Come Home, John

His distress, say sources close to him, has been compounded by the first cracks in his 34-year relationship with the Church of Scientology, the cult-like religion of which Travolta is a prominent and generous benefactor.

And there are dark mutterings that if he carries out private threats to leave, the organisation will go public with embarrassing details of his private life, including, it is claimed, allegations of past homosexual relationships.

Sources in the U.S. disclosed to me this week that his son's sudden death has 'deeply shaken' Travolta's faith in the strange sect, which makes wild claims about its ability to cure a variety of physical and mental disorders.

Travolta is also said to be upset that senior members of the sect have instructed him to undergo intensive sessions with one of Scientology's 'ethics officers', trained to question the actor and other grieving family members to establish whether their 'negative influences' might have contributed to the tragedy.

Dear Mr. Travolta:

Any "religion" with which you have to fear blackmail if you decide to leave is not good - in fact, I think it falls squarely under the label of evil. Let me go a step further - those "ethic officers" are naught but demons sent to lead you astray.

The reporter is wrong in calling Scientology "cult-like" . . . it is a cult. In Sacred Scripture, we are admonished by Christ not to hide our light under a bushel basket. That is good to think about when facing any religion that makes its practices arcane, since it is indicative of hiding something. And do not be fooled by the excuse that a person is "not yet ready" to participate in such a practice - who would sell their soul for nothing but a promise of something unseen?

With that, I offer you a solution . . . come home. You know where - the Church into which you were baptized as an infant, the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Her doors remain wide open to you and your family. Her Sacraments, after proper preparation, are yours from which to receive unending Grace and healing.

The Catholic Church is ridiculously simple: follow Christ and receive eternal life. Receive forgiveness, receive healing, receive peace. I would add, "And all for free!" but I am speaking only of the monetary cost - there is a price, but the good news is that it has been largely subsidized for you by His Sacrifice on the cross. But you have some work to do as well, and the even better news is that you can do it "on the job," so to speak, and everyone is there to help.

So, come home, John . . . the fatted calf is on the spit.