Should a member, or a group, of the Faithful in the Diocese desire to present their appeal or their perspective on a concern within their Diocese, they may write directly to the Holy Father. Such appeals are best sent directly to him, and not through the Nuncio.

As one Canon lawyer said, “The Church recognizes the right of the faithful to make known their spiritual needs and wants to the Church's pastors (c. 212 §2). In fact, the faithful may even have the duty, based on their knowledge and expertise, to bring to the pastors of the Church their concerns regarding the good of the Church (c. 212 §3). That is what your letter should be, helping the Holy Father understand the current state of the Diocese and the legitimate spiritual needs and desires of the People of God. It should not tear down or seek to humiliate anyone, only to help build up the Church in Charlotte. There are officials in the Holy See who read, sort, and summarize the Pope's mail for him. So there is some chance your message will be communicated. But even if not, your conscience is about whether you should act, not whether someone else will respond.”

Therefore, it is encouraged, while stating your appeal or concern, to share with His Holiness your awareness of any problems in the leadership of the Diocese and the morale that has come about as a result. Faithful Advocate has been informed of such concerns on the part of a significant number of the Faithful, both laity and clergy. When petitioning the Holy Father for your primary concern, please also mention anything of this sort of which you are aware or have personally experienced.

Best Approach:

Write up a formal letter and have it sent by FedEx or DHL. It should be humbly written and explain the situation simply. It should clearly indicate what you are asking him to do, in addition to clearly describing your concerns.

Address:

His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV

Apostolic Palace

00120 Vatican City