August, 2008 Dear Friends of the Wanderer Forum Foundation, ††††† 2008 has brought some wild climate changes within our United States: wind storms, tornadoes, flooding, heat, and fire. In a way, the weather mirrored the decades immediately after the Second Vatican Council. ††††† When the Wanderer Forum Foundation was founded in 1965, it was as if storms and floods beleaguered our Holy Mother Church. Misinterpretation of Vatican II’s intent and actual writings created vast turmoil within the Church. Every new fad was embraced with an “I will not serve” attitude, while anything smacking of past tradition, no matter how tried and true the formula or teaching, was cast aside.  The Wanderer Forum Foundation was founded as a rallying point for those still loyal to the Church and its true teachings. Rising from a time when a papal document could not be found in a Catholic bookstore, The Foundation disseminated information and held a yearly conference to keep the fires of true faith burning. At the time, we were the only orthodox Catholic show in town.

Forty years have seen many heartening changes – the rise of the homeschooling movement, the legitimizing of a strong, orthodox Catholic press, good and holy bishops being appointed, conferences like the Church Teaches Forum in Louisville with hundreds of attendees who take what they have learned back to their parishes and  are not afraid to put these ideas into practice. Even Natural Family Planning isn’t something hidden and disparaged  anymore. Sometimes, after the storm, you see it was a good thing,  that the new springtime, as Pope John Paul II likened it, has a chance to emerge from the wasteland. A most important part of the new springtime  is strengthening our families, both old and new. And our families are strengthened when marriages are strengthened. Solid marriage preparation is essential for our young couples who are more and more marrying outside the faith. And sometimes, even when they marry in the faith, neither are really Catholic in their thoughts and deeds.  The front line for this battle facing our Church are the pastors who oversee the marriage preparation in their parishes. While dioceses may prescribe meetings and natural family planning classes and retreats, the essence of married life – the meaning of the vow, the meaning of total self-giving – must be conveyed in a way to convince a young couple of the real purpose of their vows: eternal salvation. Is every pastor up to this?  Not likely. With so few priests, they are spread thinly for their work and time to reflect and plan goes by the wayside. That is why the Wanderer Forum Foundation is offering a chance to help pastors out.  We want to support pastors in their ministry to their married flock. We want to help them explain the ideals to young couples embarking on wedded life. In order to do this, we are willing to send a copy of our book, Saving Christian Marriage, TO YOUR  PASTOR, to your deacon. For a $15 donation, we will send a copy of Saving Christian Marriage to him. If you want a card included with your name, we can do that too. We’ve gotten a good response to this book, people have told us they wished it had been available when they were married. Others have purchased it for their own children. Now we need to zero in on the next generation of married couples with the book and help them understand why gay marriage is a travesty, why contraception is not in keeping with the mind of the Church, what the marriage vow  really means. Help us out with the mission. Send us your donation (tax deductible!) and your pastor’s name and address. We’ll do the mailing and God will do the rest. Sincerely yours in Christ, Charles E. Rice, Chairman Wanderer Forum Foundation