Nice Easter gesture. Luckily forgiveness is a HUGE part of Christianity.

I know I'm glad for it.

This is the only thing that will give the offended peace.

This works in 1005 of cases where someone is offended. Being offended is a choice.

But even if they all forgive, this does not mean that the three are of the hook. If a crime was committed, then they need to pay for it. If they did not break the head off the statue, then this is a large step in the healing of the community.

Yes nice gesture. However, if the shoe was on the other foot and it was a LDS site that was violated. You can bet the forgiveness would never be forth-coming.

Almost everyone who reads the comments today knows that your remark is unfounded.

LDS sites have been violated a lot more than you hear about; the Church makes little or no public fuss about the temples being bombed and vandalized, the chapels being burned, seminaries painted with graffiti.

Forgiveness is a hallmark of LDS teaching and culture, both from many decades of being plundered, and from consistent desires to live as the Savior did and taught.

A note to Mike who said the LDS church would not forgive, how wrong you are but I forgive you for making such a false statement because I am LDS. I feel a greater sense of appreciation for the Christian friends of the Cahtolic Church in that community - God bless them. I am very surprised and disoppointed that the young missionaires did this and I know they will be repriminded accordingly by their own priesthood leaders, and I do feel they should make restitution and have a broken heart for this act of irresponsibility. What a beautiful way for the Cholotic community to celebrate the life of Jesus Christ who was the supreme example of forginess. And to Mike again, you may have hard feelings toward the church for some reason, but life is too short to hold grudges and perhaps you need some repentence too, in fact all of us need to repent daily because none of us are without sin. Bless every one who reads this and have a blessed Easter.

I am LDS and I WOULD be forgiving. I think the majority of us would be too.

Yet we would urge it just the same.

Your comments are very presumptious and probably incorrect. You come across to me as a negative person, always seeing the negative side of things.

To Mike. Forgiveness is taught in our church also.

Mike,

I think your opinion is incorrect and your comment bigoted...but I'll forgive you. ;-)

It is rather strange that everybody hears about it when Latter Day Saints do something wrong and yet when Latter Day Saint buildings are vandalised I don't see the LDS people up in arms and jumping up and down making a big song and dance as has been done in this particular case.
I am sad that the young missionaries acted so stupidly, but I know the great majority of the 50,000 missionaries, spread throughout he world, would never think of behaving so badly.

To Mike,

I'll take that bet. If the shoe were on the other foot, the LDS Church wouldn't have to issue an urging of forgiveness because they wouldn't have threatened charges in the first place.

I've lived in places where over a period of a few years, every LDS building in my stake was vandalized to one degree or another. All the LDS Church asked for was restitution (if they could get it). No public threats were made and a big issue was never made of it.

Contrast those cases to this case where the whole thing has been made extremely public and ranted about in comments sections such as this one.

I find your reaction uninformed and gratuitous.

I appreciate the gesture by the Colorado Bishop. The former missionaries should still be required to make restitution and to request forgiveness of those they've offended.

What a great man who gets it. Thank you.

Most acts of forgiveness goes unnoticed. Some get publicity and some do not. In my state of Pennsylvania the Amish showed the world the highest degree of Christ like forgiveness when they embraced the family of a man who murdered their children. This publicity was not sought by the Amish, but the media coverage had a beneficial effect. Action speaks louder than words, and it is good to see positive examples of it in this case also.

to Mike: I only know of one religion where the offended does not, "Forgive," and that is Islam, they retaliate.

In the "El Paso Times" it was said that the statue was broken a couple of years before. So....deductions seem that the Elders did not break it but were just taking a picture for their scrap book. All missionaries take silly pictures. Unfortunately this was a sacred place to others and was not the best missionary picture for the scrapbook. In the "Times" it did say that the church did take full responsibility for their actions. I am proud that no excuses were given. Lets support the Elders for the hard work, forgive them for their misunderstanding knowing they have had a talking to by their President and love them and all missionaries who are out doing the Lords work. To be forgiven we must forgive period. :)

Thanks, Mike, for providing us with a textbook illustration of comment board "trolling." For the uninitiated, "trolling" is when someone comes on a board such as this and makes an outlandish comment in hopes of stirring up people, prompting them to make outlandish comments in response. Thankfully, none of you have taken the bait. Your responses to Mike have been kind and forgiving, providing ample evidence of the inaccuracy of his original comment. I especially appreciate the reminders of the number of times LDS buildings have been vandalized without huge outcry or demands for justice on our part. As a result, Mike's comment doesn't seem as outlandish as it does ill-informed, unreasonable and, well, troll-ish.

To the Catholic church in San Luis I say, 'Deo gracia et Dominus vobiscum."
To the missionaries who did this, I second an earlier comment in this forum which referred to Corianton and the Zoramites, and propose that they do penance and restitution voluntarily, rather than wait for the law to run its appropriate course, as a voluntary facing up to the consequences would do more for their peace of conscience and for rebuilding the significant ties between our communities of faith than would a sullen and reluctant waiting for the legal system to impose its always imperfect judgment.

I was personally offended by our Young Men. I believe that we need to hold to a higher standard. These young men, by all accounts, did not *misbehave*, they indulged in what is, at the very least, criminal mischief.
I think it is likely to be healing for the community to be called to forgiveness. O that it were not necessary!
As to a *contest* as to who is most forgiving ~ hardly the issue here.
So sad that we are, after ALL is said and done, as likely as anyone (and apparently more likely than most) to engage in behavior unbecoming a Christian.
Sad, genuninely sad!

The entire incident took place two years ago. No one came forward until one of the Elders posted their "silly" pictures on the internet that the Colorado church knew who committed the crimes.

As expected in a story about our Mormon missionaries, the local press has reported on this story heavily (is that the "song and dance"?), but I don't remember hearing that the offended members of the Catholic church were "up in arms and jumping up and down." Kudos to thei priest for his forgiving heart. Wouldn't the world be more peaceful if we all followed his example.

What a great example of following Jesus' example. Although I know justice will be done in regard to these young men, I appreciate the wise comments of this good Catholic Bishop. He has shown mercy.

"Misbehaved"? They are not Children, they were Adult MEN.

I think that what many people seem to miss, is that when you forgive, you are not doing a favor to the person you are forgiving...You are doing a favor to yourself.
Holding onto hate or resentment only creates a cankor in your own soul.

And that carefully worded forgiveness sounded kind of funny: "Yeah, let's forgive those stupid missionaries for doing such a stupid and mean thing"

Hope you have changed your mind on your comment about latter day saints not forgiving. I forgive you for making that comment and I don't even know you.

How did we feel as a Church, when antimormon folks were desecrating the Temple garments during Gen. Conf.? Yeah I know, and so much more, like when a Stake Ctr gets burned down right here in Mesa, AZ, but we do move on, and hope love will prevail.

The letter by the Catholic Bishop was a class act. He teaches me a good lesson.

I hope those fool missionaries grow up someday.

Just one more tragic black mark upon the predominant culture.

What do you want to do to these Elders? Put them in jail and throw away the key? For stupid MISDEMEANOR actions, do you want these young men to branded as Felons for the rest of their lives (same as rapists, murderers, thiefs, and child abusers)? Some of us can't seem to let go of our own self-righteousness and pride. Yes they embarrassed the Church, but this story is completely dead in Colorado where it happened, and a proper criminal investigation is underway, what more do you want? Time to move on from this, give the young men a break, I am sure they (and families) are thoroughly disgraced by all of this. We need to quit puffing ourselves up as to our high level of righteousness. Sad that the Catholic Bishop has forgiven these young men, but members of our own Church are still calling for blood. Thank goodness the Savior doesn't act this way or I would be in big trouble.

Mike, I definitely forgive you for being such a dork.

Forgiveness is a Christian virtue, they will be forgiven. Turn the tables, and a Mormon church was violated, there would be no forgiveness.

If an LDS person "forgives" Mike for making his comment, then there would be no reason to post that fact. You only post your comment to be holier than thou and try to shame Mike for his comment.

That is NOT forgiveness.

Interesting that the Catholic Church understands the true spirit of forgiveness, yet they are the "apostate" Church according to the Mormons; but the Mormons, who claim to be the "true" church do NOT understand forgiveness!

If they were really adult men they may not behave that way. We sometimes forget they are still YOUNG men and still don't have the experience and knowledge that makes for better citizens. Forgiveness is important because that is what the Savior taught even while on the cross. He said to 'forgive them for they know not what they do.' We all do supid or thoughtless things. All of us. We all fall short and need the Savior. Forgiveness is one of the great lessons that goes hand in hand with the other half of that covenant, repentance.

The pictures themselves were disrespectful, but I do not believe that offense was intended. Still, where this act went from dumb to stupid was when the missionaries published the pictures on the internet.

I am grateful for the forgiveness offered by the Catholic bishop and feel the LDS Church would do the same, but that isn't an excuse. Missionaries know better than to take pictures that even have the potential of offending another person. Any person with intelligence knows better than to publish potentially disrespectful pictures on the internet.

Mike, I get the sense that you have a lot of issues and anger toward the LDS Church. I personally have and continue to stuggle with LDS doctrine and history that baffles and dissapoints me. BUT, there is real danger in allowing that to make you angry and bitter. You may conclude that the Church is not TRUE - but one cannot deny the goodness in it and many of its members. Find the goodness in the Church and it's members (whether or not you choose to be a member) and you will be a much happier, content person in this life.

If the missionaries did something wrong then they need to repent by making amends to the Catholic community. On the other hand just because they were photographed with a broken statue doesn't mean they were the ones that broke it. There is not enough detail to the story. The article says the missionaries acted disrectful. How did they act disrectful? Again we don't know enough about the incident. I think the Catholic church is making a mountain out of a mohill.

Excellent gesture by the Catholic Bishop. Now I hope my LDS leaders remember tht mercy cannot rob justice and send those two half-wits home. Think of the negative PR that occured for the missionary effort in that area if not the whole mission?

Consider Yourselves Lucky, and Forgiven Elders! Maybe you can gain a stronger testimony from this I hope. Count your blessings. The Bishop was very kind and exemplified the love of Christ. A lesson well learned from all, especially from the wisdom of the Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley, ALL CHURCHES HAVE TRUTH AND LIGHT IN THEM! All churches have good sincere people in them, and all churches have the spirit of God in them. Take that for what it is worth. We all know the truth of the statement, from a Prophet of God himself, thank you again Biship for your lesson, happy Easter one and all.

That is the kind of Bishop that I would write about. That is a righteous man!

I salute the good Catholic Bishop for his Christian words and actions. Of course these missionaries actions were opprobrious, especially for those whom we consider to be ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

We must all forgive if we want to be forgiven. That is what Jesus said.

craig,
are you taking issue with *how* the church forgave the missionaries? of how it was worded? that's kinda low. last i heard, it was only ONE of the missionaries that had even apologized....

Wow, so a story about the Christian gesture of the Catholic community turns into a "Mormon's suck" rant. Follow the example of these good people (the only ones with a right to be offended) and let it go! As a member of the LDS church, I appreciate the example set by my Catholic friends and am humbled by it.

The Bishop is an example to us all...now, will the LDS Church forgive the three missionaries, or will they be quick to set up a court and excommunicate? I hope they forgive without going to the extremes.

Craig,
when someone forgives another, it is bad form to then say, "well I don't like how you worded it". The bishop of the Catholic church decided not to press charges, and forgave these men in a nice way. Now you don't like how he worded it? that's just ridiculous.

Seaspider,
you need to do a little more research if you don't know how they were acting disrespectful

When I served an LDS mission in France, some of the locals broke into our new chapel, held a pot party in the kitchen and used our sacrament trays as toilets. The local members, true Saints, quietly cleaned up the mess and that was the end of it. There are wonderful Catholics and wonderful LDS who are quiet, meek, and forgiving. I hope I'm one of them.

Well, you have to admit, if it were Catholics breaking into the Temple, desecrating and making fun of the whole Mormon thing, you would without a doubt have people saying:

"They are persecuting us"
"They are an abomination!"
"Their church is an abomination!"
"This is what is suppose to happen in the last days."

Many thoughtful comments in response to the very Christian position take by the Catholic Bishop. A pure coincidence, I'm sure but the RS/Priesthood lesson for the LDS in Chapter 5 of the current class manual is on Repentance. And as I searched for supplemental material, I found in the LDS Millennial Star for 23 December 1909, an editorial written by my grandfather, "Repentance: A Two-Fold Principle" (p. 800ff). He wrote "True repentance . . . is a two fold principle embodying the act of forsaking sin, and also restitution for offences committed against God and man." As one who has lived much of his life in areas where Roman Catholics are predominent, I want to say that I don't remember ever being offended by one and I do remember many times benefiting from their unbridled love and friendship. We are blessed when it all works together for His pleasure.
ich dien.

Let's be honest here. The reason this case is not being prosecuted is lack of evidence and/or the time and expense to prosecute this case is too costly for the act deemed wrong.

This was no story until someone showed pictures of these elders next to this statue. The media didn't even know about it. It was the Catholic church and the media that blew it up once a picture was shown 2 years later. When they realize that no one is going to even touch this case to prosecute it they say they are "forgiving". Please.

LDS churches are desecrated and destroyed in a far worse manner than this all the time. Never once has the church claimed we should hate and not forgive those who claim they are "christians" but do such horrid acts to LDS property.

Pathetic

First, I've seen nowhere that the missionaries did anything illegal (it was initially assumed they broke the statue, but it was subsequently discovered that it was already broken). So, while the Catholic Bishop is doing the right thing, by saying he will not pursue charges he is skirting the truth a bit. Truthfully, there are no charges because there was no transgression of the law.

However, the actions that WERE taken by the missionaries in question were absolutely abhorrent. I was a missionary when I was "young" (19-20) and I never even considered doing something so stupid. I have many pictures of beautiful Lutheran cathedrals from various parts of Scandinavia and never once did I consider mocking them. My companions and I attended Lutheran services on holidays and enjoyed the worship that took place there.

Two of the three missionaries in question were already home -- and the third was immediately sent home. The "church" did what it should have done by denouncing the act and removing the offenders from the mission field. Now the offenders need to make their personal restitution.