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Contents © 1999
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

LETTERS
JUNE 1999

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A DISAPPOINTMENT

I take the disintegration of the Catholic Church in this country very seriously. When I heard that Cardinal Ratzinger was going to be in San Francisco, I prayed for some kind of miracle that I might be able to get even a short message or note to him, not to mention being able to speak to him if even for a minute or two. I desperately wanted to tell the Cardinal about how our Church in California has been overrun with homosexuals, rabid feminist nuns, wacky Call to Action-eers, and other anti-Catholics. Naturally, I had no opportunity to get to the Cardinal in any way.

And then the April San Francisco Faith comes in the mail, and what do I see -- a cover of cute girls, beaming from ear to ear, surrounding the grinning Cardinal [see "The Dictatorship of Appearances", April Faith]. Is this reality? What a disappointment!

Laurette Elsberry
Sacramento


WHAT ARE THEY GETTING INTO?

Editor: the following letter was sent to Sacramento's Bishop Weigand, members of the diocesan pastoral center, and pastors and priests of the Sacramento diocese.

This letter represents only Dave Leatherby, Sr. In no way does this writing represent anyone associated with Immaculate Heart Radio. I have been donating my time this past three months to help the Catholic radio station get a start. During the testing period, my name and phone were given out on the air, and people began calling. Some priests and religious, but mostly lay people of all walks of life. Their responses were so overwhelming to me. Very, very thankful and grateful to have their own Catholic radio station.

Funding to pay for the station and to satisfy its monthly obligations have been where my efforts have been focused. I have attempted to reach the laity, the people responsible for the diocese, and the priests and religious. Msgr. Kavanagh and several other priests have been extremely supportive. It is now very clear who the friends and supporters of Catholic radio are -- the laity and a few pastors and priests.

In response to my communication, it has been a huge awakening to me that the people who run the diocese, a majority of pastors and priests, have little if any concern (other than negative concern), and it seems that many look for the station to fail. Catholic radio is the greatest thing to happen in Sacramento. We should be turning cartwheels in front of the pastoral center and the churches, holding rallies and shouting from the housetops about this wonderful gift. Instead it is being viewed as a big piece of dirty coal rather than the beautiful diamond that it is.

My family has supported every activity in this diocese with our time and money and prayers -- church festivals, schools, organizations, individuals, all the charitable events -- when they have called, for 18 years we have responded. The very first time I am in a position to ask for help, I am ridiculed, ignored, maligned, criticized, and told that I am arrogant to think that I represent Catholic radio. Never before in my life has anyone treated me worse than the people at the pastoral center and the pastors and the priests. I have gone to Mass every day for 34 years and prayed for the intentions of priests and religious. Every day for 34 years I have prayed that someone in my family would be called to religious life. I now have a grandson studying for the priesthood. My oldest granddaughter is graduating from Notre Dame and is being called to religious life. I've been told by a member of the Notre Dame staff that her spiritual activities are transforming the university.

After my experience the past three months I say to you, what in the name of God in this hour of the Church, are they getting into? Who is going to recognize the Christ when He returns? As a businessman, I must make a decision. If Catholic radio is to succeed, I want to spend my time where it will be more effective. Immediately I am ceasing any activity with the diocese; it is a waste of time and extremely frustrating.

The station will hopefully be successful through the efforts of the laity. Catholic radio is going to have a tremendous positive impact evangelizing throughout the USA, and hopefully, as time passes, Church officials will be more supportive that here and realize the people need and want Catholic radio to present the truths of the Church.

So, disappointed, deflated, embarrassed, and very ashamed of your response, I withdraw from Catholic radio activity with the diocese. You will continue to be in my prayers at daly Mass, and my love for God, His Son, Jesus, the Blessed Mother, His Pope, and Church will always remain a glorious gift to me and my family.

I humbly beg of God's mercy,

David Leatherby, Sr.
Leatherby's Family Creamery
Sacramento


QUESTIONS FOR MARY

I am neither liberal nor conservative, so I agree with some of your articles, disagree with others, and see some merit in many things you write about. Your being so conservative makes me wonder about your articles on Medjugorje. I would have thought you would defend Medjugorje to the hilt. With the danger of putting myself on the wrong side of believers, I have had the same doubts as you for years. Why doesn't our Blessed Mother say anything about the troubles in Yugoslavia? Why don't those who speak to Mary ask her questions about the church? Why don't they ask about the specific things you and your LA counterpart speak about?

There are many questions I would like to have answered about the Church. Perhaps one of your representatives can ask those questions to one of the visionaries when they tour the U.S. For example, is Jesus happy with the new mass or should we go back to the Latin? I guess that the visionary will say that they don't get into these things with Mary.

If Mary is really speaking to these people, she can bring the liberals and conservatives back together by giving us the right answers to the liturgy and the interpretation of some of the teachings of the Church. Wouldn't it be nice if, as the infamous Rodney King said, "we could all get along." I guess we will know all the answers in the next life -- who was right and who was wrong. Only then will all the questions which have been brought up in the last 2000 years be resolved. Then we will find out if the liberals were right or the conservatives were right, or maybe we both were trying to do what was right.

Rev. Msgr. Daniel M. Lopez
Chowchilla, CA.

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