Letters • December 13, 2021

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Love listens, then acts to address racial injustice

Kudos for recently publishing several articles and subsequent letters to the editor addressing racism. As might be expected, the letters were written from different perspectives on this sensitive issue. One writer suggested several authors to explore. I’m sure other readers might suggest other writers whose worldview aligns with theirs. I suggest we look to Scripture and Catholic Social Teaching, including pastoral letters by the USCCB, to study this issue.

In his song, “Follow Me (87 Times),” Bryan Sirchio sings, “God save us from the Christs we create in our image (you know what I mean). The Jesus who’s as left wing or right wing as we. The one who baptizes our cherished ideologies. The one who always seems to favor our side against some enemy.”

In Luke 10:27, Jesus says, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

This commandment is especially relevant when we talk about loving our neighbors of color. Interestingly, the USCCB’s pastoral letter on racism is titled, “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love.”

Note the recurring call to love. The bishops encourage us “to listen and know the stories of our brothers and sisters. We must create opportunities to hear, with open hearts, the tragic stories that are deeply imprinted on the lives of our brothers and sisters, if we are to be moved with empathy to promote justice.”

To put it succinctly, love listens, and then acts to address injustice tied to race. – Jimmy Culpepper, Chesapeake

Pope, not evangelizers, can bring back Christ’s presence

In response to Bishop Kevin Rhoades’ plea for evangelizers of the Eucharist (Catholic Virginian, Nov. 1):

Mother Angelica (founder of TV’s EWTN) said many years ago this would happen!

When the Second Vatican Council approved the removal of the altar rails and kneelers, and parishioners walked up to receive Communion in their own hand instead of kneeling and receiving his holy presence on their tongue, Jesus’ real presence began to disappear.

To add fuel to the fire, tabernacles with Jesus Christ’s true presence were removed from the altar and put in a small prayer room. Upon entering God’s holy house of worship where the true presence of Jesus Christ lives on the altar, genuflecting and kneeling to pray for his intercession, he is gone!

This has a lot to do with Catholics feeling comfortable in other denominations’ churches. The reverence and holy presence has disappeared from the one and only Church established by Jesus Christ.

The only one that can bring back Jesus Christ’s holy presence is the pope, not evangelizers! – Dot Presson Hewitt, Dendron

An opportunity to bear ‘good fruit’

This letter is directed to the millennial from Newport News who asked a question about the Nativity Fast (Catholic Virginian, Nov. 29).

In my experience, the Eastern Catholic Churches (they are in communion with Pope Francis) follow traditions very close to what I have learned was the medieval Roman Catholic tradition. Since these churches arose in cultures of Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa, they do not exactly match our Roman heritage, but they are pretty close.

Several Eastern parishes are in Virginia — two from the Byzantine Catholic Church are in Hampton Roads. If you want to experience the tradition within a community setting, perhaps visit these parishes from time to time.

For your enrichment at home, I recommend you purchase “The Publican’s Prayer Book,” which has instructions on fasting, helpful prayers, a short version of the Liturgy of the Hours in the Melkite Catholic Church, and spiritual instructions of various saints.

Roman Catholics recovering our rightful traditions, through personal education and living the traditions of sister Catholic churches, will bear good fruit in our spiritual lives, our diocese and the Roman Catholic Church. – Anthony Rago, Newport News

Share time, talents and love with elderly

On Dec. 1, Bon Secours sold its four senior care facilities located in our diocese. For over 30 years, thousands of seniors were provided a safe, comfortable home and quality care at St. Francis nursing center in Newport News, Maryview nursing center in Suffolk and the two Province Place assisted living centers in Hampton Roads.

Unfortunately, due to a complex array of issues facing senior care facilities, the Catholic-based health system made the difficult decision to end this service after much prayerful discernment.

As these facilities continue to operate under new ownership, I pray that members of the Hampton Roads community continue to share their time, talents and love with the frail elderly that call these healthcare facilities “home” and the professional caregivers their “family.” – Irvin Land Jr., Virginia Beach

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