2001 LETTERS
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Contents © 2001
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

APRIL 2001 LETTERS

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Again your publication gets right to the bottom line, not fooled by fuzzy thinking.

The article by Sally Thomsin, "Church Wrecker Plays to San Diego Crowd" (March News Notes) is a case in point.

Our firm is involved in an architectural design project, an Eastern Rite Catholic monastery to be built in the high desert near Barstow. We had the opportunity to talk with Duncan Stroik of Notre Dame after reading the fine journal he edits, called Sacred Architecture (1638 Wainwright Dr., Reston VA 20190). He confirmed our feelings and study that the trendy "strip mall" approach in design today does not produce a domus Dei or domus ecclesia but in fact produces "...an abomination," as U.S. Benedictine Father Cassian Folsom, president of the Pontifical Liturgical Institute, stated.

Miss Thomsin's article quotes Mr. Michael DeSanctis concerning how little the faithful get for "one or two million dollars." I would point out, look how little the faithful of Los Angeles got with Card. Mahony's $69 million edifice to the cardinal. Again quoting Fr. Folsom, "It expresses the creative genius of the architect, but it doesn't do anything for the liturgy...."

The last 50 years have produced some monumental eyesores, structures that it would best recycle. Like New Math, the so-called New Architecture and Mr. DeSanctis of Gannon University are singing praises to a desecration of established wisdom. God will not be mocked, and neither should we.

If we can't, in spiritual reverence, inscribe over the entrance door, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven (Gen 28:17), then we should not only not build it but send the charlatan who conceived it packing.

Vernon Tritchka
Fallbrook


CONSTRUCTIVE

The survey results were an eye-opener in this issue (February). and excellent work on your part. Congratulations! I hope the "worst" sections are seen by the clergy as constructive contributions. This issue of News Notes was outstanding.

Clare Hunter
Solana Beach


DUMB

Here are some thoughts about your survey results you published, from a subscriber to your paper since you began publishing it.

First of all, it's a confusing survey, and I read the article over three times.

Secondly, why? What were your goals, or results from such a divisive survey and questions? What did you want to accomplish among the Catholics of this diocese?

Let me say that I'm an old lady and have been singing in the Holy Cross choir from almost since the beginning of the choir, and admit to being somewhat prejudiced. But be assured that there would not be a Holy Cross Choir if we did not have the director that was described as having no musical training (or knowledge) and the present organist not knowing anything about Mass playing. This organist has been with us for only a couple of years and is a professional musician. It's true the director is not a professional nor professionally trained in music or even directing. But if anyone can do half as good a job as our director, please step forward! How dare you use such poor editorial judgement in publishing such a stupid, unkind, untrue, and unnecessary response by some anonymous nut who hasn't an inkling of church music and musicians. I invite her/him to come and join our beautiful choir ... he/she could learn not only to sing great music but be with a choir that enjoys and respects each other.

After the reading of the article I was going to cancel my subscription, but you do and have done an excellent job in publishing news that we don't read in the diocesan or secular newspapers ... and we need to read all sides of an issue. But this survey was dumb at best and has no redeeming value.

Ann Richardson
Rancho Bernardo


STRANGER IN STRANGE LAND

Consistent with the aftermath of the Columbine tragedy, one waits in vain to here any condemnation of the act of murder from the Catholic Church, or any other Christian church. Now closer to home in Santee, the message at Mass is sympathy: "pray for the assailant" and those lost. Not one mention of appropriate anger at what this mass murderer has done; snuffing out two human beings and irrevocably destroying the lives of those who loved them, destroying the peace of the community in which they lived and the tranquility with which all children who heard of these monstrous acts deserve. No, not one suggestion is uttered of the righteous outrage that normal, sensitive people justly feel. Increasingly in the media, and at Church, mass murderers like Charles "Andy" Williams are referred to with terms like "the assailant" to minimize the evil they have committed.

If pastors are unwilling in the aftermath of such a tragedy so close, to teach that murder is an unforgivable evil, and the public schools are unwilling to distinguish good from evil, leaving it to the church, and then parents rely on both of these institutions to teach their children; the only message getting through is the one now common in the culture which gives permission for children to commit murder. This case aside, as there may well be extenuating circumstances why this latest monster deserves to keep his life despite eliminating the lives of two others, the Church now consistently identifies the greatest sin of this culture as not being "pro-life" defined as being anti-death penalty. A great act of charity is defined as defending and forgiving the very worst members of the society. I'm now convinced after 10 years a Catholic that I am a "stranger in a strange land". We would all do well to remember the ancient Jewish precept: "Those who are merciful when they must be cruel, will, in the end, be cruel to those who deserve mercy".

John Harper
Vista

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