Readers Speak Out: June 9, 2019

Change the world

Re: Climate change stirs students into action (May 19):

It is very uncomfortable to be cynical about student sincerity, but making long weekends out of “Fridays for Future” does invite it. How about “Walking for the World,” where all students, staff and teachers that possibly can, walk or bicycle to school. This would cut down drastically pollution, traffic congestion and accidents while improving health and fitness all the while showing positive commitment and sincerity to their cause. 

Here is another suggestion for Catholic students: Start a “One Week of Ten Commandments” campaign. No lying, cheating, bullying, stealing, etc., not just at school but everywhere. 

Yes, we would be made fun of, but the effect of a billion Catholics doing so would be unimaginable and the good undeniable. By actually employing these gifts from God, just imagine how you would change the world and how the rest of humanity would find it compelling. I would be thrilled to do my part to bring it about.

Philip Syperek,

Oshawa, Ont.

A revelation

It was interesting to see your focus on the great Janet Somerville, one of my heroes in the 1970s. Her person, legend and writings spurred me on and along for decades. Janet’s hyper-intelligence was a revelation to me. Later when studying theology at St. Michael’s, I always made a point to hear her speak when I could.

The last couple of visits I made with her were at the time she was nursing her mother and she likened it to how her mother cared for her creatively and attentively when she came into the world. I can easily say that without her friendship and challenging support my vocation in Catholic communications might not have happened. 

Thanks for your article. 

Patrick Jamieson, 

Victoria, B.C.

Salvation

I have great respect for Fr. Ron Rolheiser, but I am concerned about one sentence from a recent column: “Hope asks us to believe that the final triumph of God’s love will be when Lucifer himself converts, return to Heaven and Hell is finally empty.”

If Jesus told Peter that it is none of his business how John will die (John 21), how is it our business whether or not Lucifer will convert? It is between God and him. 

It is more practical to prevent people from going to Hell, than hoping them out of Hell. Our priority is our own salvation from this world, not the salvation of those in Hell. 

Lucifer is far more superior to man. Neither God nor Lucifer needs us to hope for him to convert.

Rufino Ty,

Brampton, Ont.

Timid leaders

Charles Lewis offered a well-scripted warning to the Catholic Church in Canada as to what awaits us if we continue with our somnambulant approach to the tyranny of a Liberal government led by a prime minister whose objective is to enforce pro-abortion policies to the extent of violating our constitutional rights of freedom of religion.

What is staggering is the timidity of the Catholic Church in Canada and its leaders — both religious and lay — to offer any robust opposition to this evil. 

I am reminded of Edmund Burke, who famously said that evil will always triumph when people do nothing. 

Canada is in the position of being the only country where the largest religious group is under constant stress, if not persecution, by a government whose leader, I assume, still professes to be part of the group. This narrative would certainly win an entry in Ripley’s Believe it or Not.

J.E. Sequeira,

Pointe Claire, Que.