* * * *
Michael enjoyed the authentic taste of the meal. The lime-and chili-flavored grilled chicken was more flavorful than overly spicy hot as cooked in Southern California, something he appreciated even though he did sometimes enjoy spicy foods. The accompanying black beans were tender and seasoned to perfection with onions, cumin, chili, garlic, and a hint of sorghum molasses.
“So Michael, how is it you’re part of this investigation since you’re no longer with the Church?” Father Dominguez asked, breaking the silence at the table. He had only received limited background information in the arrival-notification email.
“I was intrigued by angels and studied them intensely while in seminary. I wrote several papers on the subject on their nature, character, and history as well as their influence in Church and human history. For some reason, the powers that be thought I would be of benefit on this little jaunt.”
“You mentioned that you and Sister Justine worked together when you came down?”
“So, Father Dominguez, have you ever officiated a funeral with an unexpected angelic guest showing up to present a eulogy?” Father Hernandez asked to change the subject.
“Well no, I've only been down here about a year now. It was pretty quiet here until I came on board. Priests from other churches would come to celebrate mass and accept confessions. The church was becoming run down. We’re lucky because we receive a large and consistent donation from a major benefactor so we’re able to remain open. Many of our associated churches have either already or are about to close their doors. Ironically, because of the large corporate donations to our parish, we were able to recently replace the primary doors to the sanctuary here and remain open. Plus, we’re fortunate to be able to sponsor a couple of the local clinics here in the area.”
“Did I understand correctly that you've only been down here for a year?” Father Hernandez asked.
“I grew up in Phoenix.”
“So, then, with the task at hand, would you happen to know anyone we could talk to in El Refugio who may have been around ten years ago?”
“I couldn't be sure. We can ask around in the congregation.”
“We'd like to visit the church,” Sister Justine noted.
“Shouldn't be too much of a problem. You just have to be careful. It's been closed since the fatal event ten years ago and is considered condemned.”
“Condemned? Really? Why?”
“The townspeople never gathered up the nerve to go back into the cathedral. They consider it cursed by God.”
“Do you know if anyone else has been here to investigate anything further since we were here last time?” Michael questioned.
“I couldn't tell you,” Father Dominguez responded. “Being here only a short time, I haven't had a chance to learn much more than the general lay of the land, spiritually speaking that is. I've never been out to El Refugio. But we found old records and journals, administrative notes, from the local churches in the area dating back years. Since the church was one of our sister parishes, there may be some information that could be of help, especially if it was transferred as part of the close down. When Lucinda comes in, she can help you navigate through some of the material and show you what's been cataloged to date.”
Father Dominguez's three guests exchanged a glance; each struck with the same thought, there could well be information relating to their research. Michael initially thought the trip would end up being a waste of time. Now he was beginning to believe there could be a benefit to coming down.
“Sister, Michael, would you like to visit the church later? I think we should attempt to review and examine some of the documents that were found here first,” said Father Hernandez.
Father Dominguez interjected before either could answer. “Father, I'm not quite sure you understand. We’re still in the process of sorting and cataloging everything that’s been found. This church has been the staging area for many of the records for the other churches that have been closing down throughout much of this area.”
“Well, how soon do you think the Sisters on your staff would be able to find old records from Our Lady of Hope?”
Father Dominguez answered, giving his peer a bewildered expression. “Father, once again, I believe you don't understand; we currently don’t have any nuns on our staff.”
“You're right, I don't understand. What do you mean?”
“After all these years, the church is finally coming back to life. Bishop Listanos has been working feverishly with all of the parishes to attempt to staff properly. We are not all as lucky to have large congregations where attention is focused, such as in Los Angeles. With the papacy continually working to realign the orders of nuns to traditional spiritual roles, we're all pretty much relying on volunteers, deacons, and the like to take care of the duties here.”
“Realign to ‘traditional spiritual roles’?” Sister Justine chimed in. The men at the table sensed that she was irked but she contained a larger outburst. “Don't you mean more like subtle inquisition? Ever since many of the orders, especially those in the States, moved away from traditional roles, the wearing of traditional garb and habits, Rome has consistently tried to underhandedly or covertly influence how we live and work in serving God. We set out to expand the Church’s influence in the world as we're called to do in accomplishing our good works. It could be by teaching in nontraditional ways in schools other than traditional Catholic schools. It could be serving in the field in mission outreach hospitals or clinics instead of being relegated only to Church hospitals. Take myself, for example, I work in a neighborhood center in a spiritual capacity.”
“Wouldn't you agree that tradition provides the foundation of what we believe?”
“Now, I don't agree with all the changes attempted by all orders, for example, priests being able to marry. We still need to maintain a sense of humility and subservience, which is why I still wear the modest vestures from time to time. Many have shied away from the traditional attire as much as possible. After so many Sisters ended up disappearing, Rome backed off so as not to force more to leave. Only during the last couple of years, as the ranks have begun to grow again, was there an attempt to reign in the orders.”
“I think it’s an unfair characterization to call what Rome is doing an “inquisition.” Since the branching out of the orders, the basic administration and operation of the local churches, schools, and hospitals has been dangerously eroded.”
“If not for the freedoms of my order, I wouldn't have been able to work and teach in the inner city, which has brought many to the Church.”
Michael chuckled and the other three turned to see him grinning.
“What's so funny Mr. Saunders?” Father Dominguez inquired, still wound up from his verbal sparring with Sister Justine.
“You three. The church has been debating issues like this for years and will debate them years from now. And you know what, you still probably won’t solve shit.”
“It's because of these debates that the Church is capable of remaining relevant in serving our Lord,” Father Hernandez reacted.
“So you say. Many times in its history, the Church has been rigid in many of its traditions and beliefs. Hell, look at apostolic succession.”
“You know Mr. Saunders, I'm not sure you're quite qualified to question a basic tenet of the Holy Church,” Father Dominguez retorted.
“I think someone as young as you may not be as well versed to fully understand the intricacies and history of the Church,” Michael countered.
“Not being that young and serving in the Church make him more qualified to speak on internal matters of the Church than someone who never finished seminary,” Father Hernandez intervened, giving Michael a sharp stare that was returned in kind.
Michael and Father Hernandez locked their gaze. No one spoke for a couple of minutes. After watching the tag-team debate against Michael, Sister Justine felt she needed to break the uncomfortable face
-off and attempt to end the confrontation. “Maybe we should work out our game plan for the next couple of days?”
The three men reluctantly agreed and grudgingly worked out their strategy for heading out to the church in El Refugio. Michael decided to call it an evening after finishing his meal and excused himself from the table. Father Dominguez waited until Michael had departed the dining area and was out of earshot before asking, “So why is Mr. Saunders a part of your investigation team? I understand he was involved during the first investigation at Our Lady of Hope. What could he offer now, especially not being involved with the Church anymore?”
“Bishop Grielle perhaps thought there might be something we missed last time or that he could provide a unique insight. Plus, he did come across alleged remnants of an angel,” Sister Justine commented, defending Michael.
“It just seems that he's somewhat obstinate,” Father Dominguez commented.
Justine continued. “Do you have an available computer, Father? I'd like to pull up a couple of documents I think you both may be interested in.”
Father Dominguez offered the computer in his office. Sister Justine and Father Hernandez found Father Dominguez’s office somewhat modest even though it had a couple of small warehouse-style metal bookshelves, a faded painting of the Madonna and child spanning from ceiling to floor, and a chipped and dinged credenza topped with a couple of small religious statues. The Father's desk was an old government-issue-type relic resembling something you would expect to see in a military museum. In front of the desk were two large and comfortable, brown leather chairs, the only furniture that didn’t appear to be aged, used, or acquired from a surplus store. The adobe-bricked wall behind the desk displayed several certificates and diplomas. Atop the gray desk lay a Bible, notepad, computer monitor, keyboard, and mouse. The computer itself rested on the floor. Sister Justine went over to the keyboard, turned on the monitor, and typed and navigated at an extremely fast pace. After a few minutes she called for her two associates to join her.
“Bishop Grielle authorized access to several of the archives for us in case you wanted to review some of the work Michael accomplished while in seminary,” she stated.
The two priests joined the Sister at the monitor, each scanning through the documents as she scrolled. Some of the fragments of writing they both found to be of interest:
Outside of the Bible, angels have made many appearances in the establishment of movements and major religions. These angelic visitations have influenced those who had direct contact, many times building the foundation for many of the mainstream religions that exist today...
One of the first examples is the Latter-Day Saints religion of Mormonism founded in the 1820s. In historical context, the Angel Moroni visited Joseph Smith and provided alleged tablets that present a revelation divergent from the upbringing of the founder. This follows an alleged visitation where God the Father and Jesus appeared to Joseph and told him that all the creeds of Christianity were an abomination in their sight and he was to join none of them.
Theologians of distinct evangelical beliefs and other religions point out contradictions between the message given by Moroni and those in the Bible, especially in relation to the area of Israel...
Thus even from the viewpoint of the Mormon Church, to join with other churches would be completely contrary to the early teachings of their founders...
Many speculate that the message given by these angels is in direct contradiction to the Bible itself. If the Church is to hold the Bible as the authoritative foundation for its belief, how are angels presented so as not to conflict or present inconsistencies to the book’s veracity when held up against sister beliefs? All these and other monotheistic Judeo-Christian and Islam-based religions contained communion with angels as part of their extra biblical books or are given new revelations for a new interpretation on the Bible. Can the same angels who seemingly serve the same God say two different things on the same subject and both be true? The Koran is believed to have been communicated by the angel Gabriel based on eternal tablets in heaven. We know it is Gabriel who is the one to have made the announcement of the Christ to Holy Mother Mary. Conversely, it’s described that Gabriel, the same angel, told Mohammed that God has no son and is unable to become incarnate man.