To the editor:
In the article “Rebuilding Catholic Culture,” Sr. Joan Roccasalvo, C.S.J., argues that much contemporary liturgical music is of lower quality than traditional forms and has a destructive effect on the human spirit. Her complaints against the contemporary liturgical songs are that they are “trite,” “romanticized,” or having “jerky, heavy, frenzied rhythms or dance rhythms.”
To the editor:
Throughout our lives as Catholics we’ve learned about and supported the Church’s efforts to spread Catholicism to the rest of the world. The Society for the Propagation of the Faith is one of four pontifical mission societies that seeks to inform Catholics of the life and the needs of the Catholic Church in the missions, and to encourage prayer and financial help for those mission churches.
To the editor:
During the Year of Faith we recall the Second Vatican Council. I respect the priests who persevered, held things together, and helped to implement the council. Many of these outstanding priests have died. We remember them each year at the Priests Assembly. Others are retired while some are still in active ministry.
The years after the council were challenging, yet graced times. However, priestly and religious vocations gradually decreased. Since 2000 in our diocese, ordinations have increased. In my opinion this happened because the Holy Spirit helped more Catholics to see and respond to the truth that “vocations are everyone’s business.”
To the editor:
We find the “Forming Consciences” article (Catholic Herald, September 27, 2012) to be both ambiguous and confusing. Stating that Catholics are to vote using a well-formed conscience is correct; however, our consciences have not been well-formed for the past 40 years or so. This close to the election it is essential that we speak plainly and clearly about what is at stake and disregard “nice platitudes and political correctness.”
Certain issues trump all other issues. The most significant issues trumping all others have to do with religious freedom, abortion, same-sex marriage, contraception, and other “culture of death” issues.
To the editor:
Some thoughts on the first Rebuilding Catholic Culture article:
1. To call the folk style music a “fad” is interesting — most fads don’t last 40+ years.
To the editor:
This letter is to confused Catholic voters.
This year, Election Day is a moment when the pen will be mightier than the sword, because we currently face life-and-death situations for the unborn and our religious freedom.
It was Jesus who criticized hypocrites for not practicing what they preached, and judged others by their good works, not good words.
To the editor:
During a recent vacation, which included attending Mass at a variety of new (to me) Wisconsin Catholic parishes, boy, am I happy to be back at Madison’s Cathedral Parish, where the Mass is the Mass, the music is appropriately solemn and dignified, and the lyrics don’t center on us and on God’s good fortune that we showed up, but on a humble, grateful, and reverent attitude towards God.
To the editor:
Sometimes it is easy to grow weary as we battle for the rights of unborn children, the elderly, the handicapped, and to defend the institution of marriage in a culture that advocates for abortion rights, euthanasia, and same sex marriage.
We need to focus on the words of St. Paul to the Christian community at Galatia, “Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6: 9).
To the editor:
Satan sometimes speaks to man by the misapplication of Scripture. We saw this happen when President Obama applied the Golden Rule to support his position on gay marriage.
Christ showed us the way to respond is to quote Scripture correctly (Luke 4). For God’s view on gay activity refer to Deuteronomy 22:5, Leviticus 18:22, 20:13. If we are to apply the Golden Rule to the sin of homosexuality, then what about bestiality, cannibalism, and pedophilia? (Leviticus 18:23, 20:15-16). I hope all would say, “ NO.”
To the editor:
This month, we have an opportunity to contribute to some very worthwhile causes through the National Combined Collection, which you have heard about in recent weeks.
One of the groups assisted through this collection is the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), which has a diocesan board that is effectively helping people in the Madison Diocese.
