There’s no ‘systemic racism in Church’
I disagree with all the articles about systemic racism in the Church. I am a senior and have been a Catholic all my life. I have never witnessed any racism in my parish or in the Catholic schools I have attended.
As a Catholic, I have always encouraged my family and friends to respect people of all races, religions and nationalities.
I disagree with all the woke policies being spread around the country in the name of justice.
If we truly love Jesus, we will love our neighbors and treat everyone with respect. – Joyce Campbell, Virginia Beach
Pleased to read Haiti outreach story
As an active member of the Haiti Committee at the Church of the Holy Family in Virginia Beach, as well as the chair of the Haiti Education Support Team (HEST) of the Diocese of Richmond, I was extremely pleased to read about the ongoing support and relationships with our twin parishes in Haiti.
Between COVID and the political upheaval, it has been impossible for us to travel there. It is important to note that our work there continues lest anyone forget our mission and commitment to help the poorest of the poor.
HEST continues to help with supervisors’ salaries, teacher training, early childhood intervention programs, social and emotional learning programs, and leadership courses in the high schools.
HEST welcomes contributions to continue these programs in the schools (twinned and non-twinned) throughout the Diocese of Hinche, Haiti. Checks may be made through the diocesan website, richmonddiocese.org. You will see Haiti Ministry under the directory.
Thank you for your continued support of our brothers and sisters in Haiti. – Kathy Dowdy, Virginia Beach
Church must teach about evils of totalitarianism
Nearly 80 years have passed since democratically governed European citizens were forced to shelter in subway stations from unprovoked bombing attacks. Citizens of Ukraine are experiencing this horror today. As during World War II, the aggression against Ukraine is driven by a single, likely deranged person, bent on totalitarian domination.
There are many problems facing humanity today. Global warming. Abortion. Euthanasia. Nuclear weapons proliferation. Gross racism and inequality. The solutions to all of these problems depend on one thing: the survival of Western democracy and, in particular, democracy in America, which is under attack from within our political system.
If the January 6 insurrection was not evidence enough, the 45th president’s praise of Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine leave zero doubt as to his future intentions.
Tragically, the actions of some Catholic clergy prior to the 2020 election encouraged voting for the 45th president, to the extent of stating one’s salvation was at stake if one voted for Joe Biden. These clergy, blinded by opposition to abortion, did not understand the threat to democracy posed by 45.
I was taught in my Catholic education that abortion and totalitarianism are coequal evils because they deny the dignity of the human person. The abject disregard for life by Russia’s attack on Ukraine confirms the validity of this teaching.
I deeply pray that the Church forcefully corrects previous errors by some clergy. I also deeply pray the Church will forcefully teach about the evils of totalitarianism. Nothing short of the future of humanity and the Church itself is at stake. – Martin G. Mlynczak, Yorktown