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Testimony
Your Excellency, Bishop Armando X. Ochoa,
It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter in concerns to the situation at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Hanford, specifically in reference to the leadership of Pastor, Fr. Michael Lastiri. Fr. Lastiri was my pastor for five years and I truly care about his well being which makes writing this letter very difficult for me. I was very involved in parish life and ministry since before Fr. Lastiri became pastor, until about one year ago. At which point I could not continue at IHM because of the deep spiritual anguish that I experienced on many different occasions, a few of which I will share with you in this letter.
But first I would like to thank you for your message released August 15 in response to the many scandals facing the Church today. In a very real and objective way this letter is a direct response to your message, to end the culture of secrecy at our parishes. As you said it is indefensible to remain silent, and I ask myself what will I tell my Lord Jesus at the end of my days when he asks; Why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you do anything?
With fear and trembling I relay this information to Your Excellency. When Fr. Lastiri came to IHM he did not come alone, but brought with him Mr. Kevin Jonas to head up music ministry. Many people were appalled by Mr. Jonas’ demeanor, but I didn’t think much of it at the time. But as time went on I started noticing that there was something odd about Mr. Jonas’ and Fr. Lastiri relationship. For a time I was part of the choir and on many occasions during practice Mr. Jonas would comment that he spent the night at the rectory. He would waltz out of the rectory without any shoes on and wearing the type of clothes most people only wear to bed. I was not the only one to notice something strange either, as many other people mentioned that something was strange.
I have been a confirmation catechist for many years and on more than one occasion I have been questioned by the teens about the nature of Fr. Lastiri and Mr. Jonas’ relationship. I have been asked questions such as; Is Kevin Father Mike’s boyfriend? There was also other teens that would talk about this. Everytime I heard anything like this from the teens it would break my heart and I would defend Fr. Lastiri. We are talking about 15 year olds, who were noticing these things when the only contact they had with Fr. Lastiri was during the liturgy. In one hour they were able to notice whatever this thing was, that everyone else was afraid to even mention.
For confirmation retreats we would have Fr. Lastiri come in and answer the teens questions. This became a time of anguish for all us catechist as he answered questions from his personal opinion and not the teaching of the Church. I was so fearful of what he could say, that when this part of the retreat began I would begin praying the rosary for him. In a roundabout way he told the teens such things as; there is no such thing as mortal sin, there is no hell, you don’t have to believe the writings of Paul in the Bible, fornication is not a sin, the sacraments were not established by Christ but a way for the Church to control people, but the thing that hurt me the most was when he basically said that everyone that commits suicide goes to heaven. In these times that suicide is the second leading cause of teen death he told a room full of teens that they can go to heaven by committing suicide.
I also participated in a Bible study led by Fr. Lastiri where these ideas constantly surfaced. On one occasion the group was talking about the scandal of Priests being in civil unions with other men, and Fr. Lastiri reprimanded us for being scandalized, that there was nothing wrong with this and we need to get with the times. Many of the same unorthodox ideas that were mentioned at the Confirmation retreats also appeared at these Bible studies.
During that time at IHM I was also an adult altar server, and every time the homily would begin I would begin praying as fervently as I could for Father lest some strange idea could surface. Again I heard many of the same things from the pulpit; there is no hell, marriage was created by the Church to control people, people living together don’t sin when they fornicate, and other strange ideas such as these.
I care about the well being of Fr. Lastiri but I love the Bride of Christ. I cannot just look away anymore when there is scandal right in my community, specially with everything else going on in the Church and Your Excellency’s call for us to break the silence. I wish I was wrong about these things, but the signs are just too overwhelming. I have been praying for Fr. Lastiri and the community at IHM since this whole thing started and I simply want spiritual healing for the souls of all those affected by this situation. I have also been praying for you, as I know this situation must be a heavy burden for you.
From A former catechist at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hanford, California. His name was signed on the original letter to Bishop Ochoa.
It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter in concerns to the situation at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Hanford, specifically in reference to the leadership of Pastor, Fr. Michael Lastiri. Fr. Lastiri was my pastor for five years and I truly care about his well being which makes writing this letter very difficult for me. I was very involved in parish life and ministry since before Fr. Lastiri became pastor, until about one year ago. At which point I could not continue at IHM because of the deep spiritual anguish that I experienced on many different occasions, a few of which I will share with you in this letter.
But first I would like to thank you for your message released August 15 in response to the many scandals facing the Church today. In a very real and objective way this letter is a direct response to your message, to end the culture of secrecy at our parishes. As you said it is indefensible to remain silent, and I ask myself what will I tell my Lord Jesus at the end of my days when he asks; Why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you do anything?
With fear and trembling I relay this information to Your Excellency. When Fr. Lastiri came to IHM he did not come alone, but brought with him Mr. Kevin Jonas to head up music ministry. Many people were appalled by Mr. Jonas’ demeanor, but I didn’t think much of it at the time. But as time went on I started noticing that there was something odd about Mr. Jonas’ and Fr. Lastiri relationship. For a time I was part of the choir and on many occasions during practice Mr. Jonas would comment that he spent the night at the rectory. He would waltz out of the rectory without any shoes on and wearing the type of clothes most people only wear to bed. I was not the only one to notice something strange either, as many other people mentioned that something was strange.
I have been a confirmation catechist for many years and on more than one occasion I have been questioned by the teens about the nature of Fr. Lastiri and Mr. Jonas’ relationship. I have been asked questions such as; Is Kevin Father Mike’s boyfriend? There was also other teens that would talk about this. Everytime I heard anything like this from the teens it would break my heart and I would defend Fr. Lastiri. We are talking about 15 year olds, who were noticing these things when the only contact they had with Fr. Lastiri was during the liturgy. In one hour they were able to notice whatever this thing was, that everyone else was afraid to even mention.
For confirmation retreats we would have Fr. Lastiri come in and answer the teens questions. This became a time of anguish for all us catechist as he answered questions from his personal opinion and not the teaching of the Church. I was so fearful of what he could say, that when this part of the retreat began I would begin praying the rosary for him. In a roundabout way he told the teens such things as; there is no such thing as mortal sin, there is no hell, you don’t have to believe the writings of Paul in the Bible, fornication is not a sin, the sacraments were not established by Christ but a way for the Church to control people, but the thing that hurt me the most was when he basically said that everyone that commits suicide goes to heaven. In these times that suicide is the second leading cause of teen death he told a room full of teens that they can go to heaven by committing suicide.
I also participated in a Bible study led by Fr. Lastiri where these ideas constantly surfaced. On one occasion the group was talking about the scandal of Priests being in civil unions with other men, and Fr. Lastiri reprimanded us for being scandalized, that there was nothing wrong with this and we need to get with the times. Many of the same unorthodox ideas that were mentioned at the Confirmation retreats also appeared at these Bible studies.
During that time at IHM I was also an adult altar server, and every time the homily would begin I would begin praying as fervently as I could for Father lest some strange idea could surface. Again I heard many of the same things from the pulpit; there is no hell, marriage was created by the Church to control people, people living together don’t sin when they fornicate, and other strange ideas such as these.
I care about the well being of Fr. Lastiri but I love the Bride of Christ. I cannot just look away anymore when there is scandal right in my community, specially with everything else going on in the Church and Your Excellency’s call for us to break the silence. I wish I was wrong about these things, but the signs are just too overwhelming. I have been praying for Fr. Lastiri and the community at IHM since this whole thing started and I simply want spiritual healing for the souls of all those affected by this situation. I have also been praying for you, as I know this situation must be a heavy burden for you.
From A former catechist at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hanford, California. His name was signed on the original letter to Bishop Ochoa.
Let's end this time of darkness...
Hello, Although I reside in the state of Oregon for the last 24 months, I was active in the parish of Immaculate Heart of Mary for quite some time, in different positions as catechist, Reader, extraordinary minister of Eucharist, etc. With deep pain I have read the contents of this site and I can testify that yes, the teachings of Father Lastiri and his positions regarding fundamental teachings of the faith were far from what was prescribed by the Church and what was commanded by Our Lord Jesus Christ, That was one of the reasons that led me away from the parish, because when I expressed my concerns with Sister Soledad, I found a very violent rejection, an attitude completely opposite to what I expected of a person consecrated to God. What they have exposed about the shameful activities of Father Lastiri, followed by the cover-up of the Bishop, shows only the complete departure from the path of the Lord shown by our "pastors". May God our Lord not be very hard in his judgment for them, because "to whom much was given, much will be asked" Let us ask Jesus very much to end this time of darkness in his Church.
- V.C., Oregon (email received September 6, 2018, translated from Spanish)
- V.C., Oregon (email received September 6, 2018, translated from Spanish)