SIR – Mary Kenny’s article, “We’ll never wipe out loneliness” (January 13), was both interesting and informative, and one striking point raised was that studies have shown that churchgoers are less isolated and live longer.
While this may be true, churchgoers need to remember to live their faith outside the church building. Good liturgy and valuing others within church buildings is essential. But unless we live our faith in the wider world we are doing a clear disservice to God and to ourselves. While Mary Kenny illustrates that going to church can help to combat loneliness, one dares to ask the question: what are individuals and church groups doing to tackle loneliness within their own parish?
Loneliness can affect people of all ages and sections of society. Superficial relationships do little to help combat this issue. Genuine relationships that value and give meaning to people are the sort that help to tackle loneliness. Can church groups that constantly refer to themselves as communities really identify as communities of faith if members are not actively addressing the issue of loneliness with people who worship at their church?
Moreover, simply believing that because someone who is lonely comes to Mass once a week then that will combat their loneliness is quite ridiculous. Our society is far too narcissistic and we as Catholics need to do more to combat loneliness and reach out to those physically close to us, especially those within our own parishes or faith groups. Matthew 25:35 reminds us of the importance of welcoming the stranger.
However, it is not necessarily the stranger that may need to be welcomed, but someone who might be much closer to us physically but emotionally suffering the pain of loneliness.
Yours faithfully,
Donato Tallo
Eastbourne, East Sussex
SIR – From where I am sitting in the pew, the One, Holy and Apostolic Church does not appear to measure up to its title. It is with great sadness and consternation that we are witnessing the Church in such disarray at a time when the need for unity is at a premium.
While it can be said that in the long history of the Catholic Church it has weathered periods of great turmoil and fractures, I would argue that never before has the Church been subject to attacks the like of which we are seeing today.
The media, in all its forms, combined with the aggressive onslaught of secularism, atheism and religious bigotry, are all encircling the Church and seem poised to pounce. I am reminded of what Our Lord said when He warned us about a house divided (Matthew 12:25).
Ambiguity and lack of unity among members of the hierarchy is providing ammunition for enemies of the Church. It is also deeply unsettling for ordinary Catholics and, indeed, could be a threat to the universality and faith of the Church.
Although we have no power, we can only hope and pray that the Holy Father, along with his bishops, will take a long, hard look at the results of recent disunity and put aside individual religious ambition or pride.
Concentrating on the teaching of Christ on moral issues as well as his prayer for unity is essential. Otherwise, if the current disunity continues, we can only conclude that the present thinking by some bishops is anathema, and its being centred on Christ questionable.
Yours faithfully,
Kath Howell
Loughborough
SIR – Reading the Catholic Herald for the first time (January 13), I seem partially to have entered an alien world. Much of it I thoroughly enjoyed, but with regard to the correction of the Holy Father on the subject of Holy Communion for those unfortunate enough to have been divorced and remarried, I can’t help but wonder whether I have been following the same Word as others over the years.
The Holy Father, though, has commented to the effect that nobody should be denied mercy indefinitely, and we know that we are to be judged by a just and merciful Father.
I was reminded that Christ suffered slings and arrows metaphorically speaking when he healed on the Sabbath. I can’t help but think that Our Holy Father nobly follows a noble Saviour.
Christ himself observed that Moses allowed divorce because teaching on marriage was harsh. As he said, let those who can be bound be bound. Doesn’t the word “can” suggest a voluntary rather than compulsory context to the issue?
Being bound voluntarily, can we not be later unbound? Or are divorced and remarried Catholics forever in bondage to the Evil One outside of Christ’s salvation, and thus my reasoning is flawed?
Put another way, having confessed the sin of a broken marriage, repented and been forgiven, is a divorced Catholic’s new life only partial and conditional on remaining single? Murderers can quite rightly repent and be forgiven. They can’t, though, restore the earthly life that they took any more than many can restore a previous marriage. It all seems harsh to me, too.
Yours faithfully,
Terry Guy
Chelmsford, Essex
SIR – Fr Rolheiser (January 13) says that to teach that it is a mortal sin not to go to church on a Sunday would be “bordering on heresy”. He adds that “sin is a subjective thing” and refers to “our traditional catechisms” as evidence. Yet my copy of the Penny Catechism states: “It is a mortal sin to neglect to hear Mass on Sundays.” I assume that Fr Rolheiser does not think the Penny Catechism heretical, and perhaps he means it is guilt that has a subjective element.
However, if there are no objectively sinful acts it seems to me our catechisms are all redundant and the sacramental framework pointless; indeed, why have a Church at all?
Yours faithfully,
Dr Joseph Marshall
Edinburgh
SIR – What wise words from Fr Rolheiser when he writes, among other things, about “who goes to heaven and who goes to hell”. The Mass never has been a ticket to heaven.
For most of my life I was a Christian who worshipped God in various denominations, but almost invariably I would leave church utterly dissatisfied and disappointed, and I would reflect on the line of poetry: “The hungry sheep look up and are not fed”.
Via a long and difficult spiritual journey I eventually ended up in the Catholic Church, where I have discovered the richness and variety of the Mass and the power of the liturgy as it goes through the seasons. If only Catholics realised it’s not pie in the sky when you die, but rather it’s meat on your plate while you wait.
Yours faithfully,
John Lovett
Aiskew, North Yorkshire
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