Pres. Anderson and PBp Jefferts Schori: How to Offend those You hope to Serve

http://sanjoaquin.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/pres-anderson-and-pbp-jefferts-schori-how-to-offend-those-you-hope-to-serve/

[Surrounded] 25 Jan 2008--You know, when our parish sent out Stewardship letters, we made every effort to make sure that the addresses being used were correct. In a couple of cases, we had parishioners whose spouses had just died, and their names were not yet removed from the address label. As well, we noted some incorrect addresses. Incorrect addresses are one thing — but the insensitivity of sending a Stewardship letter (especially) to a newly widowed member, asking for their continued involvement financially in the life of the parish, without the apparent consideration of THEIR life…. well, it’s not good. It is insensitive. It is negatively pastoral. It is impersonal, and even dehumanizing in the sense of not being “known.”We made those changes. Because we know them and love them and choose not to be rude and insensitive, especially the exacerbation of their grief by our lack of administrative attention.