Don’t be led away from sacramental life
The waning of belief in the real presence (Catholic Virginian, Nov.1) is due to poor catechesis, poor liturgy and the replacement of Catholic Christian culture with the culture of the world at large.
Catholics must be in the world, but they must guard against allowing the broader culture to lead them away from a richer sacramental life, the graces received and the virtue that can result.
One concrete way forward is for parents to understand and live out their vocations fully. As the end of marriage is the procreation and education of children, parents are truly the primary educators of their children. The home is the first church and the first school – not just for preschoolers, but for all family members.
Parents may employ schools or CCD classes for assistance, but they should not make the mistake of assuming this delegation substitutes for their full participation. Teach your children the catechism and read the lives of the saints together.
Teach your teens the motives of credibility — that God exists, that Jesus is the Christ, and that the Catholic Church was founded by Christ — so that they can defend the reasonableness of faith. Study Church history, learn to read Latin and to sing plain chant.
Celebrate feasts with other families and pray together. Attend adoration and serve and love others. This requires a change in priorities, but it can be done.
Proceed by faith and not fear, because no other aspect of education is as important as an education for eternity. We must strive to become saints and raise our children to be the same. – Kay Beers, Blacksburg
Diocese should use voice to advocate for change
My thanks to The Catholic Virginian (Nov. 1) for publishing the Catholic News Service article by Ruby Thomas titled “Nuns confront slaveholding past, work for racial justice.”
My children attended Roanoke Catholic, and the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth were a large part of the school from the very beginning. As a member of Our Lady of Nazareth Parish, I also had the opportunity to know several of the sisters who were active in ministry there. It is encouraging to know that religious communities are looking at their own history and involvement in the sin of slavery.
During his keynote address of our Bicentennial/ Eucharistic Congress in 2020, Cardinal Wilton Gregory challenged people in the Diocese of Richmond to look at our legacy as the one-time capital of the Confederacy. In The CV article, Sister Theresa Knabel began their event by admitting aloud “We were slave owners.” The article continues with Sister Julie Driscoll sharing “the ways the congregation has used its voice to advocate for change on issues affecting the African American community.”
May the Diocese of Richmond do the same. – Colleen Hernandez, Salem
Church shouldn’t forget basic children’s education
I suspect the article “Why ministry to married couples must radically change” (Catholic Virginian, Nov. 15) was an accurate representation of the book and work of the authors, De Grace and Van Epp. As such, I agree with them as far as they went. However, there seems to be an important element missing in their “fire” analogy.
Marriage support isn’t the only thing that has changed since the 1950s. Education support is almost non-existent in many parishes and dioceses. For instance, Holy Cross Catholic School, Lynchburg, closed a couple of years ago because of financial concerns. Imagine the message that sent to the students.
Another thing that changed in education since I was in high school in the 1950s is secular education priorities and philosophy. Even secular education in that era regarding relationships between men and women was based in strong moral value akin to Judeo-Christian teaching. That is completely gone — and getting worse.
In deliberating how dollars should be spent to fortify marriage, the Church should not forget basic children’s education. Bring Catholic schools back. Partner with Protestant schools, if that is possible, through joint financial initiatives. Maybe using Protestant facilities and teaching Catholic values. Be heard at secular school board meetings. Be part of parent teacher organizations. Be heard. – Henry Dowgielewicz, Monroe