Last Updated:Friday - 09/24/2010
March 21, 2005
WCR Letters to the Editor
Unite within ourselves
A few short weeks ago, we celebrated the Prayer for Christian Unity. I have heard many people grieve over the fact that we Christians, who share so much in common, are at the same time so divided, often speaking words of prejudice against each other.
This grieves me as well; but how much more so does it sadden my heart to hear Catholics speaking against other Catholics. This is something that I have found to be a problem of late and I believe it is a topic that deserves attention.
I have been over-exposed to different groups within our Church spending valuable time in slandering other groups. I believe our Church is blest to have so many different associations, clubs, and ministries who are attempting to awaken a love for Christ in every living soul.
All of these groups offer different means of attaining the same goal: a relationship with Christ and a furthering of God's kingdom. They exist as a means to deepen our faith not to divide it.
Therefore, I urge all the Catholic people who, for some reason, have a prejudice against another Catholic group or association to look at what is important. Look at the fruit of a ministry, research its foundation and discover their charisms and goals before making unfounded accusations that only hurt the body of Christ.
Please, how will we ever attain Christian unity if we cannot be united ourselves?
Anne Gauthier
Edmonton
'One man's opinion rankles reader
Re: "Priestly Call a Mysterious Thing" (WCR, Feb. 21).
It is extremely inappropriate for a newspaper such as yours, which supposedly is representative of the faith of the Catholic Church, to be printing articles such as the above which espouses opinions (re: married priests) which are directly contrary to what the holy father and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (nos. 1579, 1599) states to be the status quo.
What Father Clement Gauthier claimed in his article is that "Making celibacy optional and ordaining married men would be good steps in the right direction."
If that is the case, he obviously is not aware of the teaching in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church which states: "They are fully incorporated into the society of the Church who, possessing the Spirit of Christ, accept her whole structure and all the means of salvation established within her."
Regardless of the fact that his may be one man's "opinion" and not representative of your newspaper, you are responsible to your publisher Archbishop Thomas Collins to propagate the truth, not confusion and dissention among the faithful.
Suzanne Rabel
Wetaskiwin
Oscar winner lays bare societal crises
Million Dollar Baby was awarded five Oscars and, in my opinion, deservedly so. (See Letters, WCR, March 14.)
Film as an art form differs from a pulpit. I don't believe that they award an Oscar for best message. Best for whom?
The film laid bare several very significant crises of our secular culture.
First, what to do about gender? Who decides what women can or should do?
Secondly, what to do about death? Deny it or just don't talk about it?
Thirdly, the film helps de-idolize and relativize science. Some things simply can't be fixed by science like her paralysis and her death. Euthanasia like abortion is an embarrassment for science, a sign of failure. Neatness and convenience are hardly the summit of human values let alone transcendent ones.
Fourthly, suffering of any kind is to be avoided at all costs. Hence, the market rewards reaped from shares in the drug industry.
Do these topics not present us with rich and real soil in which to plant catechetical seeds? Michelangelo's three masterpieces - creation, pieta, judgment - might provide a more wholesome alternate vision for the human journey. The Priest was aptly portrayed as Sisyphus which is also the lot of many a catechist today.
Wilf Murchland
Sherwood Park
Letter to the Editor - 04/11/05
Letters to the Editor
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