DEAR EDITOR:

Last month, following our 4 p.m. Mass at St. Patrick Church in Hubbard, a letter from Bishop Bonnar was read announcing that Father Michael Swierz had resigned as pastor. He also resigned as president of the St. Anthony School and the position of dean of Trumbull County. The reason for his resignation stated that “Father Swierz has been placed on administrative leave because of admitted actions that constituted violations of Diocesan policies.” These “admitted actions” were supposed to have occurred in the late 1980s, nearly 40 years ago. That is all we have been told.

We, the parishioners of St. Patrick, deserve and expect to be provided with more information than this. After all, the Bishop has taken away our beloved priest who has provided unequaled energy, spiritual support and leadership from the minute he became our pastor about 10 years ago. Father Mike did an incredible job of holding our congregation together while we all experienced the COVID-19 pandemic, and especially for the past three years following the devastating fire that necessitated a total ($15 million) renovation of our church building. But we are back and stronger than ever, thanks primarily to Father Mike’s strong convictions, leadership and unwavering love of his parish and its people. So in this age when we frequently hear of the need for transparency, that is what we expect. We want to know what the admitted actions were from the 1980’s that brought about Father’s removal.

I was a lector at that 4 p.m. Mass when we received the news of Father Mike’s “resignation.” I had just read the second reading (2 Corinthians 5:14-17) that contained these words:

“Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh, even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer.

So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.”

If we read and are expected to truly believe these words from the Bible, then how can the bishop disregard this scripture and make such a hasty decision regarding Father. Mike, who has been such a model of spirituality, support and love? Based on these words of scripture, shouldn’t Fr. Mike be considered a new creation, since old things have passed away?

TOM BEASLEY

Hubbard