Did Our Writer Misjudge Joan of Arcadia?



Dear CE:

Gabriel Garnica's article on Joan of Arcadia would be on the mark if the show were targeting Catholics. We aren't the audience that need to know that He is one of us. It offers, in my humble opinion, an extremely palatable way to view God or even open the discussion of God in a household. If only one person a week is brought into communion and the rest of the populace gets better TV from it — then I say it is a hit.

Claudia

Re: your article on Joan of Arcadia:

For the record your writer might be interested to know that Barbara Hall is actually a Catholic convert, and the idea for the show came from her own conversion experience, which he could have discovered, had he invested a little time in research.

If he keeps watching, he will also discover that the show will be dealing with many of the issues that he has already accused them of skirting, based on his viewing of a couple of episodes.

One would think that he would be glad to see monotheism make its way through the network maze one more time, but I will be charitable and assume he has no idea how difficult that is.

Sincerely,

Karen Hall (sister of Barbara Hall)

Executive Producer,
Judging Amy

Gabriel Garnica,

I just had to respond to your review about Joan of Arcadia:

While I enjoyed Touched by an Angel as a young adult, I can relate more directly to Joan. This show is an inspiration and the only must-see show for me. Did it occur to you that this show may bring people who had previously decided to turn away from God back towards the right path? It has touched so many people I know who had decided God (if He existed at all) was nothing more than a cruel prankster. It has made them realize that God does work to touch their lives even if it is only through the kind word of a stranger, that every kindness and good deed is God's love coming through us.

Also I think that the fact that Joan has the right to say no to God (the free will He granted us) makes people realize that their actions do carry some weight. We are accountable.

This show actually inspired me to go back to church after a two-year lapse. It made me sit back and think about what I'd been missing in my life and why I'd felt so lost. It might not be your idea of a perfect show, but it does indeed help carry God's love for us to millions of viewers each week. So what if at this point her family is not religious! Did you pause to think that it might inspire other young adults who were not brought up with God in their lives to seek out God in spite of that fact, that they may now ask to be taken to church to see what its all about and through that find God? It's not that we've outgrown God. It's just that we now have a new avenue to reach the younger and disillusioned youth of today who face so many more obstacles than your generation did. The first step is getting them interested in learning about God. Then we may have an opportunity to teach them about the Bible and the truth about God. I think this show is a wonderful gift and will continue to recommend it to everyone I talk to. I'm sorry you can't see just how wonderful the show is.

Sincerely,

Deborah McNeeley

Dear Claudia, Karen and Deborah,

I cannot comment on this show because I have never seen it. I can tell you that we appreciate your perspective. One of the themes that has frequently been aired on Catholic Exchange is the differing concepts Catholics have about what is offered in the entertainment media. We can assure you that if we had published a glowing review of the show, we'd have gotten a couple of letters disagreeing with it. That is what makes this truly a Catholic Exchange.

One thing we can all agree on for sure is that Catholics working in the very difficult field of popular entertainment need and deserve our support and praise. Hypercritical assessments of their work and attributions of bad faith or dishonorable motives from their co-religionists are very damaging. If Mr. Garnica's article did such harm, we apologize.

In his defense, he did say that he read in numerous articles that Barbara Hall was reluctant to reveal her own personal faith and he saw reported statements attributed to her that God could be male or female, and other notions which seemed to him to point in a New Age direction, without a single instance of her mentioning her conversion. He said, “To be honest, I never imagined that she was Catholic, as many of her views do not sound Catholic at all.”

We will have to allow time to reveal the quality of this show and its effects, which have so far been very positive for at least one of our readers. In the meantime we congratulate Barbara Hall on the success of her endeavor and encourage her to continue to be salt and light where it could not be more needed.

Mrs. Mary Kochan

Contributing Editor, Catholic Exchange



******

Dear CE:

The diocese I live in has a problem with homosexuality among the priests, unfortunately. When a friend of mine who was a CCD director told me it existed, and that it was widespread, I did not believe it. Since then, I have been told by several young men that it is a problem, and this led them to forego their desire to become priest for this diocese.

There have been no priestly ordinations for several years, a disgrace when one considers the size of this diocese and the percentage of the population that is nominally Catholic.

What I find particularly deplorable is that our the bishop has not been doing anything to root out the problem, but rather is only dealing with the results.

Instead of receiving sound teaching on sexual morality, anyone who has a church-related job, not just the priests, is required to sign a paper saying that he/she has been informed that such and such conduct is wrong; this is a simple case of CYA so the diocese will not be liable for the sexual misconduct of persons receiving a pay check from the Church.

There is at least one case I personally know of where a pastor is guilty of GRAVE liturgical abuse; the matter has been repeatedly brought to the bishop's attention, and he has done nothing. After seven years as our bishop here in Texas, we laity have found to our great sorrow that he does not have the spine to be a true shepherd.

How on earth can we have allegiance to one who amounts to, if not a wolf in sheep's clothing, a very cowardly lion?

Beatriz Imelda M. Lozano

Beatriz:

You have every right to be angry. You have every right to want better. You have every right to speak your mind and work for the healing and renewal of the Church if your bishop fails to teach and uphold the Catholic faith. Indeed, it is not just your right, it is your duty.

However, you need to think clearly too and remember what's what. You do not owe your bishop obedience because he's a good guy. You owe him obedience because he is a successor of the apostles. That does not mean you are bound to obey him if he commands you to do something evil. But is he in fact asking you to do anything evil? Chances of that are extremely remote. So if you are really faced with a bad bishop who does not uphold the faith, your duty is clear: You pray for him. You do him honor as you would your own father. You remain faithful to the teaching of the Church. And you avoid imitating your shepherd's faults. But do not leave the Church over it or ignore your bishop when he teaches. For he speaks not out of his own questionable personal holiness, but out of the Tradition.

If a bishop recites the Creed, he is not speaking out of his personal authority. He is speaking out of the truth the apostles handed down. The problem the Church faces right now is that many lay people, confronted with clergy who have betrayed the Apostolic Faith, come to the mysterious conclusion that things will get better if they reject the apostolic faith too. That's like trying to heal a sick man by removing more vital organs. Instead, what we laity must do is be faithful, stay with the Church, remain close to the sacraments, speak the truth in love, and refuse to let anything, including our bad members of the clergy, deflect us from the Faith and the unity of the Church.

One excellent book I can recommend is The Courage to be Catholic by George Weigel.

Courage!

Mark Shea

Senior Content Editor

Catholic Exchange



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