The Catholic Register - Readers Speak Out

Written by Catholic Register Readers,

It’s God’s grace

This is in response to the questions in J.K. MacKenzie’s letter (Nov. 11) regarding your Oct. 14 article on the charismatic movement. I can understand MacKenzie’s skepticism, since I also was skeptical before I actually came to understand what the charismatic renewal was all about.

Why the charismatic renewal seems so far-fetched and even unacceptable to many “traditional” Catholics is because it has not customarily been part of our reserved Catholic upbringing. It is, however, quite Catholic, since the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation are so essential to our lives as Christians; and one has only to read the Acts of the Apostles to see how marvellously the Holy Spirit worked — with many signs and wonders — in the lives of the first Christians.

Regarding MacKenzie’s question of whether Catholics, through Baptism and Confirmation, possess all the gifts of the Holy Spirit: Yes, they do, but somehow if these gifts are not “stirred up” by the recipients, they will remain dormant. St. Paul tells Timothy (2 Timothy 1:6) to “stir into flame the gift God bestowed when my hands were laid on you.” This “stirring up of the Holy Spirit” activates His dormant gifts in us to make us effective instruments for God.

For centuries the charismatic aspect of the Holy Spirit was unfortunately obscured to most of the Christian population. But over this past century, God in His mercy has chosen to liberally “pour out His Spirit” upon all — Catholic, Protestant and aspiring Christian — who would accept this wonderful grace. It’s true that some Catholics received this grace at the hands of Protestants, but here I must clarify to MacKenzie that the grace (or “stirring up”) of the Holy Spirit is not a sacrament, so it does not have to be bestowed by a priest. Any lay Christian — Catholic or Protestant — can be an instrument of the bestowal. In fact, the grace of the Holy Spirit has even been imparted to some when no other people were around, since it is God Himself who does this.

Jean Johnston
Brampton, Ont.

Bold moves applauded

As a married health professional and a Christian I was pleased to read in one of our national newspapers about the defection of Bishop Donald Harvey of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador from the Anglican Church of Canada — over the issue of same-sex blessings.

This bold decision coincides with a similar courageous action recently (October 2007) by Catholic Archbishop James Weisgerber of Winnipeg who barred former Iraq hostage James Loney from speaking at a Catholic conference. Loney had publicly opposed the Catholic Church’s stand on homosexuality and the Catholic diocese in Winnipeg did its duty and moral obligation to prevent further scandal by not allowing blatant opposition to its teachings by a well-known public figure.

According to the Vatican’s “The Pastoral Care of Homosexuals” (1987) guidelines, homosexuals are often generous and giving of themselves — as Loney probably is. However, respect does not mean automatic support of all behaviours — especially those in contrast to natural moral laws and detrimental to the individual and society as a whole. The Vatican guidelines further state that “when they engage in homosexual activities they confirm within themselves a disordered sexual orientation which is essentially self-indulgent.”

Unfortunately with the legalization of same-sex “marriage” in Parliament, the destruction of true marriage has regrettably begun in this country. The legal establishment of Canada has declared that the public purpose of marriage no longer includes anything related to procreation or giving children mothers and fathers.

Given that law and public policy have seriously severed their ties to marriage, religious leaders of all beliefs and their communities now have a much greater duty to defend and support true marriage — as being between one man and one woman — for the common good of our country.

Dr. Andrew W. Caruk
Kitchener, Ont.

Continue the dialogue

The Province of Quebec (like the countries of France and Ireland, to name other places) has witnessed over the last number of years the Catholic religion becoming somewhat of a museum. This is not to say that there are not a few fine pockets still remaining.

Canada, particularly Ontario, due in no small part to the level of immigrants, has been able to maintain a more stable situation.

I, for one, think the dialogue should continue.

John Manion
Toronto, Ont.

It’s a noble cause

Lieut. Commander Albert Wong’s statement in your Dec. 16 issue, “In Canada if you have a problem in our community with a bike gang, you don’t call the army, you call the police,” is correct (“Bishops’ silence on Afghan war a ‘scandal’”). And that police force is armed and we have entrusted them with the right to use deadly force for the greater good if necessary.

So it is with our troops in Afghanistan. Heaven knows, if not Wong, that the situation is not a civil war, as he attempts to paint it. Poll after poll shows the majority of the Afghan people support NATO and UN involvement and do not want to give an inch to the Taliban. God bless our troops, who are there in a noble cause.

David Paolini
Toronto, Ont.

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