Last Updated:Friday - 09/24/2010
December 8, 2008
WCR Letters to the Editor
Statue shows no respect for common good
Stanislaw Kiryczuk's letter ("Danek Mozdzenski was indeed consulted," WCR letters, Nov. 24) notes that a local sculptor had indeed been consulted in the commissioning of the bronze sculpture of Pope John Paul II now "immortalized" in front of Holy Rosary Church.
I find the argument irrelevant. The predominant argument should be whether the statue should have been built at all.
The erecting of such a behemoth is ill conceived. That the Polish community, Holy Rosary Parish along with its priests, and the Knights of Columbus were involved in the efforts of bringing this project to fruition makes it no more credible.
This local venture is simply an exercise to keep in the forefront that one of your own "made it big." If this was not the case then the diminutive statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary you have on site would have been of equal or greater size. Perhaps she's not Polish enough.
I'm certain Pope John Paul II would have scoffed at lending his name to such extravagance. His humility would not have acquiesced to such a display.
When one lacks the imagination of where to spend your excess money, in this instance a minimum $170,000, then there are numerous individuals in the archdiocese involved in social justice committees that would have been willing to direct you to the common good. We need to focus on the real needs of the less privileged or our spirituality is misplaced.
These "spiritual adventures" are so divergent from the teachings Jesus imparted to us, even of the message JPII conveyed. Somehow, helping the less fortunate never seems to enter the equation.
With the fabrication of this statue you have indicated where your priorities lie. I suspect that the even larger "tragedy" is that the committee responsible for this statue cannot even comprehend the larger concern expressed here.
Willem Hubben
Edmonton
Letter to the Editor - 12/22/08
Zyp's accusations were over the top
Re: John Zyp's letter ("Talented Polish sculptor lives here," WCR Nov. 3), and a host of other letters he sends in on a regular basis:
In the interest of having a respectful Catholic dialogue, I don't believe it is in any way constructive for John to infer that this parish's actions were immoral or irresponsible.
As so often is the case with John's letters to the editor, he is full of over-the-top accusations, innuendo and a seething contempt for those who dare to disagree with him.
There were literally hundreds of different and valid ways to run this project John, and your approach is no more or less valid than all the others.
David Sokolan
Edmonton
Letter writer admits he got carried away
It is unfortunate that Stanislaw Kircyczuk ("Danek Mozdzenski was indeed consulted," WCR letters, Nov. 24) thinks that I am belittling the efforts of the Polish community, Holy Rosary Parish and the Knights of Columbus.
I am far too fond of my many Polish friends, Danek among them, to consider such a thing.
I didn't think that I exaggerate when I say that my family considers Danek Mosdzenski as one of us and I am sure that Danek agrees. It is for that very reason that I was terribly disappointed that Danek did not get the John Paul II commission.
If my reaction has offended some people in the Polish community I am sincerely sorry. Perhaps I got a little carried away by my admiration of Danek's genius.
John Zyp
Edmonton
No excuse for voting for pro-abortion candidates
As a U.S. citizen who voted in the 2008 election, and as an imperfect sinner trying to be faithful to Catholic Church teachings, there is absolutely no way that any politician that supports the murder of the unborn which is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being will ever get my vote.
The American bishops stated that no Catholic can endorse an anti-life pro-abortion politician if a plausible pro-life alternative is available. Therefore no anti-life politicians can get any Catholic votes or votes of other people with good-will.
This is not about political parties, or corrupt politicians, or unpopular presidents; it is about being faithful to Church teaching and life in general.
Let God judge me for my vote, but if one calls themselves a Catholic while still voting for an anti-life politician, they disregard Pope Benedict's teaching and the teachings of the Church that those claiming to be Catholic politicians that vote for legal abortion are subject to excommunication, and those individuals that vote for abortion have excluded themselves from the Holy Eucharist.
Let us pray with Mary the Mother of God for wisdom for anyone performing abortions, debating to have an abortion or voting against life. As St. Elizabeth said, "Blessed is the fruit of your womb . . . the child in my womb leapt for joy!" (Luke 1:41-44).
Marko Stefaniuk
Edmonton
Evolution guided by mystical force
There's a school of thought in biology that believes that evolution is guided by a plan or is a mystical force working toward some planned end. Needless to say, atheistic scientists hold this theory in ill repute.
For some reason we have failed to give due recognition to the laws of nature. The laws of nature are a type of plan or guide for nature that can be thought of as God. From this perspective, the whole universe, not only evolution, is guided by these laws.
Jesus understood his truth as fundamental laws governing individual and social behaviour. Also he equated the truth with God the Father. "If you did know me, you would know my Father as well" (John 8:19).
Therefore in modern terms, God would at the least be, the body of the laws of nature.
This perspective doesn't contradict anything anyone has said about God, like for instance that God always was and always will be, or that he is omnipotent and omniscient, etc.
It would be much harder for an atheist to deny the existence of the laws of nature.
Bernard Rioux
Edmonton
Letters to the Editor
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