The Catholic Register - Readers Speak Out

Written by Catholic Register Readers,

Developers rule

John Bentley Mays tells us, in his May 25 column, that the issue of St. Basil’s Church is only a paved parking lot. In defence of the church and its pastor, Fr. Paul McGill, the issue is more than that. This church has served a large community of the faithful for many years. It is their church and their community. The idea that the radical plans for development will not change their parish is dismissive and probably untrue.

Until the city recognizes the urban community life of all parts of the city, there will always be development that favours the very rich, and abandons the poor and those with no voice. In this case the parish had no voice. It wants access to parking to continue so that the parish can continue. This is not a huge problem, but there is a huge “no” in the response. This problem is out of Mr. Mays’ reach; it is out of the University of St. Michael’s College’s reach; it is out of the city’s reach.

It has become tiresome to hear it and tiresome to debate it. Many have spoken and reasoned, but one small problem cannot be solved on the campus — accessibility to the church. What this says to me is that it is the rich developer who rules. Watch out, for this little church and this small parish stand for something. They stand for the people of Toronto, who want a city that is beautiful and at the same time practical enough to allow them to live their lives. Let’s hear a solution and not a dissertation.

Virginia Edman
Toronto, Ont.

It’s no surprise

Your May 25 editorial, “Restoring credibility,” rightly points out that when politicians are seen as serving their own interests rather than those of their constituents, trust in the political process is lost. We have had ample evidence of this in recent years — the Ottawa sponsorship scandal for example — resulting in historically low voter turnout for recent elections.

The only thing surprising about the abuses by the Toronto Catholic school trustees is that anyone is surprised by the revelations of their self-serving financial manipulations. You will recall that when Mike Harris became premier of Ontario he was faced with an almost identical scandal involving the Toronto public board. To help fix the problem he enacted numerous reforms including caps on trustees’ salaries, disqualification of a trustee whose spouse worked as a teacher for the same board, etc. The Liberals undid many of his reforms and now, surprise, surprise, taxpayers are stuck with the consequences.

R.J. Gallivan
Thornhill, Ont.

Finding disrespect

I am a recent subscriber to your newspaper and I find that there is from time to time lack of respect in quoting or referring to our clergy in your publication.

A case in point. In your paper of May 11 on page 5 there is an article about curial appointments in the archdiocese of Toronto. In the third paragraph the writer refers to the archbishop as Collins. I find that offensive. When referring to our clergy, especially the archbishop, they should be referred to by title.

On page 15 of the same publication Fr. Philip Kennedy, the president of Catholic Missions In Canada, is referred to as Kennedy and not Fr. Kennedy. I know this man personally and he deserves to be treated with respect.

There are many other examples in the newspaper, but I am sure that you get my point.

Dennis Metz
Oshawa, Ont.

Royalty and religion

Autumn Kelly apparently “converted” to the English state religion in order not to impede her fiance Peter Phillip’s chances to become king. It was reported earlier that Kelly’s Montreal parish was St. John Fisher. St. John Fisher, 1459-1535, was the bishop of Rochester, the only prelate who had the courage to oppose the marriage of King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. For this, he was sent to the Tower of London. Pope Pius III awarded him with a cardinal’s hat.

When Henry VIII heard of this, he said: “… he shall wear it on his shoulders, for I will leave him not a head to sit it on.” Bishop Fisher was executed in 1535, the same year as Thomas More. Henry VIII is buried in St. George’s Chapel, where the “royal” wedding took place.

W.J. Curran
Ottawa, Ont.

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