Category: Opinion

On
Mary C. Uhler, editor

Church is combatting sexual abuse

Almost every day we hear media reports concerning how the Catholic Church has handled cases of sexual abuse of minors by clergy. It is important for Catholics — and the public at large — to get the facts straight.

First of all, Pope Benedict XVI and countless bishops around the world have continued to repeat that sexual abuse is wrong, sinful, and must not be tolerated. For example, in his March 19th letter to the Catholics of Ireland, Pope Benedict says, “Like yourselves, I have been deeply disturbed by the information which has come to light regarding the abuse of children and vulnerable young people by members of the Church in Ireland, particularly by priests and religious. I can only share in the dismay and the sense of betrayal that so many of you have experienced on learning of these sinful and criminal acts and the way Church authorities in Ireland dealt with them.”

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Francis Paliekara, Fond du Lac

Encouraging to see faith of doctor in his column

To the editor:

It is extremely encouraging for a layperson like me to hear from a medical expert like Dr. Michael Robiolio that “there is never a need for an abortion even in these cases.” The cases referred to in the guest column, “Catholic physician’s perspective on the health care debate,” in the March 25 issue of the Catholic Herald, are rape, incest, and threat to the mother’s life.

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Jacek M. Cianciara, Madison

‘Ultimate solution’ today is aimed at elderly, infirm

To the editor:

The abortion issue is only one part of a complex Culture of Death equation masterminded by liberal minds and aimed at putting “mother earth” ahead of man, created in the image and likeness of God. So the news about the latest battle for government-run health care would imply.

A broader scrutiny reveals, however, that there is another part of this equation, possibly even more despicable than abortion, a discussion which was unfortunately missed in the health care debate. It is aimed at building a foundation for the “ultimate solution.”

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Mary C. Uhler, editor

Media bias: Catholics continue to be targets

Individual Catholics and the Catholic Church itself continue to be popular targets for media bias in our country.

Whenever there is an allegation of sexual abuse by a Catholic priest, newspapers usually publish an article on the front page, while television and radio news reports lead with the story. Even if the alleged abuse happened 30 or 40 years ago, it gets prime coverage.

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Mary C. Uhler, editor

Make sure you’re counted: Why it’s important to complete the U.S. Census questionnaire

We should be receiving the 2010 U.S. census form in the mail soon. The Census Bureau assures us that this is one of the shortest forms in history. With just 10 questions, most people should be able to complete the form in 10 minutes.

Every person in each household is counted and must answer seven questions about name, gender, race, ethnicity, and whether they sometimes live somewhere else. The head of the household indicates how many people live in the residence; whether it is a house, apartment, or mobile home; and provides a telephone number for census workers to follow up if any information is incomplete or missing.

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Janet McKellar, Waunakee

Both forms of the Mass are beautiful ways to worship

To the editor:

This is in response to the article entitled “Concerns about Returning to the Use of Latin in Mass.” First of all, I do not understand why there is so much concern about offering the Extraordinary Form of the Mass in Latin along with the Ordinary Form of the Mass in English.

No one is being forced to attend the Latin Mass. It is there for those who prefer to worship God as the Church has done for centuries and who find this traditional form of worship to be very meaningful, reverent, and spiritually uplifting.

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Bob Crawford, Sun Prairie

Modern liturgy is gift from Holy Spirit, joyful experience

To the editor:

I’m wondering what past century Kenneth J. Wolfe dropped in on us from after I read “Latin Mass Appeal.” His indictment of Cardinal Bugnini as the sole “perpetrator” behind liturgical reform (even hinting that Bugnini was really a Freemason) would be laughable if Wolfe weren’t so serious. Remember that the bishops and cardinals of Vatican II voted overwhelmingly for reform.

Raised a Catholic in pre-Vatican II times, I experienced the traditional Latin Mass with the priest facing the tabernacle and whispering in a foreign language. I was an altar boy, trained to respond in Latin though I had only a faint idea of what the responses meant. I experienced hundreds of Latin Masses in which, as a member of the congregation, I dutifully forced myself to focus my attention on the Latin-speaking priest.

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