Letters to the Editor

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It’s hard to ‘see Jesus in people’ who live contrary to God’s law

“See Jesus in people.”

It really disturbs me to hear that phrase. I find it very difficult to see Jesus in people that are obviously living contrary to God’s law.

And we need priests to help us. They need to preach on the sins of the world, tell us how to resist those sins and how to get back to God. In other words, scare the devil out of us.

Some 70 percent of married Catholics are said to prevent conception in one way or another. And yet we never hear from the pulpit that artificial contraception is a sin and a matter for confession.

Most priests choose which Catholic doctrines they will talk about and which ones they will soft-pedal.

We need to hear about the Ten Commandments and the seven capital vices.

And then, lest we forget, we need to give honor to Mary. She will help us to remain pure in heart.

And then maybe we’ll be able to see Jesus in people.

-Al Scheller, Elizabethtown

Where life issues are concerned, abortion is the biggest injustice

I agree with the Nov. 24 letter writer who said that Supreme Court Justices John Roberts, Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito should be concerned with all life issues, including capital punishment and end-of-life choices.

But perhaps the focus on abortion is because a baby is aborted every 20 seconds or abortions take place 4,400 times every day.

I don’t know the daily ratio of other life issues, but all of them combined, I’m sure, don’t even come close to abortion.

-Dorothy Riley, Indianapolis

At Christmas, remember the wonder of the Incarnation

I have come to regard the celebration of Christmas with some trepidation and conflict.

I abhor the frenetic agenda of gift-buying, card-writing and party frolicking that preoccupies us and smothers the import of the season.

Santa Claus becomes the caricature of our obsessive diversions. At best, is he not a denigrated parody of St. Nicholas? Why do we engage our children with such an artificial scenario of the Christmas experience?

The birth of Jesus is the most astounding and momentous event in human history that clamors against substitution and diminution.

This season, I am consoled with the showing of the movie The Nativity Story. No, the movie is not a rendition that can be considered Catholic or scriptural, but it does draw our attention to the wonder and splendor of the Incarnation.

Do yourself and particularly your children a favor: See the movie. Then I can endure being regarded as a Christmas Scrooge.

-Ben Cerimele, Greenwood