Father Gallagher Can Stay -- People Power Works!

KJAM's Matt Hendrickson called yesterday (and sends an e-mail update this morning) to announce that Father Cathal Gallagher got his green card yesterday. What a relief for all involved!

One can say much about the bureaucracy, the snafus, the grief of the folks in Father Gallagher's old parish in Kingsbury County, who still had to give up their priest for a replacement.

This morning, I simply take note of one heartening comment from the very grateful Mr. Hendrickson:

Thanks to everyone for your notes, prayers, blog postings, and other things. Yesterday was not only a happy day for Father G, but for a couple of thousand people (try the 3,000 who signed petitions, wrote letters, and generally came together to fight against this injustice).

If anything, this has shown me that the power of the people can be much greater than the stodgy bureaucracy.

I've said all along, the government is us. Government can do lots of things wrong, but it's up to us to fix them. And if we make the effort, we can win.

Congratulations, Father Gallagher, and best wishes in whatever you are called to do next.