The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Religious Feasts

4.21.05 @ 12:01AM

CHURCH MATTERS
Re: George Neumayr's God Is My Pilot; Roy Hogue's, Joseph Baum's, and Pete Chagnon's letters (under "Not the Marrying Kind?") in Reader Mail's Orthodox Positions; Vincent Chiarello's letter ("Meaning No Disrespect") in Reader Mail's Audience Participation; and Jeremy Lott's Don't Let Them Marry:

Just a quick word of praise for George Neumayr's article on the new Pope: right on! (oh boy -- dating myself!). I am a fairly strict Calvinist who has watched the American Catholic Church become infected with the dread germ of liberal secularism... the disease that has so sapped my own tradition. The Roman Church's centralized system of governance has staunched the leakage via the godly leadership of JPII. It now looks as if the trend towards orthodoxy just might continue and even thrive (in part due to the work of great missionaries in both of our traditions). God is good! The Gates will not prevail for they are built upon lies as are the false doctrines assailing the church catholic. Keep up the good work.
-- Col. Hugh MacKenzie
Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey

Insofar as I am a "recovered" Catholic, I still have dismay over some of the tenets of classical Roman Catholicism. However, one thing that I had hoped to see remain true in the Catholic church was that it not succumb to post-modernism, and most especially the loathsome doctrine of relativism that accompanies it. The appointment of Cardinal Ratzinger to the papal chair is quite possibly the best thing to happen in my adult life to help combat this slide to the left that many, especially in America, seem to recommend for the Church and her flock.

As a child, I remember vividly the elections that brought to us John Paul I and John Paul II, and even made a scrapbook of John Paul II's visits to America that I eagerly shared with my fellow classmates in Catholic Parochial school. I watched John Paul II take stands on moral absolutes that many have forgotten or rationalized away, and wondered if there would be anyone to take up his banner when he was gone. And now they have found him.

The worldview espoused by Jesus Christ has been forgotten by many of the so-called "faithful" -- Catholic and Protestant alike. My hope and prayer for Benedict XVI's term in office on the seat of Peter is for him to call for a return to that worldview, and to show the planet no one should have to stand in apology for holding this set of timeless and true values.

For the election of Pope Benedict XVI, I give a whole-hearted and resounding AMEN!
-- Sarah R. Palmer
California

Roy Hogue, in his letter of 4/19, opines that "the celibacy requirement is what made the priesthood so attractive to homosexual men who molested so many young boys." Might I point out to Mr. Hogue that the celibacy requirement is just as binding on homosexuals as it is on heterosexuals, so it's hard to see that as the motivating factor. In fact, if the promise to abstain from licit (i.e., married) sexual intercourse is deemed important enough to encode in a vow, how much more important must it be to abstain from illicit sexual intercourse or contact? The truth of the matter is, what motivated homosexuals to join the modern priesthood was the lax discipline and permissiveness of the post-Vatican II American Church, combined with easy access to young victims once ordained. The celibacy requirement, far from being "attractive" to those who intend to ignore it, has always been considered a troublesome, antique stumbling block by them, which is why they've worked so tirelessly these last decades to destroy it.
-- Jim Newland
Santa Clarita, California

Roy Hogue's statement that the celibacy requirement is what made the priesthood attractive to homosexual men is so mind-blowingly ignorant that I don't know where to start. By his reasoning, homosexual men need a celibacy requirement, to, first, join the priesthood, second, molest little boys?? How, exactly does that work Roy? Do you honestly think that a pedophile would not be a pedophile if the church allowed them to marry? Pedophiles are not interested in adults as sex partners and their vocation in life has nothing to do with their interest in molesting children. Subject two: A celibate priest does not come up with rules for life on marriage, family, children, and sexuality from thin air; it comes from the bible, the word of God. He does not need personal life experience to know what is right and wrong, he only needs his faith in the word of God. By your own requirements that a person must have personal life experience before commenting on a given subject, then you have no right to comment on being a priest or religion, because most likely, you have no experience with either.
-- Jeff Goff

The crisis in the vocations actually shines light on the deeper crisis in the Catholic family. Catholic Tradition always recognizes Our Lady as the First Apostle. It was because of her fiat that Christ entered into History. This humble woman from a forgotten corner of Judea wash chosen as the vessel that brought salvation into the world. Like Mary, mothers of the Christian faith collaborated with God in producing children who populate our convents, monasteries and seminaries. The linkage between the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony (the making of mothers), the hierarchy of the family, and the Church were well known until recently.

It is no surprise that the crisis in vocations began with the decay of the family, and the liberation of sex from God's will. Contraception puts Man's imprimatur on the marriage act, and makes sex a thing-in-itself. In just 3 generations Matrimony has been reduced to a social contract, motherhood has been likened to slavery, and the womb has become downright dangerous. In the old days families used to look to the Holy Family as the ideal to emulate. Desperate Housewives seem to be our ideal these days. It isn't difficult to see the decay of the Catholic family mirror the decay in the vocations.

The Church isn't about to remove celibacy from the priesthood. It cannot allow women into the priesthood anymore than it will allow transgender men into the convents. The catalysts for the vocations were set initially by The Holy Family, and continued through the years imperfectly. When the Church did allow for non-celibate clerics it was met with catastrophe. The Church learned its lessons. If we want to see an increase in vocations it must start in the family. Until Catholics open themselves to life, until they emulate the obedience, and devotion of St. Mary and St. Joseph, we will continue to have parishes without fathers.
-- J.P. Koch
Mishawaka, Indiana

I'd like to follow up on Mr. Chiarello's letter regarding the legacy of JPII, who was a great missionary, writer, and evangelistic, but a poor administrator. He failed to supervise the clergy, leading to the multiple scandals. Only the Pope can remove or transfer corrupt bishops. He didn't do that. He formulated a new (and false) doctrine of opposition to capital punishment, with disastrous results. Pro-abortion 'Catholic' politicians quickly picked up on this. They now claim, "We agree with the Pope on capital punishment, while you conservatives don't." No pro-abortion Catholic politicians have been excommunicated. We are all judged by how we fulfill the duties of our state of life. And Popes, with the tremendous power and responsibility of their office, are judged by a very high standard indeed. Benedict XVI has a huge job ahead.
-- C. Baker

I think the level of discourse would be elevated if Pete Chagnon and others did not throw around cheap shots! Martin Luther did not become a Protestant so that he could marry. He wrote a list of complaints and nailed them to the church door (he PROTESTED, hence the term Protestant); His complaints were against the weird excesses of Vatican I. For example, he abhorred indulgences which allowed the rich to buy their way into heaven, camel going through a needle's eye be damned! The Pope got a very nice cathedral, St. Peter's, with the proceeds. He also became "infallible", something even the future King of England, Charles Windsor, is not; as recently proved by his admission of sins before his wedding audience. Yet future King Charles will be the head of the Anglican Church. I guess feelings of infallibility come easier to some people, but will they get into heaven?
-- Bruce Thompson

In response to Roy Hogue's letter: I must disagree with your premise that unless one has experienced something, they have no credibility. Knowledge does not come from experience alone. It can come from book knowledge. By book knowledge, I mean anything we know, that we ourselves did not create or discover the knowledge. Sometimes knowledge comes from experience, sometimes it come from thinking, or observing or reading. I'll use ND football head coach, Charlie Weis as an example. He never played in college or the pros (no experience). However, he developed Tom Brady into a Super Bowl MVP. It is easy, but not necessarily wise to say -- you don't understand because you haven't done it.

In my job, I constantly hear people say to me that- I don't understand because I don't sell. What they think is so hard to comprehend is not brain surgery. And, when I give a dissertation on their job, and how even the dimmest bulb can understand it with little thought, they seem dumbfounded that I do understand it and I'm not a salesman.

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Bill Clinton, Business, Religion, Catholicism, Abortion, Hollywood, Law, Oil