Sister Jean's dream
Beyond the women of Farley Hall, Sister Jean Lenz ("A Room with
a View") also ministered to junior faculty. Many times in my first
years of teaching, her gentle humor and model of applied good
sense helped me navigate the eddies of administrators and the
shoals of undergraduates. And then there were the dreams. My favorite
was the one she told me about when I mentioned a room scheduling
problem I had encountered. She told me that her regular eve-of-classes
dream was that she would be assigned to teach a standard 35-student
theology class -- in the football stadium. Of course, Sister Jean
would have filled the stadium with cheering fans if the registrar
had lifted the 35-student limit.
Charles Primus
Waterford, Conneticut
Imperiled priesthood?
"The Priesthood in Peril" is an example of what I view as secular
Catholicism, a creeping mist now apparently on campus. That is:
Only we direct the outcomes, and the sacrament of activism is
the effective sign of true belief. No doubt the visible church
in the not-too-distant future will be different from what it is
now, just as today's visible church is unlike that of many centuries
past. But if one truly trusts in Christ's promise, one knows the
Holy Spirit will be the key player in any substantive changes
-- not musing theologians, not polling sociologists, not even
enlightened editors.
Ronald J. Datovech '69, '70
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
You report that orthodoxy is on the upswing among young seminarians,
yet you consider "the priesthood in peril." You couldn't be more
wrong. Fervent seminarians are saving the priesthood
-- and the entire church in America -- from the peril of apostasy
it has been sinking into for four decades. When 91 percent of
American Catholics don't believe the mortal sin of contraception
is a mortal sin, a pastoral crisis is clearly at hand. The priesthood
is in peril -- eternal peril -- when Catholics en masse are being
led astray morally and theologically.
Rebecca L. Kroeger '95
Arlington, Virginia
Although our newly minted clergy are focused on the more traditional
forms of devotion, one area of their seminary training was either
lacking or not absorbed. They may be theologically sound, but
they appear to have developed no pastoral skills. "Call me Father
Smith; there'll be none of that Father Jim stuff." To my mind,
this creates a hierarchical barrier between clergy and laity.
Additionally, their homilies tend to deal exclusively with orthodoxy
and traditional ecclesiology with no exhortation to live that
faith through good works. As a mainstream Catholic with great
respect for the church's message, I see a real need for the clergy
to bring Christ's message to a personal level, one that inspires
us to Christian action in our communities.
John F. Murray '56, '58
Woodbridge, Virginia
Spirituality or Catholicism?
"Stairways to Heaven" espouses all the reasons it is good to
be a Christian but not to be Catholic. For me, it is the exclusionary
message that has become the issue. Why can't divorce be recognized
as a sorrow whose victims deserve comfort and support rather than
excommunication? Why is birth control that prevents conception
from occurring a sin? And why are women considered less capable
of sustaining and preaching the word of God than men? I don't
believe these are novelty issues of our times. They have the weight
and reasoning of moral certitudes. More to the point, do I need
the institution to act as an intermediary for my relationship
with God? The rise of "spiritualism" reflects the need to find
examples of faith in individuals rather than a church whose proclamations
seem wrongheaded.
Mary Ryan Amato '80
Wilmette, Illinois
Lawrence Cunningham argues that the only way to achieve real
spirituality is through the Catholic faith. Though he lists an
"array of avenues" within the church from which one may choose
for "deepening the life of the spirit," he feels the need to ridicule
and dismiss any non-Catholic spiritual experience. Reading books
on self-improvement, pursuing athletic endeavors and attending
retreats are, according to the professor, just yuppie selfishness.
This is ridiculous and smacks of religious arrogance. Any criticism
called for, regarding the pursuit of spirituality, might more
appropriately be aimed at the church to the extent it has been
unable or unwilling to provide that for which many are yearning.
Kevin P. Morrissey '86
Woodbridge, Virginia
Understanding Islam
What is it Father Patrick Gaffney wants? In "Breach of Faith"
he says understanding would narrow the divide between America
and Islam. But the divide begins with the difference between freedom
and religious tyranny, and the attacks of 9-11 provided a very
well-honed image of that division. There are faults in Islamic
countries but they are not America's fault. Evil men are stirring
resentment caused by despotic regimes throughout the Islamic crescent
for their own purpose.
William D. Hohmann '58
Tucson, Arizona
Although I consider myself well-informed concerning today's
news, I disagree with Father Gaffney in his statement that "legions
of imams, muftis, sheiks and scholars condemned the attacks and
emphasized that such indiscriminate violence is entirely incompatible
with the ethical teachings of Islam." At the most, I heard two
or perhaps three Muslims denounce the attacks and they were not
of the top echelon of Islam. Where and when did these legions
speak out?
Mary Kay Davies
Notre Dame, Indiana
