WCR Letters to the Editor

Child safety comes first

In a five-minute interview following two and a half days of meetings, I had the difficult task of trying to summarize the main business of the Catholic Women's League provincial convention for your paper.

Although the article gives a fair overview of the weekend, I'd like to clarify a few of the statements in Ramon's article concerning the resolution on sexual abuse within the Church.

The purpose of the resolution was not to simply tell the bishops what lay people are thinking, although it does do that.

The main purpose, without a doubt, is to gain absolute assurance of the safety of our children and adolescents from sexual abuse within the Church.

We don't want to have to wonder about the past of any priest who becomes our pastor. We want to be able to trust our parish priest, any parish worker, and any priest with whom our children and adolescents come in contact.

In making this request through resolution, we are, at the same time, strongly supporting the vast majority of our priests who are living their priestly vocation as intended and expected by the Church. This must be a very difficult time for those priests.

In addition, in order for leaders in the league to be able to speak on behalf of all our members on an issue such as this, a resolution must be voted on and passed.

It is only then that the president can truly speak for our members.

Thus, this resolution also becomes the voice of the members of the league to the Catholic bishops.

There is no doubt that the absolute safety of our children and adolescents was the prime reason for putting this resolution forward.

Connie McBride, President
Alberta Mackenzie Provincial Council
The Catholic Women's League of Canada
Edmonton

Don't imagine insults when there are none

There was a time when we could take a joke - smile at a bit of teasing without building a federal case.

I'm sure the writer who wrote the headline "Worthy candidate welcomed by archdiocese" was merely looking for a catchy line that was mildly amusing - not trying to start a war!

Are we becoming so humourless that we look for insults where none was intended?

One of the indicators of maturity is the ability to laugh at ourselves. I'm also pretty sure Father Mireau has had a chuckle or two over this tempest in a teacup. Had the archbishop had a problem with the hair he would have asked that it be cut. Father, in obedience, would have done so.

This is a non-issue folks so lets forget it and leave the humourless to grind out their mirthless life as best they can.

T.M. Holbrook
Edmonton

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