Editor’s Note: The following viewer letters are in response to “AmChurch and Stockholm Syndrome”
Dear Mark,
Excellent piece!! Loved the phrase “…sold their Catholic birthright for a pot of message.”
If it weren't for writers like you, I think that I would have to wrap my head in duct tape to keep my skull from flying apart at times. Just when you think things can't get any worse or any more bizarre in the Catholic universe, it does. Please keep up the good work, as the light you shed is sorely needed.
Yours in Christ,
Mary K. Brent, R.N.
Eugene, OR
(Left Coast mission territory)
Dear Mary,
On the bright side, St. Joan's is the very worst Catholic parish I've ever run across. Compared to some of the insanity that's happening outside the Catholic communion, I'd say that our heretics are fairly tepid. (Not that this excuses anything, but it is a hopeful sign.)
Also, hopeful is the fact that parishes like St. Joan's are not multiplying or growing. They are aging and dying off. What some call “Progressive thought” I call “natural selection.” Darwin will finish off the sort of thing St. Joan's represents.
Mark Shea
Senior Content Editor
Catholic Exchange
Mr. Shea,
I just read your article on the Catholic Exchange website about St. Joan of Arc. I'm very sad to say I completely agree with all your comments concerning St. Joan of Arc (SJoA) church in Minneapolis. I encourage you to keep promoting the real truth of the Catholic faith. May God bless you in that mission.
However, I am very sad that your article did not at least qualify that SJoA is an exception in our Archdiocese. True, there are other churches in the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis which are also very poor examples of the true Catholic faith, but this can be said of many major metropolitan areas. There are some other very positive facts about our Archdiocese. Many parishes offer multiple daily masses and confession times — with very long lines for confession every day. Also, for example, the number of Eucharistic Adoration Chapels is phenomenal, and I believe is more than any other metropolitan area. We are also one of the vibrant centers of Catholic radio.
I hope your article did not lead some people to think that our Archdiocese (and by association our Bishops, religious, and lay people) are represented by the tragic example of St. Joan of Arc.
Thank you and God Bless you!
Daniel R. McIntyre
Dear Daniel:
I appreciate your note. Unfortunately, an article of this nature has a limited word count and I can't cover everything. My point was to focus on the strange way in which people who are being betrayed by their pastors will labor to defend their betrayers. I did not mean to indict the entire Archdiocese as consisting of nothing but St. Joan of Arc parish. I agree that St. Joan's is a spectacularly egregious parish and is, therefore, exceptional. Other parishes exhibit some of these pathologies but, in my experience, St. Joan's is the worst I've seen.
I agree that there are wonderful things also going on in your Archdiocese. I was just there two weeks ago for the American Chesterton Society Conference and I will be there this weekend for Jeff Cavins “Called to Lead” conference. I very much enjoyed my time there and I look forward to coming back!
Mark Shea
Senior Content Editor
Catholic Exchange
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