Readers Speak Out: October 6, 2019

Time to reboot

Church leaders cannot be blamed for optimistically adopting Vatican II changes, which most clergy and laity supported. However, 55 years on, it must be concluded that those good-faith liberalizing strategies have not worked. 

Yet modernizers continue to advocate reforms which have demonstrably failed. In my respectful view, liberals denigrate orthodoxy and shy from advocating sound doctrine because they fear that defending traditional beliefs might be divisive and not sufficiently politically correct in a secular society. They seem unable to see that  pursuing a failed reformist strategy is undermining the Church’s credibility at a time when Catholics are under fire and need strong, unambiguous leadership and the anchor of orthodoxy.

For the good of the faithful it’s time to reboot.

Robert J. Gallivan,

Thornhill, Ont.

Sad development

According to news reports, the demand for surgical abortions is declining worldwide due to the rapid acceptance of the abortion drug Mifegymiso.

After over 40 years of involvement in the pro-life movements, it is sad and disheartening to see the whole world moving to embrace chemical abortions, thereby making the pregnant woman herself, the abortionist.

Jim Hughes,

President Emeritus, Campaign  Life Coalition,

Vice-President – International Right To Life Federation

Smear campaign

My reaction to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau using black and brownface was not anger or disgust, as many have expressed, but rather disappointment. 

As a person of colour, and as an Ahmadi Muslim, no doubt I find using black and brownface to be offensive, but I also find it wrong to dig up and publicize the indiscretions of someone’s youth.

These pictures were from roughly two decades ago, long before Trudeau was holding office, and his record as prime minister speaks to how much he has grown since then. 

Whether it was him allowing thousands of Syrian refugees to seek refuge in Canada or his opposition of Quebec’s Bill 21, he has always been at the forefront of promoting diversity and combating division.

Fostering a smear campaign distracts us from the real issues like climate change or economic growth. The fact that Trudeau apologized as soon as these pictures were made public should be enough for everyone to move on. 

Blawal Aleem,

Maple, Ont.

Acceptance

Re: No reason to ban conversion therapy (Nov. 1):

This article totally infuriated me. The God I know and love, loves all, regardless of race, gender, big, small and, yes, as well as LGBTQ. 

My son told me when he was 18 that he was gay. I looked at him and said you are still my boy and, no matter what, I still love you. In no way did I want or have any desire to change who my son is. 

Why would you change who someone is, or make them pretend (to be someone else) just to be accepted? Let’s accept others and all they have to offer and love them for who they are, not for who you want them to be.

Maureen Hickey,

Smith Falls, Ont.