LETTERS
2002 LETTERS
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April
March
February
January
ARTICLES
NEWS
ROAMIN' CATHOLIC
Contents © 2002
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.
LETTERS
JULY/AUGUST 2002
ENDLESSLY KNOTTED UP
Thank you so much for your article in the February 2002 issue about William Biersach's book, The Endless Knot [see "Of Witches and Dead Bishops" by Christopher Zehnder]. I purchased it from Catholic Treasures bookstore this weekend, and have been "endlessly knotted" up in reading it ever since!
I would like to make one comment, however. In the interview, Mr. Biersach stated that he had "never read a book, at least written in the 20th century, that was written from a Catholic perspective and where all the principal characters assumed a Catholic perspective."
Well, may I recommend to Mr. Biersach, and anyone else who would enjoy such a book, a wonderful novel called, In This House of Brede, by the late Rumer Godden, originally published in 1969? It was out of print for many years but has recently been reprinted and is available through most of the online booksellers. For those who aren't familiar with this classic, it's the story of a British woman named Philippa Talbot who, at the age of 40, gives up a successful career to enter a Benedictine monastery. This book is loaded with Catholic imagery, highlights the liturgical year, has a very definite Catholic perspective and is guaranteed to make any woman who reads it want to chuck her career and head for the nearest monastery! Highly recommended!
Christine Lehman
Los Angeles
SIMON NOT PRO-LIFE
Bill Simon is not pro-life, as your page ten "News" item suggests ["Davis To "Demonize" Simon As Pro-Life?" May Mission]. According the Mercury News of April 25, Simon pledged that, if elected, he would not restrict a woman's right to choose an abortion. He also divulged that his wife is pro-choice at the Hyatt Rickeys in Palo Alto.
Tesa Becica
Van Nuys
THEY PLAY DUMB, HUM AND GO NUMB
Just a few minor points of clarification on the stellar objective reportage of F. Michael Forrester [see "That Would Be Against the Rules," June Mission]: Although Joe Gonzalez styles himself an "official" of a "guild," there is no reason for him to be granted any special hearing. The "guild" is hardly equipped to instruct anyone in anything, let alone "take on" anyone in substantive debate. Their machismo dissipates at the slightest breeze of reasoned opposition. The guildistas play dumb, hum, and go numb when they fear that their football is about to be taken away. Mr. Forrester pulls a fast one: following a meandering trek through the conspiratorial habits of the pastor (Forrester's assessment, not mine), an FDR-esque litany of "FEARS" is added. We are not told that the quote comes from none other than Joe Gonzalez, NOT the "parishioner" cited immediately before. THAT IS against the rules.
Forrester's article is not timely enough to report the latest parish session, during which the saints of the "guild" made fools of themselves by repeated disruption, by cat-calls, insults, and brow-beating. They might have been more civil, but their fearless leader wasn't there to yank their chains.
The "guild" has been out of sight the last few weeks. Maybe they're gearing up for their next charge. They might try this: publish the names of their 1,000 signatories on banners flowing in the summer breeze. That probably won't happen, because legal releases have to be filed. And none other than Joe Gonzalez has said that if the "guild" shakes that tree, they'll lose most of the fruit.
A thorough examination of the "guild's" website is highly instructive. It is superficial, supercilious, malicious, and, at the very best, misleading. Prevaricating is more to the point.
Oh, by the way, there are plenty of buttons left. Not even the members of the "guild" wear them.
John Genova
St. Charles parishioner
FORRESTER RESPONDS
Having read the "few minor points of clarification," I regret that I am compelled to clarify the clarifications.
Dr. Joseph Gonzalez is the official spokesman for the St. Charles Borromeo Preservation Guild. The position was given to him after the first official meeting of the guild, when the members of the guild elected him as spokesman -- and, if I recall, by a unanimous vote. This is not, as Mr. Genova says, a self-styled position. Further, the reason to grant Gonzalez special hearing is because he holds a doctorate in ritual from UCLA, his thesis comparing the interior design of churches.
With regards to the author of the second quote, to which Mr. Genova refers, the article does not cite the parishioner "immediately before," but instead distinguishes the quote from the previous by ascribing it to "another parishioner." Unfortunately, I no longer have my notes to confirm the author as Dr. Gonzalez. However, if it was, in fact, Dr. Gonzalez, I haven't pulled "a fast one," for he has been a parishioner of St. Charles for over 30 years.
As for your analogy to football, I cannot comment. I play rugby (by the rules).
F. Michael Forrester
PROUD TO BE RETRO-CATHOLIC
Your June edition's disclosures of Cardinal Roger Mahony's e-mails prompted me to look them up on the internet [see "In An April 22 News Commentary,..."].
One was a message from "Dick" discussing the relationship of two well-known Los Angeles area priests. Dick was (rightly) concerned that the close relationship of the priests might ignite the "right wing" and "retro-Catholic" press (like the Mission).
Was I ever edified to read the term "retro-Catholic"! For years I have tried to find just the right term for the kind of Catholic I am: Faithful, Conservative, Orthodox, Traditional, etc. None of these seemed just right.
And now we have what is meant to be a put-down -- Retro-Catholic. It's perfect. I'm a throwback. I follow the teachings of the Catholic Church as handed down through the ages. I am not a modernist, a lib, a new-ager, a phony bleeding heart. I'm not pro "gay" or anti-life. I'm a retro. It is absolutely perfect.
Retros of the world unite! Let's take back our Church.
Laurette Elsberry
Sacramento
LOUD AND CLEAR
Thanks for your fair and thorough coverage of the recent events concerning Cardinal Mahony's e-mail brouhaha.
However, I take one remark from Sister Judy Murphy as a personal affront. Her aside about the Mission being a "throw away" utterly galls me. Just what is this woman implying? Exactly this: that the cardinal's cronies have all manner of patience, charity and unconditional love for those both inside the Church and out, who concur with their agenda. But Catholics who draw hope and strength from the pages of the Mission are simply "throw aways." My concept of what holiness or prayer is all about are, to them, "throw away." My concerns about abuses in liturgy or clerical disobedience are "throw away." My vision of what the Church needs to address, in order to heal and to grow, are "throw away."
It is precisely such constant arrogance on the part of the archdiocese that has so recently alienated so many from the cardinal's plans for his synod. The anxiety of a life-long Catholic who loves his ancient, noble Faith, is obviously not welcome in this discussion. Just throw me away with the latest issue of the Mission. Sister Judy, I hear you, and your ilk at the chancery, loud and clear.
Thomas Hogan
Long Beach
CARDINALS SHOULD RESIGN
Pedophilia is the abuse of prepubescent children. Ephebophilia is the homosexual abuse of post-pubescent youth (ages 13-19). This is the crisis within the Catholic Church.
Pope John XXIII stated in 1961 that "no one with homosexual tendencies should be accepted as a candidate in any seminary." Documents of the Holy See issued by the Sacred Congregation for Religious barred the admission of homosexuals to the diocesan priesthood.
Dr. Joaquin Navarro-Valls, papal spokesman, stated that homosexuals cannot be ordained priests. He also questioned whether such ordinations would be valid. Monsignor Clark, rector of St. Patrick's Cathedral, in a homily, said it was "a grave mistake that bishops ever ordained homosexuals.
The hierarchy of liberal cardinals and bishops didn't listen. They didn't read what God said (Genesis 18:20, Leviticus 20:13; Romans 1:26-27.) These cardinals and bishops began to recruit and ordain homosexuals. The result was tragic. According to the January 31, 2000 Torrance Daily Breeze, "Aids Hits Priesthood," the Kansas City Star reported that hundreds of priests have died of AIDS and hundreds more were living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. How many boys were infected by homosexual predators?
Now the problem of homosexual abuse of boys by these priests is becoming known. Christ said scandals must come, but woe to him by whom they come; and whoever causes a child to sin should be drowned.
The pope made it clear: "the abuse which has caused this crisis is, by every standard, wrong and rightly considered a crime by society; it is also an appalling sin in the eyes of God." The cardinals' reply is an insult to every Catholic. The cardinals said they will act "if the abuse is generally known" -- that is, if their cover-up is discovered -- and if the abuse is "serial" -- more than once. How many? Ten, 20, 100 times?
Cardinal Bevilacqua of Philadelphia issued a policy 13 years ago forbidding homosexuals to be admitted to his seminary. But Cardinal Mahony told Fox News' Rita Cosby there is no relation between pedophilia and homosexuality (how about ephebophilia?) and that he disagreed with papal spokesman, Dr. Navarro-Valls, that homosexuals cannot be ordained priests.
Sex abuse is a criminal act. Those cardinals and bishops who knowingly transferred homosexual priests from parish to parish are guilty of "aiding and abetting" the resultant crimes. They should go to jail with the priests. Cardinals Law, Egan, McCarrick and Mahony should resign.
R.C. Thornton
Hawthorne