WHO’S NEXT?
Re: The Prowler’s Clerical
Losers:
Many faithful Catholics out here have been waiting for some
clear action regarding cardinals Law and Mahony. Thank you for an
informative article. But as an “American Catholic” I request that
when you refer to American Catholics, please don’t lump us all
together (e.g. “…openly questioning its positions on a number of
issues where American Catholics differ with Rome”).
Some American Catholics want to pick and choose what
they believe and have the global Church acquiesce. I’m not one of
them, and neither are a lot of us. Too often in the coverage of the
death of John Paul II and the election of Pope Benedict all media
have referred to American Catholics as a lump — unless they’re
talking about some massive rift. I don’t see such a massive rift.
Catholics in favor of abortion, married priests, etc., are a small
minority in my community.
— A. Rubeck
Kansas City, Missouri
As a practicing Roman Catholic (I’ll probably never get it right in
this lifetime), I have to be heartened by this issue of the
Prowler. I have waited a long time for someone who reveres Catholic
Dogma and the Magisterium of the Faith to step up and confront
these theological liberals, both clergy and laity. It is outside
the realm of my understanding why those who reject crucial dogmatic
principles such as the sanctity of life, original sin, the divinity
of Christ, etc., yet insist on calling themselves Catholics. When
these people change their allegiance to a pro football or
basketball team, they begin supporting another one without any
qualms. Why do they not do the same thing with religion? I have
come late to an understanding of the term “cafeteria Catholic,” but
I finally see what it means. The idea of changing the church to fit
their personal preferences reminds me that Americans who disagree
with major theological precepts, and seek support from deviant
(mentally, not sexually) priests are merely an extension of those
mid-nineteenth century romantics who subscribed to the idea of
relative truth. After all, if you are going to center your religion
on yourself, why not go all the way and worship yourself, too? Boy,
would that ever be convenient.
— Joseph Baum
Newton Falls, Ohio
“The floor of hell is paved with the skulls of Bishops,” said St.
Athanasius. How pathetic that this might actually be a best
case scenario, for given what we’ve seen in the Church over
the past several years, it is more than plausible that lower
ranking churchmen factor into hell’s flooring material as well!
Kudos to Pope Benedict for his reliably rumored role in the
dismissal of Jesuit Thomas Reese from his
dissenting-veiled-as-publishing role. Here’s to the hope that,
while he’s got the “Jebbies” in his sights (with apologies to St.
Ignatius, and to the faithful Jesuits who remain) the Holy Father
will also take a hard look at Georgetown University’s
abortion-embracing Robert Drinan, and at Boston College President
William Leahy, who’s university over the past several days has
announced a move to accommodate in its diversity statement our
world’s oh-so-tragically-put-upon sodomists.
Later, when Benedict hopefully moves on to the daunting
challenge posed by the many derelict American Bishops, may fellas
such as the good Bishops Fabian Bruskewitz and Raymond Burke be
allowed more prominent roles, so that the confused and sissified
wreckage that has been wrought by the likes of Roger Mahony can
begin to be dealt with in earnest!
If Pope Benedict has yet to articulate a mantra for his
pontificate, a la the Great John Paul’s “Totas Tuos,” then I humbly
suggest “So little time, so many heretics.” It probably sounds even
better in Latin!
— Francis M. Hannon, Jr.
Melrose, Massachusetts
The American Catholic clergy is not in an enviable position, and to
be quite honest, it is because Jesus was neither a good Republican
nor a good Democrat.
If Republicans stand for individual responsibility, and
Democrats for group responsibility and/or individual
irresponsibility, Jesus was arguably inconsistent. In the matter of
abortion, the most fundamental of individual responsibilities,
Jesus would be a Republican. In the matter of giving to the poor,
never mind the Protestant work ethic or creating opportunities for
the poor to become rich, Jesus would be a Democrat, see “easier for
a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to
enter the kingdom of heaven” and the parable of the widow and the
Pharisee and the rejected suggestion to the rich young man to “give
up all worldly possessions and follow me.”
The American Catholic clergy find themselves with an
irreconcilable dilemma, forced to choose between Republican
individual responsibility and Democrat individual irresponsibility.
For reasons known only to their own consciences and their Creator,
they choose the latter, the clergy being overwhelmingly registered
Democrats. Hence their blind eye to politicians who are the
champions of individual irresponsibility, and their miserable
failure to pronounce them not Catholics.
Why should the flock be expected to discriminate between right
and wrong when their shepherds themselves cannot?
— Frank Natoli
Newton, New Jersey
I wonder if it is sinful to be as happy as I am over this?
— Annette Cwik
FLYING INCOMPETENCE
Re: Ralph R. Reiland’s Insufficient
Bang for the Buck:
Homeland Security? BAH HUMBUG! As a limo driver in Kansas City,
loitering around the airport here, I have a few observations about
our so-called “airport security” — an oxymoron if ever there was
one. At KCI, the limos, and common carriers have to park in the
median, and cabs are banished to a distant lot, to be summoned
individually, as needed. NO ONE is allowed to park at the curb, and
when we unload clients, we are allowed to stop and nearly throw
them out of the car. The cops seem to think if we can do a rolling
dismount sort of a thing, it is ok. I have been stopped at the
curb, unloading clients, car in park, engine running, to grab bags
in the trunk and fling them curbside, with the airport police
sitting behind me, lights flashing. A good argument can be made for
not parking, and I do not have a problem with this practice as long
as it is enforced UNIFORMLY. Of course, there is no such a thing
here. The traffic cops leave at 9:30 p.m. After that, there is NO
ONE to direct traffic, and the civilians part all along the curb,
sometimes three deep. Osama himself could waltz into any terminal
untrammeled. The traffic cops leave at 9:30 supposedly because
there isn’t enough money to pay them to stay later. Where is this
money going? Does anyone care? Our local representative, the Rev.
Mr. Emanuel Cleaver, has no interest in government accountability.
He never has answers for any problem brought to him, and if it is
even hinted that he is culpable, in any way, the ugly word “racism”
is floated. I do not know the value of car free curbs, perhaps it
does work, but it needs to be ENFORCED. Who is here to here a cry
in the wilderness? Is anyone listening?
— Janis Johnson
Independence, Missouri
While reading the very troubling rundown on what’s still missing
from Homeland Security, I couldn’t help but
think: Where’s Mr. Bush been during all this? Where was Tom Ridge
during this period?
And where has Congress been on this? I’ve an answer:
deadlocked.
— C. Kenna Amos Jr.
Princeton, West Virginia
CONSPIRING FOR FAILURE
Re: The Prowler’s The Counsel
of Trent and “That Sinking Feeling” letters in Reader Mail’s
Drawing
Lott:
Chester “The Cheerleader” Lott is a perfectly good minority
leader. He should be a Democrat for that. We need a Majority
leader. Frist is talking a lot, but so far that’s it and we are
getting tired of waiting. As Tuco said in the bathtub scene in
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, (this is where he shoots
the guy who wants to take him out while the guy is telling Tuco
what he is going to do), “If you’re gonna shoot, SHOOT, don’t talk.
It time to shoot.
If Chester and Capt. McQueeg are worried about being in the
minority, that is where they will wind up. At that point the
Liberals will skewer them again. Lott, McCain et al. haven’t
figured out that if you behave like losers, then you will lose.
— GMS
Media, Pennsylvania
If Lott is successful in his power grab, I will have to leave the
Republican Party for good. I left after a year or so of his fine
leadership and vowed not to come back until he had no authority. I
have just returned and now to see this repugnant “pure” politician
conniving again sickens me yet again. But there is hope because
perhaps the shipyard in his backyard will be closed and his
constituents will finally see the error of their ways and get rid
of the quintessential Foghorn Leghorn.
— Tom McGonnell
Alexandria, Virginia
Mr. Bowden makes a good point regarding Senator Lott being suited
for Minority Leader. However, I would like to make the observation
that because of the meek behavior of the Republican senators.
Majority Leader is, in effect, Minority Leader. This whole thing is
disheartening.
— Chris Norman
MAYBE A RENTAL
Re: James Bowman’s Kingdom
of Heaven and George Neumayr’s Kingdom of
This World:
Simply to congratulate you for pointing out the necessary facts
regards this Kingdom of Heaven movie, a twisted try by
some pseudo intellectuals in Hollywood who never seem to have
picked up good history books. Also to congratulate you for your
first-rate effort in general and web-site. It stands out with its
fairness overall. Quite in contrast to some of the
overboard-republican efforts. Wish you lets of good fortune and
thousands of new readers each month.
— Niels de Groot
Switzerland
Judging by all the reviews of Kingdom of Heaven, it is
such a turkey that it should be served up with cornbread dressing
and cranberry sauce!
— Gretchen L. Chellson
Alexandria, Virginia
NIN-COMPOOP
Re: Happy Feder’s letter (under “Ladies Sing the Blues”) in Reader
Mail’s The Joys of
Republicanism:
Happy Feder in her or his letter to the editor claims that Helen
Taft, wife of President Taft, said in 1909 that she gave up sharing
a bath with her husband and instead read Anais Nin. That’s a neat
trick, considering that Nin was only six years old in 1909. This
fact may alert you to the utter bogusness of the entire contents of
the letter. Happy is jerking your chain.
— Wanda
