One Man’s Open Letter to the Canadian Bishops

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Ex-seminarian Paul Wood wrote this open letter to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, copying a lawyer and addressing it specifically to his ordinary, Toronto archbishop Cdl. Thomas Collins. Collins responded, claiming that the "problem of homosexual immorality was dealt with several decades ago" and what Wood experienced in the past "is definitely not true" in the seminary today. Collins reiterated Church teaching that chastity is required of all and that marriage can only be between a man and a woman, concluding, "This is a long struggle, for we are going against powerful forces in the media and society that oppose the Gospel, but the faith is clear and that is what we proclaim."

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Dear Bishops,

I am writing you requesting to know what steps you are going to finally take about the undeniable rampant homosexual practice and sexual abuse in our parishes, schools and seminaries. By now, and in light of McCarrick, we all know that the Catholic Church since the 60s has been deliberately rocked by homosexuals, rectors and bishops leading gays into the seminaries — hence the unheard-of callous abuse of young people. This is not a mere McCarrick issue; he represents thousands of abusive priests and abused faithful young men. The time has come! The horse is out of the stable.

When I was a seminarian at St. Augustine's in Toronto in 1980, the rector told us, "If you don't like it, get out." This report included ongoing gay activity within the seminary, including the gay orgy in the seminary organized by Fr. John Tulk. The auxiliary bishop in charge of the seminary, Abp. Aloysius Ambrozic at the time, responded to me, "Grow up." I sent a reverent and fulsome report to Abp. Marcel André Gervais. He sent it back. [The rector was eventually dismissed for being overly accommodating to gays and Tulk was fired from the seminary in the mid-1980s for homosexual misconduct. -ed.]

This must not be the road or attitude you must take now. We know the problem is homosexuality. I hold two master's degrees in Catholic theology. I know what is going on. My vocation and that of many outstanding candidates was destroyed because of the gayism and gay-friendly rectors. And no one could say I was nasty, loud, uninformed or belligerent. I was devotional, well-researched and reverent.

Never have I ever heard a bishop or priest speak against homosexuality, about sin, about life issues — never — not since the days of beloved Frs. Ted Colleton, Cummerford and McGoey. Pope John Paul's encyclicals were totally ignored in theological studies, and the gay culture in our schools is "thick" anti-male and all they get. I have 35 years experience in the school system. This omission reveals cover-up, acceptance and even promotion of homosexuality and gayism in our Church. Some agree that the Church wants to normalize gayism. We won't tolerate this anymore. Additionally, we are horrified by the clergy's insensitivity to the many victims of clerical homosexual abuse.

We are wondering if you are going to collectively finally teach what the Church teaches, has always taught on homosexuality. Will you pass this on to all clergy so that all teach "with the mind of the Church"? We will tolerate no less, we are incensed and your salvation depends on it. The Church is aflame because of you. Only addressing the infiltration of gays in our Church will put the flame out.

We are now very informed, outraged and concerned about our Church and our people — seemingly more so than you. You must react. You are rendering our Church meaningless and a haven for gays. Encouraging gay-friendly bishops and cardinals does not help — Cdl. Joseph Tobin, Fr. James Martin, S.J., Cdl. Kevin Farrell, et al.

This time around, we will not go away. We trusted you for 50 years. No longer! We will not tolerate you dismissing our reports and covering up the filth so that it may continue. We won't tolerate People's Magazine-style homilies.

Kindly respond stating to us what you plan to do to address homosexual activity among clergy in the Church and when and how you will finally preach on Church moral teachings and condemn clerical gay predation.

Thank you for your attention.

Paul Wood, Toronto

*9/10/2018: This article was corrected to clarify that the rector of St. Augustine Seminary was dismissed not for homosexual misconduct but for being overly accommodating to homosexuals.

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