Readers Speak Out: November 29, 2020

Risky business

Pope Francis should be commended for his persistent attempts to reach a mutual agreement with the Chinese government on exercising the rights of the papacy in the governance of the Catholic Church in China. The probability of his success, in my opinion, is minimal, based on China’s recent unilateral abrogation of its “one country two systems” treaty with the UK.

What bothers me is the unintended consequences that Francis’ eagerness to reach a deal with the Chinese may evoke in a Church that lacks the unity it once had. It was gracious of him to regularize the appointment of a bishop whose appointment was proposed by the Chinese government. How would this play out in some country where the strongest opposition to a corrupt government is the local bishop? Would the Beijing precedent be used to urge the Church to agree to the appointment of a more pliant bishop chosen by the government?

At the end of August, Cardinal John Tong Hon, the apostolic administrator of Hong Kong, issued a letter to his clergy, under the instructions of the Beijing government, requesting them not to use any word or phrase in their homilies that the communist party could find offensive — an instruction that no doubt carries the danger of transferring the hermeneutics of Gospel values to the Communist party.

Bringing the Chinese Catholics back into the embrace of the universal Church is certainly a most noble objective, but the unintended consequences may entail not only the weakening of the papacy but more importantly fashion the misbelief that the Church will soften its stance on its traditional values if pushed hard enough.

J.E. Sequeira,

Pointe Claire, Que.

Protecting life

Let us support the Geneva Consensus Declaration in which 32 UN member states, including the U.S., committed to protect family life and are in disagreement with the UN’s stance on abortion, signed in Washington on Oct. 22.

The Geneva consensus declaration, an historic document, says where the nations stand on women’s health, the family, born and unborn life, and defending national sovereignty.

Let us pray to the God for Canada to join the declaration as soon as possible. Congratulations to the president of the U.S.A., Donald Trump, the first pro-life president. 

Mile Pletikosa,

Scarborough, Ont.

Larger issue

I get very upset when people say that pro-life is just being against abortion. Pro-life is having respect for all life from conception to death. So it definitely includes anti-abortion and against euthanasia. But it is so much more that that — respect for all people, all nations and colours, including Blacks, Asians and migrants. Pro-life also includes your treatment of animals with respect.

Donald Trump has done so many things which do not allow me to think of him as being pro-life, the main one being his treatment of the coronavirus. He says we are all tired of the virus and should go about with our lives as if it did not exist. Many months ago he put children of immigrants in cages. He wants to do away with Obamacare, meaning millions of Americans will be without health care. This is not pro-life.

George Meyer,

Prince Albert, Alta.