The Catholic Register - Readers Speak Out

Written by Catholic Register Readers,

Justice will be done

In his Nov. 25 column “On longing for God’s justice,” Fr. Ron Rolheiser criticizes people who desire that evildoers be punished in eternal life. He asserts that those who yearn for divine justice should accept that life is unfair, get over their anger and “join in the dance.” Although I have commented recently on one of Fr. Rolheiser’s columns, his superficial view concerning injustice cries out for correction. It victimizes genuine victims by portraying them as sulking complainers.

Pope Benedict demolishes Fr. Rolheiser’s opinion in his impressive encyclical Spe Salvi. The Pope declares that faith in the Last Judgment is hope in “a reparation that sets things aright.” Although a person’s need for God’s everlasting love is an important motive for believing in eternal life, the strongest argument for Christ’s return and for new life is “the impossibility that the injustice of history should be the final word…” Although God’s justice includes grace, that grace does not make wrong into right. “Evildoers, in the end, do not sit at table at the eternal banquet beside their victims without distinction, as though nothing had happened.”

In death, life choices become definitive. The masks concealing jealousy, selfishness and greed fall away, and the true soul is revealed. It is then that the evildoers will be punished, and those who hunger and thirst for justice will be fully satisfied.

Graeme A. Barry
Saint John, N.B.

Protecting society

Regarding the Dec. 23 article, “CCCB concerned Canada shifting policy on capital punishment,” members of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops have forgotten more Scripture than I ever knew. These holy men, knowing that we are made in the image and likeness of God, should understand that long ago God established man’s right to use capital punishment, legally, to remove evil from the world.

Examples of God doing this very thing are replete in the Old Testament (still part of the Bible). The great flood, the destruction of Sodom, Lot’s wife, poisonous serpents in the desert, and fire from heaven to consume the 250 council members who rebelled against Moses, are but a few examples.

In the New Testament we have the husband and wife (Acts 5, 1-6 and 7-11) struck dead and buried in two incidents that were three hours apart.

The “non-infallible” opinions of men cannot change man’s God-given right to protect society from wanton murders of women, children and law enforcement officers by evil fiends who live among us.

Frank Chatigny
Safety Harbor, Florida

Spirit is working

I would like to respond to Jean Johnston’s letter “It’s God’s grace,” Dec. 30-Jan. 6, concerning the charismatic Catholic movement, in particular to her claim that “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.”

Oh really? So the great hymns composed over the centuries, both Latin and venacular, were not Spirit inspired? How about the marvellous icons, both in the forms of paintings and statues, that we see in cathedrals and churches all around the world, created by devoted Christian artists? Was it not the Holy Spirit that motivated all these?

Did not St. Francis of Assisi receive a liberal pouring out of the Holy Spirit by God our heavenly Father? Or how about St. Anthony of Padua or St. Thomas Aquinas? Was it not the Holy Spirit who gave St. Maximillan Kolbe the courage to die for his faith in Auschwitz?

Over the past century, we have seen a steady decline in the Catholic priesthood and religious sisters, and in the late 20th century, there had been a drop in church attendance. Only in recent years, have these started to pick up.

Was not devotion to Our Lady’s Rosary supposed to stir up the gifts of the Holy Spirit within us?

Carolyn A. Barratt
Thornhill, Ont.

Behaviour is key

Thank you for your editorial (“Muzzling religion,” Jan. 13) that acknowledges that Catholic Insight is only defending the Catholic Church’s position regarding homosexual acts. Personally, I look forward to the day we stop identifying individuals as being their behaviour. Then we will be able to refute the behaviour as being repulsive. Most people I talk to who are neutral or support so-called homosexuals (a definite misnomer) go “Ooooh” when I start to describe the behaviour, showing me that it is also repulsive to them.

If you research the development of the law that not only decriminalized the behaviour, but led to hate crimes legislation which includes sexual orientation with race and other genetic anomalies, you will see that this misidentification has become a generally accepted fact.

Many individuals who suffer the cross of homosexual desires, and admit that the act is wrong, do not identify themselves as being those desires. I know of a couple of men that are heading for sainthood because of how they are redirecting those feelings into doing good works.

True charity should be grounded in truth. I pray that the day will come when God will enlighten all people to the truth of the serious harm the behaviour inevitably has not only on their bodies and society but most importantly on their souls.

Individuals are capable of acting on all sorts of desires and feelings, yet thanks be to God, He will if sought help us not to act.

Leeda Crawford
Toronto, Ont.