Readers Speak Out: September 1, 2019

Anti-Christian bias

Re: “Report keeps Jesuit off monument pedestal” (Aug. 11-18):

Parks Canada, members of two Indigenous groups and others say that the positioning of figures on the Champlain monument in Orillia is “racist.” They’ve now decided to make changes to it including removing a Jesuit figure as an “example of reconciliation.” 

Removing this figure, however, doesn’t advance reconciliation but hinders it by suppressing history. It shows an anti-Christian bias on the part of those responsible. 

Wouldn’t it have been better to re-position the Jesuit figure in relation to the Indigenous ones?

Historically, the Jesuits were selfless heroes offering the Gospel to the Indigenous peoples, primarily the Hurons, while respecting their culture as well. They played an integral part in the history of Huronia and that should be acknowledged, not censored.

Claudio Ceolin,

Toronto

Revealing blog

Fr. Ron Rolheiser’s article about Rachel Held Evans urges us to read her books and mentions that he hasn’t “found a single line with which to disagree. She’s trusted food for the soul.” 

I’m assuming that Fr. Rolheiser has only read her books and not her blogs. I decided to read a couple of her blogs. In one, she urges women to use contraception in order to reduce abortions. Would Fr. Rolheiser agree with that? 

My advice: Don’t read Rachel Held Evans’ books or blogs unless you want to risk losing your soul. Read Bishop Fulton Sheen’s books instead.

Clayton Bernard Lee,

Chepstow, Ont.

Pilgrimage prep

I want to thank Vincent Pham for his very thoughtful column on the purpose of pilgrimages.  

I especially appreciate the importance he assigned to the spiritual preparation for a pilgrimage and for “being in the moment” when you are there.

Ann Neysmith,

Toronto

No judgment, please

Peter Stockland follows Fr. Raymond de Souza in striking out at a fellow human being who is in trouble, with the intent to dismiss him as a failure, or very guilty of “semantic imbecility.” But then, Justin Trudeau did hire a woman, Jody Wilson-Raybould, to be his Attorney-General. 

When she told her “truth” to the world, she made it clear that he would never rise above her accusations. Is this justice? She has pursued him, her face in all the newspapers. 

To then accuse him of blasphemy is a way of condemning him spiritually. Judgment, spiritual or political, has no place in The Catholic Register.

Virginia Edman,

Toronto

Two questions

Re: “Real Presence” of Jesus questioned (Aug. 16):

Two questions arise about the Pew Research study in the United States:

1) Should Pew be asking the very same question of the clergy? 

2) Should the majority of Catholics who don’t believe in the “Real Presence” be considered Protestants?

Ricardo Di Cecca,

Burlington, Ont.