MISSOULA DEANERY CATHOLIC LEADERS STAND WITH THE MISSOULA JEWISH COMMUNITY
Guest Editorial IN THE MISSOULIAN December 25, 2016: THE MONTANA STANDARD December 26, 2016
Father Ed Hislop, Dean
The darkness, in the face of hatred, can seem so deep and cold.
“Seek a sign,” the prophet Isaiah counseled, “deep as the netherworld or high as the sky” (Isaiah 7:11). Go
to the depths of darkness or rise to the blazing light of hope and solidarity.
Again from the depths of darkness, from the “netherworld” of fear, our Jewish sisters and brothers are
threatened with hate, discrimination and violence in our own Missoula Community and in other parts of
Montana. Such attitudes and threats, no matter how few, can never be tolerated or ignored for they
plant the seeds of a cold-hearted darkness which threatens the beauty and wonder of a truly human
spirit and the very life and freedom of every person.
The Catholic pastors, priests, deacons, sisters, pastoral administrators and parish staffs and Catholic
School administrators of the Missoula Deanery stand with our Jewish neighbors and friends in solidarity,
support, mutual caring, faith and hope. We choose, with them, to be seen in the light, affirming hope
“as high as the sky.” We choose, with them, not be silent but to be the Word of God echoing in the
night, as a promise of light, liberation, and mutual respect.
The longest night of the year has passed, even as the earth itself in frigid cold began to wonder if the
light could be overcome by the depths of a cold hearted darkness—the dark coldness of hate and
violence.
To wonder in such a way evokes fear and doubt as the light might have seemed to be dying. In these
days, in this time, so many feel that a “cold-hearted darkness” also falls upon the human spirit in so
many places, particularly as we see the horror in Aleppo and witness so many children crying to be
saved—victims too of hate and fear.
The cold hearted darkness is felt when we hear from our Jewish neighbors and friends of an impending
fear of a hatred returning and reported words of a “troll storm” against them.
Like the earth we wonder if the light of hope and safety can return or if we are doomed to be consumed
by the darkness of these times. Sometimes we feel as if we live in a world weary of empty dreams and
broken promises.
But what is left of the light, as the sun still quietly rises and sets, is filled with wonder and displays an
inexpressible beauty, reaching “to the ends of the earth.” A beauty given as a sign we can behold, noticed
only because the darkness is so deep.
In the darkness of these times with all the fear, the light still surrounds us, and the whole world, letting
us see in the dark what is true; revealing to one another the faces of the many longing to hope again.
That is the wonder of inexpressible beauty reaching to the ends of the earth. It is a great light—the light
of God promising to be “as deep as the netherworld,” revealing evil which can find a home in some
human hearts when hatred, blame, racism, threats of violence and “white supremacy” emerge again. God
is the great light “as high as the sky,” a light by which truth can be seen and hatred and its perpetrators
revealed. A great sign that intolerance cannot and will not be tolerated, even for a moment, by anyone
who lives in the light.
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God’s word echoes through the night in the cries of the children; in the life, heart and faith of those
toward whom hate is spewed; and in the vision of those who choose to stand with them in loving care, in
faith-filled service and in merciful compassion.
God’s word echoes through that kind of love, service and faith. It is there that God comes to meet us,
doing what is right. It is in that “holy communion” of standing with the threatened that “God is with us.”
That is the “sign” that confronts us today in the darkness of the earth and of the times, a longing for
God’s presence among us these days: in the child orphaned by war and genocide; among the poor, who
are left on the side of the road; and in the life of the children of Abraham and Sarah, our Jewish sisters
and brothers among us, who again face the bitterness of prejudice, hatred and threatened violence.
Our friends light again the lights of Hanukkah remembering the dwelling place of God renewed—God
who entered again the Temple of hope. With them we long for light to burst through the darkness of
hatred, to burn anew, like the lights of Hanukkah, unextinguished unto the eighth day of a new age of
justice and safety, as a sign to bolster courage when faith falters or hope dies.
Christians herald the nativity of the Christ into the flesh and blood of human living in these times,
acclaiming that “upon those who dwell in a land of gloom a light has shown and that the burden of
oppression will be smashed” (Isaiah 9:2, 4).
Even when the darkness seems as deep as the netherworld, what is left of the light is still filled with
wonder and displays an inexpressible beauty, reaching to the depths of the human heart. It is the beauty
of being bound together in compassion, justice, loving support and shared hope: a bond that, like the
Holy Oil of the first miracle of Hanukkah, cannot run dry. It is the sign of God’s presence when hands
and hearts are joined and words of love, support and service become flesh.
Then darkness is bathed in light, hatred overcome and “oppression smashed.” “Kindness and truth meet;
justice and peace kiss,” (Psalm 85: 11-12) and humanity becomes pregnant with the word and promise of
God.
In all of this today, God comes to meet us, the dawn breaks through and light overcomes the darkness of
hatred.
Soon, very soon, the day will grow brighter, light will shine, and the cold hearted darkness of hate will
not overcome it.
Reverend Ed Hislop, Dean-Missoula Catholic Deanery
The Missoula Catholic Deanery consists of the Parishes and Missions of Missoula, Ravalli, Granite, and portions of Lake and Mineral
Counties.
Signed by the pastors, priests, sisters, deacons, pastoral administrators, pastoral staff
members and Catholic School Administrators of the Missoula Deanery:
Blessed Trinity Catholic Community Missoula/Spirit of Christ Mission Lolo: Fr. Ed Hislop, Sr. Mary Jo Quinn, SCL, Judy Cooney,
Deacon Ron Butler, Deacon Tom McCarthy, Daniel Hampson, Carol Lemieux, Cheryl Russell, S. Elizabeth Olsen, BVM.
Christ the King Missoula/St. John the Baptist Frenchtown/St. Mary Queen of Heaven Mission Superior/St. Albert the Great
Alberton: Fr. Jeff Fleming, Fr. Cody Williams, Patti Cassidy, Colleen Biehl, Ann Schellinger, Kirsten Hangas, Cody Tredik, Colleen
Rosbarsky, Cathy Schwenk. Missoula Catholic Schools: Jeremy Beck. Retired Clergy: Fathers Jack Darragh, Gary Reller, Rudy
Bullman, Frank McCormick, Jim Hogan, John Miller. Saint Anne Bonner: Fr. Michael Poole. Saint Anthony Missoula: Fr. Michael
Drury, Mr. Terry Jimmerson. Saint Francis Assisi Hamilton: Fr. Jim Connor, Sr. Margaret Hogan ,SCL, Deacon Jim Kaney;
Saint Francis Xavier Missoula: Fathers Joseph Carver SJ, Rich Perry SJ, Matthew Holland SJ and the parish staff.
Saint Ignatius Mission St. Ignatius/Sacred Heart Mission Arlee: Fr. Drew Maddock, SJ, Sr. Margaret Hillary, OP, Nancy Plant.
Saint Mary Mission, Stevensville: Fr. Matt Huber, Rita Hall. Saint Philip, Philipsburg/Saint Michael Drummond: Vicki Burgmeier,
Deacon Chris Burgmeier
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