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Contents © 1999
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

LETTERS
MAY 1999

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GRACIOUS INTELLECTUAL

I am not a "conservative" Catholic and therefore often disagree with your slant on many things but I want to thank you for the superb article on Muslim scholar Muhammad Hisham Kabbani [see "Marian Muslim", March Faith]. It was fascinating to view the world situation through the eyes of this gracious Muslim intellectual. It was also fascinating to hear of the influence of mystical poet Rumi on Spanish Catholicism. I can see his influence in the poetry of St John of the Cross.

But the most important thing about the article was that this man was speaking and acting for peace. His ideas brought healing perspective to Christian-Muslim relations.

Scott Hess
Petaluma


SAN FRANCISCO SCRIBE

In the March 1999 issue of your newspaper, there is an article with a headline that reads: "The New Yorker Bishop, Weakland Dismisses Conservatives at San Francisco Lecture." Can this be a Catholic newspaper demeaning a respected Catholic clergyman, the Most Rev. Rembert G. Weakland, Archbishop of Milwaukee, with a vague reference to the New Yorker magazine? What are we Catholics coming to?

Ire towards Archbishop Weakland just drips from every word in the article. It is apparent that as the self-appointed "Bay Area's Lay Catholic Newspaper" you consider it your grave responsibility to punish him by printing a hard-hitting, abusive article. This grave responsibility is maintained in another article in the same issue where annoyance is expressed with Archbishop Levada and John Quinn for not permitting a Latin Tridentine Mass in the archdiocese of San Francisco. You must feel good about yourself as you stretch your conservative lay Catholic muscles throughout the Bay Area by taking funny pop-shots at Catholic clergy.

In the above-mentioned article on Archbishop Weakland, the author, George Neumayr, left out an important item -- namely, the title of Weakland's talk at the University of San Francisco Twentieth Paul Wattson Lecture on January 25, 1999, "The Challenge of Church Leadership In An Ecumenical and Pluralistic Age." Sloppy journalism to say the least! Weakland indicated in this lecture that Church leaders are now asking the laity to also take up the challenge of promoting and shouldering ecumenical efforts in a very pluralistic age.

It is apparent that your newspaper, as the responsible "Bay Area's Lay Catholic Newspaper," will have nothing to do with any suggestions by Archbishop Weakland, even though they are good ones. It is interesting that as Catholics you resort to the same unfair tactics practiced by the secular tabloid press such as: the use of sensational headlines that bend situations to your point of view in order to get the reader's attention; or again, the use of exaggerated conflict between two groups -- for example, pitting Catholic against Catholic in pro-life versus pro-abortion situations as Neumayr does in his article regarding "listening sessions" that have nothing to do with Weakland's lecture.

By employing these tactics, you victimize people who are then left to defend themselves as best as possible. Worst still, these tactics successfully confuse many well-meaning Catholics who read your newspaper. Strange journalism like this does great harm in serving God Who is the Origin and Source of all fairness. The mode of operation used by your newspaper makes you resemble a group of educated writers active during Jesus's time, "the Scribes." How sad!

Father John J. Keane
Director,
20th Paul Wattson Lecture


AMERICA IS A CULTURE OF DEATH

Thank you for the fine article on Ray Dennehy [see "Telling the Truth", March Faith]. He makes me proud to be an Irish-American Catholic.

Also, the Holy Father's quote on the climate of death in America is true, even if Archbishop Weakland doesn't like it. "Those who have eyes, see; those with ears, hear." I'd say the Holy Father said it like it is.

Mary Lou James
Antioch


LISTEN TO THE OTHER SIDE

Regarding the article in the April issue, "More American than Catholic?," I would agree with much that is said there. There is an identity crisis in the Church.

It is important, however, in fairness to try to understand the position of people like Father John Locatelli and other educators. These people are undoubtedly good Christians who are trying to make the Church relevant to modern society. They are seeking a different grounding for a post-modern theology. You and I may disagree with them, but they are not bad people. Their intentions are good; they mean well.

When someone like Father Francis Buckley says that even an atheist can advance the Jesuit mission, or says that Jewish faculty members are often more committed to the Jesuit mission than some of our Catholic members, that is a great opportunity to engage them in a dialogue. I have had some exposure to the theology that underlies those assertions. We need to explore the context of seemingly shocking statements like this before we can hope to make any progress toward understanding each other. And this will take time and patience.

Your publication could perform a real service if it would provide a platform for the honest, fair, open, and candid exchange of ideas on issues like this.

Give these people the chance to express themselves.

Jim Roth
Vallejo


A PALPABLE EXAMPLE OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY

I read with dismay your February article concerning St. Ignatius Parish [see News, February Faith]. As a parishioner of St. Ignatius and a member of the faculty at the University of San Francisco, I was disheartened to see that such anecdotal and erroneous information would appear in a newspaper that seeks to report faithfully on issues of religion. Your characterizations of the schedule for confessions and the manner of distributing the Eucharist are simply wrong. St. Ignatius provides an exemplary case of how a parish can make the sacraments and the liturgy of the Church available to the People of God. Moreover, the thoughtfulness and the concern of the Jesuits and lay staff to parishioners and the city at large is a palpable and daily example of Christian charity. I invite you to come and see for yourself. Then you will be able to publish something about St. Ignatius that is actually faithful to the truth.

Paul V. Murphy
San Francisco


THE FAITH INSPIRES COURAGE

Thank you for sending me your newspaper. I enjoy reading all the articles and look forward to receiving it. I have been a Catholic for 61 years. I am in communion with the Holy See. I am a Secular Franciscan and go to every conference and retreat I can.

We need to pray for our priests and bishops, especially those who have taken kneelers, tabernacles and crucifixes out of our churches. I recently went to mass in Fresno and at Communion the priest never said the "Body of Christ," but he said everything else. Then in a retreat house I visited, the priest came out to celebrate the Sacrament of Confession wearing a multi-colored shower cap to represent joy.

The San Francisco Faith newspaper has really encouraged me to realize I am not alone in my views and gives me courage to speak out against the things that are wrong.

Gerald Lowry
Modesto

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