LOCAL — Just two days into Lent, Diane Hartsell is kicking herself for giving up writing the pastor for Lent. “It’s just not fair!” Hartsell cried to our staff-reporter, “I have so many complaints to give to Fr. Jacobs.”

Hartsell’s regret comes off the heels of what was otherwise described as “a pretty ordinary Ash Wednesday Mass” by other parishioners. “I don’t get what she’s worried about,” said a parishioner who wished to remain anonymous. “It was a beautiful Ash Wednesday Mass, plain and simple. The music was nice. I got ashes on my forehead. What more is there to say?”

But ashes and music are exactly what Hartsell is complaining about. “I went up to get ashes and it looks like the deacon didn’t even try to put a cross on my forehead!” Hartsell also had a few comments about the music: “I don’t mind a little Latin during the Sanctus for Lent, but couldn’t we speed it up? I had a nice fish dinner to get to!”

All of this has caught Hartsell in a moral dilemma: “I really want to write the pastor about these things. He really should know about them, but my husband, Dick… he says I need to stop doing it.” Comments like those from her husband eventually led Hartsell to give up writing the pastor for Lent. “I had to make this sacrifice. I had to give it up.”

More than just Ashes and Dust

Hartsell’s situation raises a larger question about what parishioners give up and when it might be a good time to stop. Other parishioners, such as Larry B, gave up leaving right after the distribution of Holy Communion. “Its been rough,” he told the Roman Caller, “those extra eight minutes felt like an eternity; I don’t think I can make it to the end of Lent… I just can’t.”

Hartsell believes that Thomas’ Principle of Double-Effect permits her to send a letter anyway. “The way I see it, there are two unavoidable evils. Either I don’t send the letter, keeping my Lenten penance, but the pastor does not address these vitally critical issues facing our parish, or I send the letter, breaking my Lenten promises, but providing for the common good of the parish.” Hartsell then gestured to her new copy of the Summa Theologica, “I figured I’d give this a read in the time that I wasn’t writing letters, but it’s actually convincing me to write more letters hahaha!”

When The Roman Caller reached out to Fr. Jacobs for comment, he replied via email, “Oh yeah, I’m familiar with that lady.”

At press time, Hartsell was finishing page 2 of her letter to the pastor.