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Keep moving forward

In reference to the April 6 article entitled “No need to step back” by Bernard Daly, I am a 76-year-old retired high school teacher who has been a practising Catholic all my life, and I clearly remember the years prior to Vatican II when Latin was the language spoken by priests celebrating Masses, and when priests celebrated Masses with their back to the Mass-attendees, and when Communion was taken only on the tongue by parishioners.

I was most pleased when Pope Paul VI approved the liturgy changes that are in effect today regarding the aforementioned.

Like Daly, I sincerely hope that top Vatican officials will not be successful in their attacks on the liturgy changes approved by Pope Paul VI after the Second Vatican Council, and that the Vatican II renewal approved by Pope Paul VI will keep moving forward.

Frank O’Brien
Montreal, Que.

More on kneeling

Al Smith (“In defence of kneeling,” April 6) suggests I wrote that kneeling to God is not in the Bible. He reads more in my words than is there. My letter (“Kneeling isn’t biblical,” March 16) contends only that our Roman Catholic practice of kneeling, especially for receiving Holy Communion, does not come from the Bible with any direct historical link. Alexander Roman’s letter (“Kneeling had limits,” April 6) gives good evidence for my position as does the fact that many of the oldest cathedrals of Europe to this day do not have kneelers.

In his book, The Spirit of the Liturgy, Pope Benedict XVI in writing that “Kneeling … comes from the Bible…” (p. 185), is arguing in light of the Bible only for fittingness of kneeling. R.C. kneeling probably has its roots in the Christianizing of pagan Roman culture. Smith’s letter, as Paul Kokoski’s (“Kneel before God,” March 2), misrepresents how Pope Benedict reaffirms the relevance of kneeling. They make him talk history rather than piety.

The successors to the Apostles never read everything in the Bible as binding. In Acts 15:29, the Council of Apostles prohibited all Christians from eating blood. Even though St. Luke, the author of Acts, presents blood abstention as essential to Christian religion, the successors to the Apostles did not do so.

As to Smith’s hint that I oppose kneeling, let him come to St. Leo’s and poll my parishioners. They will testify that I never ascend to the altar to begin Mass nor take leave of it without genuflecting to the tabernacle, that I celebrate Eucharist and officiate at our weekly Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament with the proper kneeling and genuflections and that I teach the ministers of Communion and the servers to do the same.

Fr. Frank Carpinelli
Pastor, St. Leo’s parish
Professor
St. Augustine Seminary
Toronto, Ont.

A New Earth fan

I just finished reading Dorothy Cummings’ book review of A New Earth (“Tolle’s New Earth brought pain to this body ,” March 16). I must say that I disagree with her thoughts.

I felt more in touch with my Catholic faith and my spirituality while reading A New Earth than I ever have before. It strung together a number of my beliefs and made them relevant to my everyday life as a 35-year-old mother of three children under five.

Reading the book made me feel peace and hope and I know the Catholic institution would agree that those are good pillars for a happy life.

I don’t know what “religion” Oprah feels she belongs to, nor do I know what “religion” Eckhart Tolle calls his own. But I do know that the two of them have one million people watching their webcast about this book and it’s making people stop and enjoy the gift of life. I’m sure the powers that be in the Catholic Church would be happy to have that number of new, interested parishioners.

The flow of Cummings’ review seemed very “us versus them” to me. I like the feel of Tolle’s book, which is very much that all humans are more alike than different. I think Jesus would agree with that message.

Siobhan Kukolic
Mississauga, Ont.

Let’s hear other side

Canada needs freedom of speech. The Catholic Register set a good example by publishing Boyd Tolton’s letter (“Homosexuals have lives,” Feb. 24).

Now let us hear from readers who may wish to engage in a rational and respectful dialogue. We should especially invite moderate homosexuals. For example:

• The ones who are embarrassed by the antics of people who march in Gay Pride parades.
• The ones who help carry on their family name by relishing the role of aunt or uncle to the children of their siblings.
• The ones who encourage heterosexual friends to marry and have children because Canada’s plunging birth rate is causing problems that cannot be fixed by immigration.
• The ones who send roses on Mother’s Day and carnations on Father’s Day, and keep pictures of their grandparents.

Finally, many homosexuals cherish the freedom of the press. I hope that some of them will volunteer to testify as witnesses for the defence in the case of Catholic Insight magazine.

Anthony Pittarelli
Winnipeg, Man.