguelles is the LAST STRAW for the parishioners of Holy Spirit!

Why was Edward fired if not for disciplinary action?

It was because he wore “black” to show support for his fellow brothers and sisters that have now all been removed from their life-long ministries simply because they are considered “Catholics-Not-in-Good-Standing” by our Most Reverend Monsignor Father Louie. If someone does not agree with him, they are quickly classified and “removed”. Who has given this man the right to declare that ANYONE is not a Catholic-in-Good-Standing?

Edward has given 23 years of his life to Holy Spirit Parish! Sundays… Weekends… After-hours... Whenever! He and his lovely family have been model parishioners. He has always been there, ready and willing to serve! And what a shame to loose all of that talent! How Stupid!

WHEN IS THIS GOING TO END?

Fellow parishioners… It is time for all of us to call the Bishop and DEMAND that this person be removed as our pastor. If he can “remove” one of the most serving and devout parishioners of our parish, will WE be his next choice? And, for him to have the audacity to lie about why he did it… WHAT AN INSULT TO ALL OF US!

Please call or e-mail Bishop Peña and insist that this situation at Holy Spirit be addressed immediately!

WE MUST ALL ACT NOW TO STOP THIS INJUSTICE!

Bishop Peña’s Brownsville Tel Number: (956) 550-1510
Bishop Peña’s San Juan Tel Number: (956) 782-1728
Bishop Peña’s E-mail address: rjpena@cdob.org

~A VERY ANGRY PARISHIONER


A Note from Kanickers
Dear friends,
I have received many posts and comments about the unwarranted firing of Edward Arguelles, our dedicated Choir Director of 23 years. Many are not even suitable to post. I understand we are angered over this action and it reflects in the tone and language of our comments.

I also totally agree with the above posting. It is time that this foolishness at Holy Spirit ends. It has become quite evident that Reverend Louis Brum has no interest in anything other than his own agenda for Holy Spirit Parish and that he has no intention of ever meeting with parishioners to establish a dialogue to try to resolve these problems.

I am hereby requesting that instead of your sending your comments to me, that you join me in directing your concerns to our Bishop, Raymundo Pena. The above posting has his telephone numbers and e-mail address. It has now become imperative that he intervene in this matter!

I will continue to retain all of your comments and will continue to post a ‘reflection’ of those received.

Thank you for your continued response.
Kanickers~
(Caution: Please click on "comments" below for an important note about the danger of e-mailing the Bishop.)


A SONG IN A STRANGE LAND
Upon hearing the news of the dismissal of Ed Arguelles as music minister, I felt incredibly saddened. It brought to mind Psalm 137:

Psalm 137
Lament over the Destruction of Jerusalem
1) By the rivers of Babylon - there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion.
2) On the willows there we hung up our harps.
3) For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
4) How could we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?

For giving voice to the mourning in his heart and expressing it in solidarity with his brothers and sisters, they are trying to silence Ed. Silence his voice, his guitar, his leadership, his intelligence, and all of his gifts. According to the letter, he is even being warned not to identify himself in any way with Holy Spirit Parish, except maybe to "pay, pray and obey", like a good Catholic.

The message to all of us is becoming clearer than ever: get in line, zip that lip, dress right, or... get out. Perhaps the time has come for us to sing our songs silently. Whatever form the music ministry takes, maybe we should zip it. I dare say that without our singing, the worship experience will be even more vacuous than ever. Or maybe, after mass, start singing "We Shall Overcome" as a postlude. That mighty song has sustained many a tired people in their struggles for justice! And Lord knows, we are tired.

Ed, remember that Woody Guthrie's guitar had emblazoned on it the words, "This machine kills fascists." Not literally, but through the power of music, and the emotions and ideas it conveys. Keep on singin' brother, wherever you have a chance! We'll miss following your lead.
Felipe Salinas


Dear Kanickers:
The shark strikes again! What an awful attack on one of the most devout parishioners that Holy Spirit Church has ever had. Our beloved Choir Director did not have to be fired if only our current pastor knew about God's Love for all his people and had God's Love in his heart.

I propose that all the choir members leave the choir immediately in support of Mr. Arguelles. Perhaps one of the choir members can announce at Mass this coming Sunday why they are all leaving the choir. We cannot allow this pastor, whose heart is full of hate for those that dare have a different opinion than his, to continue to take revenge on us. We must keep on fighting to return this parish back to ALL of the parishioners. And, furthermore, if we all relinquish our power to him, than we have lost our dignity and integrity as a parish.
~A Very Concerned Parishioner


Look Not at the Puppet, but at the Puppeteer!
Please do not assume that the firing of Edward Arguelles was totally the work of Fr. Louis Brum. The real culprit here is the Puppeteer! When management fails to act to correct a problem, it keeps getting BIGGER and BIGGER and BIGGER! This one is about to EXPLODE!

By not acting on the Fr. Louie problem at Holy Spirit Parish, the Bishop is condoning and promoting this horrid situation. He has been informed of what is happening time and time again. It has all fallen on deaf ears. No surprise, just look at all of the other problems in the dioceses that the Bishop has failed to address and act on in a timely manner. Looking the other way and hoping that it will correct itself is the classic mark of a poor leader. Sometimes, just praying about it doesn’t work… you have to ACT and CORRECT THE PROBLEM!
A Holy Spirit Parishioner



The Monitor Newspaper
February 5, 2006
To the editor:

Holy Spirit parish in Inquisition
They say history repeats itself. This is definitely true at Holy Spirit parish (McAllen) where a remnant of the Inquisition has reared its ugly head. No longer are differences respected, but rather considered antagonistic. No longer are those who disagree with the pastor to be a part of the various ministries, but rather banned from them. Now those who stand in support of anyone who has been banned are banned themselves. So much for standing with the outcast and the downtrodden as Jesus did. So much for promoting healing and unity as Jesus commanded.

The sister from Progreso continues to write letters to the editor in support of our pastor. I’m sure she is doing that out of a friendship she must share with him. But she does not belong to our parish. She does not know how her friend pastors, or rather fails to pastor. She does not know how he has become vindictive and punitive. She does not know how he has shunned parish leaders and allowed others with no knowledge of theology, liturgy or parish workings to dictate policy.

The sadder thing is that, not only does the Progreso sister not know how things really are, but neither do many of the parishioners. They come to church on Sunday and see a seemingly jovial and welcoming priest (unless they came on New Year’s Day when he screamed during Mass at a young man to leave the church). They see a priest who speaks of the Eucharist as being the center of his life (although he switches places with other ministers of Communion in order to avoid giving Communion to certain parishioners).

Yes, the Inquisition has invaded my parish and will be allowed to stay unless and until the bishop allows us to reclaim the life of our vibrant parish. In no other diocese would a bishop allow a pastor to continue on the uncharitable track of destruction our pastor has taken. It is a common belief that the bishop is behind the pastor. Why would a bishop be bent on destroying the life of a parish? Where is the pastor’s integrity? What does the bishop have on him?

If only the pastor would want to be a part of the life that was — he would readily be welcomed.

Eleanor Marks,
San Juan


~More To Come~

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