A Response to Father Philip

[Burnsider 4543]

To Father Philip @Valecius, on occasion of his message to the Canonist flock,

 

His Holiness, Everard VI, has seen fit to ask me to respond to your letter dated 1853 addressed to the Canonist flock, much as I responded to your letter over a year ago on the topic of their Imperial Majesties' excommunication. Did you not receive that letter, as you write that you believe that you have not been responded to? If so, I apologize and have included a copy of that letter in this correspondence.

 

First of all, I wish you glad tidings and a hearty welcome home. I was surprised to hear of your return so quickly after your public departure last year and I hope that your journey was fulfilling.

 

It is unfortunate that our prior correspondence did not seem to settle this matter with you. However, as I write this today, I must caution you that much of what I write will be a recurrence of my last letter, as your message seems to contain many of the same misunderstandings. With that said, let us begin.

 

You write asking for the evidence gathered by His Holiness. Surely you must know that it is a key tenet under Canon Law that the investigating parties must not taint the reputation of the Faithful when determining whether ecclesiastical penalty is to be meted out. In order to ensure this, Canon Law requires that public proclamations of the Anathemata's crimes must be explicit and simple. As such, it would have been inappropriate to publicly list the amount and types of evidence against the Anathemata. Remember that ecclesiastical penalty is not a criminal penalty. It is not meant to punish; rather, it is meant to encourage the Anathemata to be penitent and be reconciled to GOD through Ablution.

 

This shows the error in your words when you accuse his Holiness of rejecting the Anathemata from the flock and not cooperating with them in the cleansing of their sins. His Holiness has properly and clearly stated the penance required to receive the cleansing of their sins through Ablution. This is the exact method outlined in Canon Law in order to receive the Anathemata back to the flock. It is the Anathemata who choose to reject this. His Holiness has built the bridge. It is up to the Anathemata to cross it.

 

You write, "no human is perfect and each one of us may have sinned, even the Prophets have, but Godan forgave them and showed them the virtuous path. So now, do as he did and abolish the anathema upon the Crown of Orenia!" But this is a fundamental misunderstanding of the Scrolls. It is not up to his Holiness to forgive the Anathemata. As GOD said in the Scroll of Gospel, "that which is done is not undone." GOD requires penance for the forgiveness of sins and no man, not even the High Pontiff, may countermand that. This act of penance shows the penitent the virtuous path. Would it not be a virtuous response to give up your power in order to show your repentance to murdering someone for said power?

 

I pray that you will think on these words.

 

Ileana Sava Ursović, Presbyter

Priestess of the Metropolitanate of Providentia

 

Spoiler

 

 

[JoanOfArc 4586]

"And Owyn was a Farfolk..." Father Temesch remarked in the halls of the Lectorate. He added on more to the heir of Savoy he was tutoring, "But next, I need to tell you something the Church will never admit. That Saint Julia was is actually Saint Ju-" The rain hitting the tops of the castle faded out the priest's voice.

[valecu 2018]

To Presbyter Ileana, in response to her letter.

I'm most warmed by your welcome, the reasons of my quick departure are many, yet the one which mostly affected me was the Emperor's calling. He and his advisors sent letters to me, they craved for my return, even though I openly stood against the Imperial Administration and threw insults at. In similarity, I stood against the High Pontiff, but his response was silence. Your letters are of no significance for me, for my wish is to converse with the Vicar of God. Yet he hides behind his inner circle of priests.

You use Canon Law as protection of your non-existent evidence, but as Priest of the Canon, I believe that my eyes should witness such proof. So if it exists, please do share it with the Clergy. The same codex that you hide yourself behind, prohibited your gender from being ordained for centuries. After all the Holy Scrolls are the only divine texts and any interpretation may be false.

 

The High Pontiff is the one who has placed the anathema by his own consideration, we cannot be sure whether it's just or not. The possibility of dethroning the Pontifex shows that his Holiness is not invariably righteous and flawless. He is the Vicar of God, but not God himself. The nature of his office is divine, yet he is not. You ask the Emperor to abdicate his titles, but if he hasn't sinned or committed crime, why would he? If you were virtuous and crimeless, would you give up your station if asked?

Signed,
Father Philip of Provins

[Sander 3158]

"I think this might be written to that priest who said such blasphemous things about His Holiness" Father Clemens said to Father Katerina @MissToniupon reading the public letter.