Readers Speak Out: May 23, 2021

Land rights

Re: As Israeli-Palestinian violence escalates, Christian leaders voice concern (May 16):

The statement issued by the Middle Eastern Council of Churches after a Palestinian missile attack on Israel contains a troubling message that only further envenoms relations between these two great faiths. They would have us accept that Arab-Palestinian violence is the logical byproduct of their resenting Israel’s right to the land and her own self-defence. God bestowed the land of Canaan to the Jewish people and Abraham’s descendants in the faith, as stated in Genesis and Romans.

Scholars proved that the land of Israel always belonged to the Jewish people in spite of hostile tribes that threatened their existence; this proof grants Israel certain inalienable rights.

Christopher Mansour,

Barrie, Ont.

Sinful behaviour

I used to think that Catholics sent their children to Catholic schools so they could get an education that was grounded in the Ten Commandments and the teachings of the Catholic Church. 

Even non-Catholics liked to send their children to Catholic schools so they could get an education that was different from the secular teachings found in the public school system.

The trustees who run the Toronto Catholic District School Board have voted to show their support for a type of sinful behaviour, thereby going against the teachings of the Catholic Church. Now I question why Catholic parents/guardians who support the Magisterium would continue to send their children to those schools.

I am not looking forward to driving past my local Catholic school, or any other Toronto Catholic school, during the month of June.

Claudine Goller,

Scarborough, Ont.

No safeguard

I migrated from Sri Lanka  in 1987 with my two children, eight and five years old. Ninety-three per cent of the population in Sri Lanka is Buddhist and only two per cent are Christians.

I thought that my children were in a very Christian value-based country.  I am sad to say when the very institutions that should be safeguarding our Christian values are destroying them, where can we immigrants turn to?

May Our Lady of Fatima intercede for us this holy day.

Marie Fernando,

Scarborough, Ont.

Undue pressure

How very unfortunate that in this part of the world too, we Catholics face persecution.

Persecution of a different kind. 

Where our rights to practise our faith without being coerced into accepting something that is contrary to our faith? Whether the Catholic schools receive government funding or not, they should not be pressurized to fly the pride flag.  

What next? I feel let down and disappointed by the TCDSB. How are we to pass on our faith to our kids? 

Antoinette David,

Scarborough, Ont.