Readers Speak Out: February 6, 2022

Sacramental solution

Sr. Helena Burns concludes her Jan. 30 column about media literacy with St. Paul’s description of the end times when humankind will be subject to a “powerful delusion” (2 Thessalonians 2:11). She believes our vulnerability to delusion stems from a failure to love the truth.

Catholic theologians explain our common tendency to fear and avoid the truth as part of a threefold wound inherited with original sin. In addition to wounds of malice and concupiscence, we are hobbled by a wound of ignorance which darkens the intellect. The solution lies in baptism and reconciliation.

A faithful Catholic who makes good use of these two sacraments becomes a person who is extremely difficult to manipulate.

Lise Anglin,

Toronto

United in baptism

Prime Minister Trudeau’s recent comments suggesting that vaccinated Canadians should be intolerant of, and angry with, the unvaccinated were troubling and not Christian. Charles Lewis rightly disagrees with the “us vs. them” divisiveness this encourages. In contrast, a wise leader tries to unite people and promote peace, not conflict.

History shows that humanity is prone to being divided by deceptive political rhetoric.  But as the Mystical Body of Christ, Catholics are united through baptism forming a spiritual bond that includes both the vaccinated and unvaccinated. Both groups are meant to live in unity, not disunity.  As St. Paul said, “It was in one Spirit that all of us, whether Jew or Greek, slave or free, were baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13). 

Claudio Ceolin,

Toronto

Responsible journalism

Since the reports of graves at residential schools began, The Register has published an unending stream of articles imputing to its readers the guilt and criminal implications the mainstream media have constantly insisted on.

There was little if any attempt by The Register at balance, let alone truth.

I was surprised at the article by Fr. de Souza in the Dec. 5 issue. I hope it indicates a move to more responsible journalism.

John Arts,

Chatham Ont.

Disappointing article

After reading Peter Stockland’s “When the truth spawns hysteria,” I was left disappointed and concerned, both about the perspective Stockland writes from, and about the negative impact his words are likely to have.

Stockland seems to write from a primarily defensive stance, as if the Catholic Church is the aggrieved party or victim, who needs to be defended from “the woke mob” or “cancel culture.” It is hard not to see this as a cynical inversion of the actual situation. 

It is disappointing and scandalizing that Stockland has chosen to privilege the Church’s concerns over the pain of Indigenous communities.

There is certainly room for discussion about the precise contours of residential school history, but that discussion must begin with — and must privilege — the voices of those who were so terribly harmed by their residential school experience. Efforts to minimize, attenuate or dilute that reality are unworthy of those who claim to follow the example of Jesus, and ultimately only serve to further erode people’s faith in our Church.

Murray Watson,

Barrie, Ont.