LETTERS
2003 LETTERS
December
November
October
September
July/August
June
May
April
March
February
January
ARTICLES
NEWS
ROAMIN' CATHOLIC
Contents © 2003
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.
LETTERS
March 2003
FATHER BAKER A GOOD PRIEST
I have been a parishioner of Our Lady Of Guadalupe Rosehill for 22 years now. I have celebrated my first Holy Communion, quincianera, and was recently married by Father Thomas Baker.
I was very saddened to read a recent article published by your paper that attacks our pastor, Father Tom. ["We Aren't Going Away," January 2003 Mission]. While so much of the press is targeted towards the negativity of Catholicism, it is very unfortunate that our own paper would contribute to the slander of young, enthusiastic, motivational true believer like our pastor. This article really shows a one-sided ordeal that only presents a negative outlook on Father Tom: Parishioners have rallied around the elderly priest and are ready to confront the archdiocese. Parishioners are standing by the elderly Lara. "Father Lara is not the only one who is in the rectory," one parishioner told me. "The secretary is there, so is the cook. The pastor has friends who come by," said this parishioner, who asked not to be named. According to parishioners, Father Baker does not fit in with the largely immigrant population. Parishioners complained that Father Baker is ill tempered and has a perchant for liturgical dance -- something that is alien to the more traditional Latinos who make up the parish.
First off, it is a small group who have dedicated great amount of time and effort in convincing others that our pastor is bad. Upon walking out of church on Sunday, it was down right disgusting the sight of a group of people with signs and posters suggesting the cruelest of accusations towards a priest. The most appalling was a young girl no more than 10 years old with the most obscene sign accusing Father Tom of things I would not repeat. This is what they are teaching our children. How do you think it makes us feel to walk out of Mass, with faith and love in our hearts, only to face these protesters that are so vicious and merciless to not only a priest but also to the community as a whole. Most of the picketers did not even belong to our parish!
I too am an immigrant and Father Tom brings an element never before seen. Yes, it might be foreign to other "traditional Latinos," but it pertains to making connections to the message of Jesus which is often times missed by most! Father Tom has developed the strongest youth ministry seen in years, he promotes good health and brings great faith and joy to our parish. Without him, most youths would not find joy in religion. It would be a great shame to lose him. His loss might also lose many parishioners who value his love for Jesus and religion.
I beg you to publish an article with his good deeds and please make the protesters GO AWAY!
Lucy Thompson,
received via e-mail
Editor's note: We tried not to make our article on the controversy one-sided, but calls to Father Baker, Bishop Zavala's office and the chancery office were not returned.
SHEPHERD AND SHEEN
The article on Buddy Shepherd ["I'm Outta Here," November Mission] is just amazing and hopeful that we have such Catholics who are unwilling to compromise. Thank you for printing such articles. We need more like Mr. Shepherd in the Church. I pray that he and others like him will persevere in truth.
Regarding the comments made about Bishop Sheen [see "Letters," November and January issues]: the original letter was just an opinion, not a shot at his character.
I've seen a few -- very few -- negative opinions about Bishop Sheen throughout the years, but nothing that seems to stick and nothing with any proof attached. His sterling reputation seems to have weathered whatever little negativity anybody could scrape up about him.
I believe in careful discernment of even the best of preachers lest we end up forming a cult around them, as so many have today around famous Catholic people who don't deserve it and whose reputations and actions stink to high heaven with compromise and heresy. I'm surprised there aren't a whole lot more lies told about Bishop Sheen, but he was so thoroughly into explaining Christ and the Church that it's difficult to make up anything negative about him, except that he wore expensive shirts -- which is probably true, but may have been because he felt he was representing Christ and should look his best and because better shirts last longer.
Pauline Moulder,
Pensacola, Florida
HORROR AT BETRAYAL
I just read Mr. Coulombe's article concerning the USC reception [see "At Home In His Element," January Mission]. Horror best describes my feeling. That a chaplain is able to utter such heresy in the presence of a Prince of the Church is sad and dreadful. Keep up the work of reporting this kind of betrayal. Maybe one day someone with authority and respect for Christ will pay attention.
Johnny Peters,
Houston, TX
JESUS SAID IT BEST
Thank God for your excellent, orthodox, authentic Catholic newspaper.
While some of us line up our birdcages with the diocesan papers, we pass your publication on to other Catholics who cannot trust cafeteria Catholicism types typical of most diocesan liberal nonsense.
Your articles in the February issue, "What We Must Never Forget," concerning liberation theology, and "The Devil Must Be Laughing," while sad, show how troubled and confusing things are in the Church nowadays.
Jesus said it best: "by their fruits you shall know them." Liberation theology, particularly in Latin America, has been a dismal failure! Maryknollers and Jesuits, with their socialistic, false gospel have driven countless Catholics into fundamentalist and evangelical churches where Jesus is preached, not as a social worker, but as the only Savior of mankind.
Very likely, in 20 years or so, many Latin American countries will no longer be Catholic countries. False liberationist, Marxist theology that ignores eternal truths saves no one. Yes, Jesus said it best: "by their fruits you shall know them." Indeed!
Concerning Marilynn Kramar of Charisma in Missions, it appears that the archdiocese of Los Angeles and Cardinal Mahony are no friends of her nor appreciate the marvelous work that she and her ministry have done in not only keeping Latinos in the Catholic Church, but in bringing them into a closer relationship with Jesus. Pray for Marilynn Kramar that God will continue to bless her and the work of Charisma in Missions.
Personally, some of us feel that Cardinal Mahony should resign or retire. Catholics in the archdiocese of Los Angeles deserve better from their leaders.
Constantine N. Santos,
Atascadero