Readers Speak Out: September 5, 2021

Ageless Mass

Thanks so much to Charles Lewis for his wonderful column “A discouraging message on Latin Mass” (Aug. 1-8). My sentiment was “he took the words right out of my mouth.” And I know many folks that agree 100 per cent, including young people who have discovered the beauty and truth of the Mass of the ages. And yes, unfortunately Pope Francis is causing far more division than the Latin Mass ever could.

We were so grateful to Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 when he restored the Latin Mass to its rightful place; after all, it was a myth that it had never been forbidden.

The Latin Mass is a teacher and since it was so recklessly and ruthlessly taken from us, there has been a massive exodus out of the Church, and the Latin Mass’s restoration was bringing many to the Church. Lets pray that our bishops will be wise enough to encourage the Mass of the ages.

Yvonne Dienesch,

Eganville, Ont.

Failed teaching

The Latin Mass is a beautiful relic I remember from my childhood. Celebrated in Latin by richly adorned clerics who conversed in that mysterious tongue, we felt excluded. The beautiful chanting and clouds of incense added to its exoticism. Clericalism reigned supreme.

Lewis suggests that those parishioners who attend Mass in Latin are somehow the holiest of all. He then aims to prove this with results of Pew surveys. The results show abysmal ignorance.

These surveys prove something else entirely. Catholic colleges, churches and schools do not teach practical and true Catholicism, or these days they do it “online.” The community of the faithful is replaced by machines that many families don’t own or want to own.

Christine Nagel,

Calgary, Alta.

Soul concern

It is interesting to read Fr. Raymond de Souza’s analysis of the Church-state alliances. “When the state is a key partner, the interests of the state can compromise, even corrupt, the proclamation of the Gospel.” In the example he cited about the residential schools, we can conclude it is the state that set up the general framework or foundation of action and the Church filled in the work to make the whole “building” complete. 

During the time of Jesus, the Church-state alliance was the other way around. The Church (Jewish authorities) conceived the plan and the state executed it. Do these two situations tell us the trend of who is using who? This state-Church alliance is getting clearer every day. The Church is now more concerned with the functions of the state and not her own domain of sanctification. The primary and ultimate concern of the Church is the soul, not the body. Martyrs give up their lives for the salvation of their souls. We discipline the body for the sake of the soul. Do we have now inverted priorities?

Rufino Ty,

Brampton, Ont.

Unborn tears

It was reported that 215 graves were found beside a residential school in Kamloops, B.C. Many of these graves were reportedly those of children. They all had hopes and dreams. They had parents/families who loved and missed them.

Over 100,000 other children are killed each year in Canada. They vary in age; some as young as a few weeks, some as old as nine months. They live in what should be the safest place in the world — their mothers’ wombs. They have no opportunity to hope or dream. They all have parents who, for a variety of reasons, do not want them.

Cry for the Indigenous children, but cry, too, for the millions of tiny children not allowed to be born.

Colleen Reed,

Kenosee Lake, Sask.