LETTERS
2005 LETTERS
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ROAMIN' CATHOLIC
Contents © 2005
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.
LETTERS
January 2005
GREAT BLIND SPOT
I have found a great blind spot in your coverage of the sad situation here in Southern California. In May, Pope John Paul II was very critical of the California bishops in his ad limina address to them. He did it in very diplomatic terms but was very clear. He criticized their careerism, ostentatious life styles, and their following secular models of leadership. This is very revealing, as who but the pope himself would be able to know about the problem with "careerism" among the bishops? Your paper should not be surprised that Cardinal Mahony and Bishop Brown are ignoring directives from Rome when they ignored the pope's own words. When in recent history has a pope publicly criticized a group of bishops? Why has there been no coverage of this issue?
People might feel more confident about talking about their own complaints if they knew that even the pope was criticizing these men. I am very confused as to why you have not covered any of this story.
William Friar
received via e-mail
Editor replies: Why did we not cover this event? Probably because I, as editor, had not heard about it, nor had anyone alerted me to it. There is so much news that one editor, or even one paper staff, can't keep up on it.
THEY ARE A DISGRACE
We find letters like the one by Sister Alina Spincemaille [December Mission] asking that you stop sending her your publication very revealing.
Saint Paul asks us to "expose the works of darkness." (Ephesians 5:11) Your excellent and much needed newspaper does a good job of exposing our religious leaders who appear no longer interested in God's truth and the teachings of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church that Jesus established.
The greatest evil afflicting the Catholic Church in America, not the "American Catholic Church," as liberated "nunperson" Spincemaille calls it, are our religious leaders, such as the bishops who covered up for the pervert boy molesters. Personally, we think it is unfortunate that these corrupt bishops are not in prison with the guilty molesters. It will be a long time indeed before orthodox, loyal, and faithful Catholics will trust our spiritual leaders again.
Jesus had strong words indeed for those responsible for the corruption of children. "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in me to sin, it were better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." (Matthew 18:6)
Those guilty wolves in sheep's clothes are a disgrace! They are a scandal, not only to the Catholics who trusted them but to other Christians and all people of good will.
Yes, you and other orthodox Catholic publications are not well liked by those who want their evil deeds to remain hidden.
Pray for our Church leaders who for the most part have been terrible failures who have not spiritually fed the flock that God has entrusted to them.
Mr. and Mrs. Constantino N. Santos,
Atascadero
WE DO NOT APPROVE
Please do not send this paper. We do not approve of your negativism and defaming our cardinal, a man of God who listens to his conscience. Normally your paper goes right into recycle bin. [Emphasis in original.]
Sister Brenda Fielding,
Los Angeles
Editor replies: My dictionary defines "defame" as "to harm the reputation by libel or slander." To "libel" is defined as "to make or publish a defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression." Slander implies falsehood. I invite Sister Brenda or anyone else to write in and demonstrate where and when the Mission has defamed Cardinal Roger Mahony. I confess to some negativity; however, is this necessarily a vice? To point out evil and falsehood is indeed negative -- but is it also vicious?
I commend Sister Brenda for throwing our papers into the recycle bin rather than have them litter the landfills. My family and I have found another good use for the papers; we used them to line the floor of a pen where we kept our baby chicks. The Mission is also great as kindling for fires.