Letters to the Editor

"In my life time (54 years), the Church has been a follower of community rather than its pillar or its leader. Such good ideas as we might have that are counter to the general public are left to a handful of strident voices or languish in small committees or go unheard at all.

We do little to offend the communities of which we are a part - even if the community vision is cloudy or darkened by simply just being American and middleclass.

It really would have been nice if the 'Body of Christ' (the Church) would have been as enthusiastic about confronting the community about war and poverty and justice as it is about confronting the bishop with its own desire to maintain its real estate. Stopping parish closings is probably noble in the sense that it is finally something growing among the visibly dead - I'm just not quite as convinced that it isn't just one more American "more about us"; do we fight as hard when it is for housing for others, schools for everyone, peace or justice or life - innocent life/guilty life/Iraqi life? It's easy to be in favor of one's gathering place in the "burbs." It's not quite enough to truly make it 'church.' It might be a start.

We don't need anyone to feel guilty. We need everyone to feel responsible

Church in community needs to be more about being willing to risk voice and leadership. It must be more than a place to be 'fed.' Americans are overfed and under responsible at many levels. We need to be the city on the hill and the light than shines even as we fill the streets.

Anyway - keep up the work. What we do now isn't the war, it's just a battle; it isn't a vision, it's just a glimpse; it isn't the goal, but it is a start." Linda, OSC

"Too little discussion on how a religious institution should serve the community? Maybe the elite has not discussed this, but we the people of God have, since the revelations of Vatican II, discussed (1) the awesome responsibility of mapping our own salvation and (2) how the institution can serve us as we journey to Christ. Lots of prayer and discussion ... just no way to communicate to the institution." Gail W Hunter

"I am surprised that VOTF had little to say about the attempts made by bishops and priests to influence Catholic voters in the presidential election. I was personally appalled to hear and read that some clerics were suggesting that Catholics had a moral obligation to vote Republican because of Bush's position on abortion and stem cell research, as if those were the only 'life and death' issues in the campaign. Given how important 'moral values' were to voters in this election, it is possible that the Church's position critically altered the vote.

This is a clear misuse of ecclesiastic power and dangerously borders on a violation of the ideal of separation of church and state. Isn't it time for VOTF to speak out on something besides pedophilia?" Sharron Jaskunas, Indianapolis

"We need more discussion on the matters of the Church and civic interest. I am concerned about separation of Church and State. It was very disturbing that the Catholic Bishops and a number of parish priests took a stand against a Catholic candidate in the recent Presidential Election. It is very confusing to me that that in the early 60's, the Church was eager to elect a Catholic to the White House and this year it was not. In light of its many abuses, is the Church any longer credible on moral issues?"

"We were offended when several homilists in the churches we attended tried to influence our vote during the recent election. Since we have no voice, we no longer support this Church."

"I congratulate you all for caring about the people (all of us) who make up the Body of Christ. Together we are Church." Pat Twomey, Cork, County Cork, Ireland

"I agree that the role of a religious institution and its interaction with the community needs more discussion. Also, the role of individuals within the religious institution when interacting with people must be discussed. For example, much has been said about child abuse but little has been said about adult sexual exploitation by persons within ministry."

"There are still too many offending priests who have ducked under the time-limit radar who are still serving as priests and too many in the hierarchy who covered up for them who haven't even been affected by the turmoil. They consider everything taken care of and are continuing on as though nothing has happened." Jim Schmidt, Norwood, MA

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