National Catholic Reporter
Subscribers only section
November 17, 2006
 

Letters

Sainthood not enough

Regarding your editorial (NCR, Oct. 27) on the American-style saint, the ultimate recognition of Mother Guerin’s trials and successes is a joy for all lay Catholics, particularly women religious. However, it is disheartening that nearly 200 years later, the woman who did so much for her order and for females still didn’t garner female altar servers at her canonization Mass. Two boys were sent. Another opportunity was missed by the Indiana diocese, a reminder that sainthood in the Catholic church will never be enough.

PEGGIE L. THORP
Boston, Mass.


Cardinal Egan

Cardinal Edward Egan was furious when some of his priests questioned the quality of his leadership of the New York archdiocese (NCR, Nov. 3). So he assembled a committee of priests, religious and laypersons to commence immediately an investigation of the charges, right? No, he gathered the presbyterial (priests’) council -- some of whom were appointed by him -- at his residence, intimidated them into issuing a white-washed statement that was read not by a representative of the council but by Cardinal Egan’s personal spokesperson, Joe Zwilling. Cardinal Egan then launched an attack on a number of constituents, including a good priest, Howard Calkins, who spoke honestly about Cardinal Egan on behalf of his brother priests, and the media, which was lambasted for seemingly siding with the anonymous letter writers. Why do our bishops continue to go on the defensive when anything like mutiny or negative publicity occurs? Could it be that many bishops have broken their own promises or vows of celibacy and are afraid their own behavior will be revealed?

(Fr.) ROBERT M. HOATSON
West Orange, N.J.

* * *

As expected, Cardinal Egan is right -- by his own declaration -- and all the clergy who consider him “arrogant and cavalier” are dead wrong. It is obvious from Cardinal Egan’s response to the clergy of the New York archdiocese why those who challenge him must remain anonymous. They would not only be dead wrong, they would be clerically dead. The inquisition Cardinal Egan has set up for a dissenting priest to meet with him, write a predetermined letter correcting presumed false statements and an apology, then submit to his panel of protecting “Dominicans,” smells of medieval Spanish times. There was nothing holy about the Holy Office of the Inquisition, and Cardinal Egan has learned that history lesson well. Remember when Cardinal Egan would not even allow concerned Catholic groups to use diocesan property for meetings relating to sex scandal issues? Is this inquisition a continuation of that cover-up? Cardinal Egan acts like the untouchable that the Vatican anoints each time it places a red cap on a new appointee’s head. Why does the church need cardinals anyway, even archbishops? Why aren’t deacons, priests and bishops sufficient? Dioceses are perfectly capable of selecting their own bishops and parishes their own priests. The present archaic system is nothing but the “royalism” with which the Roman Emperor Constantine contaminated the early church. Where is the spirit of Jesus in all of it? Why are cardinals nothing but dictatorial corporate CEOs?

GILBERT CANTLIN
Berea, Ohio


‘We’re not alone’

Your newsweekly and Sr. Joan Chittister’s column played a big part in my husband’s and my return to the Catholic church after leaving in protest of the actions of some bishops during the last national elections. We felt two issues were given all the attention by these bishops while all other social justice and common good issues were ignored. We were appalled. While we were “gone,” someone told me about Sr. Joan’s column. A Web search found NCR; the rest is history. Luckily, our pastor wouldn’t give up on us either. After many attempts by Fr. Donald Buxman, we agreed to discuss our feelings. We felt we were just “bad” Catholics. We found out there were many other Catholics who felt as we did. Shortly after our return, Father invited us to share our feelings at a social justice gathering and we found we were very much not alone. In my sharing, I cited NCR as opening a door that allows discussion of controversial issues. We still have a difficult time when we hear political maneuvers disguised under a Christian banner, but NCR helps us remain hopeful that universal understanding and tolerance will come some day.

MAE and DAVID CARD
Milwaukie, Ore.


Big families

Even saints have blind spots. Your article on Fr. Emmanuel Charles McCarthy and his actions for peace (NCR, Oct. 20) was inspiring to me until I read that he and his wife have 13 children. How can he defend that many children in a world facing severe ecological limits? Does he not realize that the carrying capacity of our planet is limited and that humans are over-procreating? Most developing nations in the world are taking actions to reduce family size, seeing that improvement in human life is not possible when birth rates are too high. Fr. McCarthy should realize that having such a large natural family is not responsible today. Parents who want a large family should adopt.

DEAN R. HOGE
Takoma Park, Md.


Priest’s garb

In her letter (NCR, Oct. 27) Shari McGuinness’ response about the ordination of women states, “The priest is in persona Christi, so it would be a sacrilege to put an iconic Jesus in a dress.” I am not sure what the priest in her parish wears, but each day I attend Mass the priest is wearing an alb that resembles a dress and not the traditional pants that males have worn for centuries. I am interested in learning the Gospel citations about why the 12 apostles were men, why the Virgin Mary was not an apostle, and why priests are men. In my reading of the Gospels, there is no mention of Jesus ever making a reference to priests.

MARIAH SNYDER
Lauderdale, Minn.


Palestinian suffering

Regarding your article about the Christian Zionism meeting in San Antonio (NCR, Nov. 3): Creepy! I have been to the West Bank and the oppression of the Palestinians is horrendous. There is so much suffering. Consciousness is growing in this country concerning the reality there. A few years ago I was giving a talk in Triangle, Va., at a Franciscan parish. After Mass, the priest introduced me to an American diplomat attached to the U.S. Embassy in Jordan. I asked him about U.S. policy and commented on how one-sided it was to the detriment of the Palestinian people. He agreed with me and told me that he had great compassion for the Palestinians. I asked him why we don’t pursue a more evenhanded policy. He said, “Sister, Congress responds to the American Jewish community’s money, and the fact that Israel is our key ally in the Middle East.” In my own career in international human rights work. I’ve seen that our foreign policy is often directed by greed rather than constructive relationships. It doesn’t serve us or other countries well. It serves the agenda of a powerful oligarchy in this country.

(Sr.) PATRICIA KROMMER, CSJ
South Pasadena, Calif.


Assaults on the Earth

I downloaded the Catholic Alliance Guide; “Voting for the Common Good,” described in Joe Feuerherd’s article (NCR, Oct 13) and was disappointed but not surprised to find the environment listed in alphabetical order with 17 other “Issues important to Catholics.” The summary emphasizes human dignity, justice and peace with nary a word about our violence against the Earth. I wonder about the strangeness of our culture, which seems apathetic to war, torture, death and mayhem while being aroused by Rep. Mark Foley’s sexual deviancy.

Alienation from God’s creation leads to assaults on the Earth we depend on for our very existence. It also leads to violence against other humans in the form of aggressive wars, capital punishment, abortion and a host of other calamities. The far larger issue is one of survival. Nature continues to warn us in the form of tsunamis, earthquakes, famine, hurricanes and, potentially the most lethal of all, global warming, but thus far we seem unwilling or unable to see the potential for global disaster on a biblical scale.

Americans represent 5 percent of humanity and cause 25 percent of the pollution. That’s a greater percentage than caused by China and India together, with 33 percent of the human population. Why is this issue not important to Catholics? Why do we get so heated about sexual “deviancy,” a trivial matter by comparison?

JAMES P. LEAHY
Ridgefield, Conn.


In gratitude to sisters

I was doing an Internet search for information on Dominican Sr. Eileen Gannon, a representative to the United Nations from a nongovernmental organization. Some of my high school students are attending a presentation by Sr. Eileen, and I was looking for some background for them on her work. Having found an article from a Dominican publication, I began to print it and went away from my computer to do household chores. Returning to the printer, I realized that I had also printed several pages of stories about Dominican sisters who had died. The articles personalized the contributions and lives of each of the sisters in such an endearing manner, that I sat at the screen tearfully rejoicing in the work of God being done over the last century by sisters of so many orders, many that I had the privilege to be educated by or work with: Sisters of the Humility of Mary, Ursuline Sisters, Daughters of Charity and Sisters of Charity among them.

As a high school catechist and Catholic laywoman, I stand in awe at the years of selfless service provided by so many religious sisters in our past. At this time of year when we celebrate saints, pray for souls and ponder our own mortality, I suggest we pray in gratitude for the work done to pass on the kingdom done by all those who have gone before us. May we in ministry be encouraged and strengthened by their example.

LINDA LUCARELL
Youngstown, Ohio


Cluster bomblets

In “May we criticize Israel?” (NCR, Oct. 20) Fr. Raymond Schroth deplores the Israeli deployment of cluster bombs, supplied largely by the United States, in its recent war with Hezbollah. While noting in the final paragraph that The New York Times reported an estimated 1 million unexploded cluster bomblets remain in southern Lebanon, Fr. Schroth does not mention that it will take at least a year, according to that story, to remove these weapons, some of which are stuck in banana and olive trees, making it impossible for farmers to harvest crops that are essential to their livelihood. The Times also disclosed that the Lebanese think these bombs were introduced “at the end of the war: to inflict as much damage as possible on Hezbollah before withdrawing, or to litter the south with unexploded cluster bombs as a strategy to keep people from returning right away. Repeated efforts to get Israeli officials to explain the rationale behind the use of the bombs have proved fruitless, with spokesmen referring all queries to short official statements arguing that everything done conformed with international law. The bomblets, about the size of a D battery, can be packed into bombs, missiles or artillery shells. When the delivery system detonates, the bomblets spread like buckshot, making them difficult to aim with precision.”

JAMES W. HAMILTON, M.D.
Santa Fe, N.M.


Royal’s cheers for Rangel

Like Robert Royal (NCR, Oct. 13), I have always enjoyed the gusto of Rep. Charles Rangel. And for my part, I often agree with the substance of his oratory. But I disagree with Mr. Royal’s “cheers” for Rep. Rangel’s opinion that Hugo Chávez was wrong to denounce President Bush in Rep. Rangel’s district (as if he owned it and had the right to decide what should be said there). The congressman should be happy when the truth is spoken anywhere. The president has the stench of torture and death around him, and it matters not where one happens to be standing when one says so.

As for Nancy Pelosi, she declares, as mentioned in Colman McCarthy’s column, that Mr. Chávez is “an everyday thug.” I guess because he’s impolite. Ms. Pelosi’s good manners must have been what led her (NCR, Jan. 24, 2003) to describe the president’s (then proposed) attack on Iraq as neither prudent nor just, and then to announce that if Mr. Bush went ahead with this imprudent, unjust attack “we will all be 100 percent behind the president.” There’s stench enough to go around.

DAVID J. WALKER
Wilmette, Ill.


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National Catholic Reporter, November 17, 2006