The Rev. Jay Wiesner, pastor of University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation (Philadelphia, PA) wrote a letter to the priest of his former home congregation about the marriage amendment coming
before Minnesota this fall. With Jay's permission, we provide the text of the letter below. Thank you, Jay, for your faithful witness.
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7 March 2012
Perpetua & Her Companions, Martyrs at Carthage, 202
Dear Monsignor Grams,
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I
hope and pray that this letter finds you well and that your Lenten journey is
already filled with grace and mercy.
My name is Jay Wiesner. I grew up in New Ulm, was a member of St. Mary’s,
and was confirmed in my faith in the spring of 1990. I remember the name I
chose for myself at my confirmation: Patrick. I chose the name because of the
way St. Patrick was able to teach theology to the people. St. Mary’s was where
I learned the faith and I give thanks for the gifts I received from the
congregation. Whenever I am back in New Ulm, I try to attend Mass with my
parents as I still love the community.
From the time of my confirmation at St. Mary’s and beyond when I began to
attend college, I realized that I was being called to serve God and the Church
in the way of the ministry. As my faith strengthened, I realized that the Lutheran
Church was where God was calling me. When I informed my mentors in the faith at
St. Mary’s, I was surprised to hear their joy, even though I was leaving the
Roman Catholic Church. The letter from St. Mary’s confirming my removal from
membership was one of the loveliest written letters I have ever received. This
is all to say that even though I am no longer Roman Catholic, I still feel tied
to the Roman Catholic Church as it has shaped my faith, St. Mary’s in
particular. I remember your church fondly in my prayers and I continue to pray
for your strengthening. This is what makes what I am about to write all the
more troubling.
During a conversation with my parents (who are still regular members at St.
Mary’s), I was informed that you have been making announcements calling for
your parishioners to support the marriage amendment that is going to be
considered by the state of Minnesota. This greatly disturbs my family still at
St. Mary’s and this greatly disturbs me as well. This amendment that is being
proposed will do great harm to people who continually have great harm done to
them in society. One of the many blessings of being a pastor is being able to
support others in their journeys of faith, loving and worshipping our God
revealed in Jesus Christ. For same sex couples who are in loving, life-giving
relationships who are also Christian (and there are many of them), it is
vitally important that churches help nurture this faith so that their love and
the love of Christ may grow. If this amendment passes, it will inflict great
harm on these loving, life-giving relationships.
I do know that the Roman Catholic Church's hierarchy has spent a great deal
of time and energy making statements on this issue. However, I also know that
there are many Roman Catholics who greatly disagree with the church’s
hierarchy; not for reasons of experience solely, but also because of their time
spent in prayer and the reading of the Scriptures. As I read Acts 11.1-18, I am
reminded of the power of the Holy Spirit that comes upon people others would
consider unworthy of the gospel (in the case of Acts, the Gentiles). Of course,
we are all unworthy of the gospel; it is only by the grace of God found in the
work of Jesus Christ that any person is made righteous before God.
I’m not sure the kind of pressure you are facing from others in regard to
this matter, but I kindly ask that you listen to other Roman Catholics who
believe that same-sex couples should be embraced by the Church and offered the
same rights and protections that heterosexual couples are offered. May I kindly
request that before you make any more announcements calling for the support of
this marriage amendment, you consider what it means to love those who are
different from yourself and to love those who by many in this society and
Church are considered “the least of these”?
My prayers continue for you and for St. Mary’s, as well as the whole Roman
Catholic Church. May the Crucified/Risen One be proclaimed in all that we do.
Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me,
The Rev. Jay Alan Patrick Wiesner
Pastor, University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation