Tolerant & Enlightened?

Dear Mark Shea:

Your piece on Catholic Exchange, “Infallibility Doesn't Mean Never Having to Say You're Sorry,” was just the gift from God I needed at just the time I needed it. Thank you.

A brief (I hope) explanation: For years I, as I'm sure you have, have struggled to live a life of faith surrounded by people who adhere to the current dogmatic notion of “tolerance” and “enlightenment.” That tolerance, as we well know, dismisses Christian faith and doesn't tolerate real well those who practice the Christian faith. I've struggled because I've always found this tolerance and enlightenment neither tolerant nor enlightened. And what I find even more frustrating is that this conventional wisdom thinks itself unique!

There are millions of people of my generation — in their 20s and 30s — self-described liberal free-thinkers who are “thinking for themselves” that somehow all think the exact same thoughts! (I've also noticed that most of them are miserable, lonely, cynical, etc. But that's another matter…) It's mind boggling and I've never bought into it.

After reading your piece, I now know why I don't buy into it, and why I shouldn't.

Thank you. Your piece has fed my soul and my mind. One of my brothers from my recent Cursillo pointed me to Catholic Exchange. Like the Church, I guess I, too, am a sinner who exists mainly because of the protection and guidance I get from the Lord. Sometimes His grace astonishes me.

Thanks again.

In Christ,

Matt McSorley

Manchester, NH

Businesses that Support Abortion

Dear Catholic Exchange:

In the January 10 Viewer Letters, Amy from Newnan, GA mentioned that Sears and JCPenney give to pro-abortion organizations.

I was curious where Amy got this information, as I have never heard about either of these companies supporting Planned Parenthood or any other organization of that type. I know companies such as Dairy Queen, Microsoft, and Sony give to PP, as I have read in Life Decision International's Boycott List. I have read of other companies such as Kraft supporting anti-life organizations also (although I can't remember where).

Are there any web sites you or CE readers can recommend that have some additional information on such companies?

Thanks,

Joy Schwartz

Dear Joy:

Catholic Exchange ran an article recently that listed some of the corporations that fund Planned Parenthood. This article can be found here. As the article notes, you can go to Life Decisions International (LDI) in order to learn more about these and other companies.

You can also get more information from the St. Antoninus Institute's Pro-Life Shopping Guide.

As I understand it, St. Antoninus never delists a company once they have supported the Culture of Death; whereas LDI does delist companies who agree to stop funding Planned Parenthood. I think LDI's approach is more effective, but the decision is up to you.

You can order a complete LDI list from Human Life International (1-800-549-5433) or at hli.org; or you can order the list from LDI. I did not see Sears or J.C. Penny on either list; however, LDI might be able to help you find more information on that. According to the Capital Research Center, Allstate has supported PP in the past, but Sears sold Allstate in 1995.

Thank you for your interest and your desire to support the Culture of Life. Please pray for us at Catholic Exchange and Human Life International.

God bless,

Jameson Taylor

Writer

Catholic Exchange

Human Life International

Telling Jokes at Mass

Dear Catholic Exchange:

First I'd just like to say that I love your website and visit it first thing every morning as soon as I awake. I usually don't write letters to the editor such as this but I felt compelled to write in response to today's article, “Why Has the Courtroom Retained the Reverence Mass Has Lost?.”

I agree somewhat with the article, we have become a little casual in church these days, but I disagree with some of it, especially the following section.

As a result, such priests diffuse the tension with casual greetings, jokes, and references to secular celebrations. They intend to relax the congregation and put people at ease. They instead produce a casual, mediocre and often meaningless atmosphere. They do not understand the paradox: If the Mass has the atmosphere of every day life, then it no longer has any relevance for every day life.

My priest is such a priest, saying good morning (in English and Hawaiian) at daily Mass, and beginning his homily first with a quick joke. He also is the most serious, faith-filled and amazing priest I have ever met in my life.

I had been away from the Church for almost 30 years when I decided to stumble into one of his Masses. His “casualness” is what brought me back the next week and then the next week…..etc. It wasn't his jokes that brought me back, but his strong faith and love of the Lord and now I can be seen coming to Mass everyday with the utmost reverence. His good humor has not detracted from the importance of the Mass and has in no way produced a “mediocre and meaningless atmosphere.” In fact I often find myself overwhelmed with emotion at his Masses.

I live in Maui, and you would be amazed at the amount of tourists who flock to his Masses on Sunday even though they are on vacation. (A lot of the time it is standing room only.) And after Mass I see them thanking him for the beautiful and wonderful Mass. These people don't leave saying, “Hey I thought your joke was funny today.” God works through different people in different ways, and I think the way he works through my priest with a little bit of this “casualness,” has brought many people back to the Church they left and keeps them coming back!

Thanks for all the great work you do.

Lynn

Dear Lynn:

Thank you for your feedback to Catholic Exchange. It is always gratifying to hear from daily viewers such as you.

Regarding the article in question, the editors of Catholic Exchange don't necessarily agree with all the points made by Fr. Scalia, but we thought the article made enough important points to be worth posting on CE.

Thank you for taking the time to write. Please remember that Catholic Exchange is supported solely by donations from our faithful viewers. For information on donating to Catholic Exchange please see our donation page.

May God bless you!

Sincerely,

Mark Dittman

Associate Editor

Catholic Exchange


Editor's Note: To contact Catholic Exchange, please refer to our Contact Us page.

Subscribe to CE
(It's free)

Go to Catholic Exchange homepage

MENU