As you may know, for the past five years, Archbishop Richard Smith has been advocating the need for the Sisters of Life to establish their order in the Edmonton Archdiocese to help us bring an end to abortions.

What happens when we consult our hopes for peace?

Sometimes I hear people express concern about the future of the Catholic Church. As a 20-something, I can see why there might be some concerns regarding the behaviours of many of my peers in this day and age.

There may be some rationale for confirming non-practising Catholics but I cannot figure out what it is and why we do this. Year after year, we confirm thousands of children who obviously are not practising the Catholic faith and, presumably, come from families where it is not being practised.

I wish to express my thanksgiving to our priests who spent the entire day on March 6 hearing confessions.

Re: “Ottawa had no reason to slash CCODP funding” (WCR, Jan. 28).

Re: “Churches line up to support fasting chief” (WCR, Jan. 14).

I was disheartened and disappointed to read Father Leo Floyd’s letter, “New beginnings would benefit Catholic education” (WCR, Feb. 4).

It is perhaps the death of a Catholic vision in Canadian politics, and the Conservative government has been driving a stake through its heart. The latest blow is slashing the foreign aid budget of the CCODP, reducing that aid to a for-profit business venture (“Ottawa had no reason to slash CCODP funding,” WCR, Jan. 28).

The 2012-13 Year of Faith recognizes the priceless treasure of Catholic schools as an indispensable instrument of evangelization. Dr. John Acheson’s article in the WCR (“Catholic education battles secular push in today’s society,” Dec. 17) reminds us of the critically important role that Catholic schools play in evangelization.