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Letters to the Editor

Don’t judge ‘Rings of Power’ so quickly

Andy Lessard • Sep 28, 2022
I was expecting to agree strongly with Stefano Rebeggiani’s review of “The Rings of Power” in the Sept. 23 issue, but I find myself defending the show. As I read it, the review argues that the show is failing to exhibit Tolkien’s philosophy, and where it does, waters it down to the point of cliché. I believe that judgment is premature. One indispensable element of Tolkien’s “philosophy” is that the story always comes first. If we had a clear sense of the “moral of the story” after roughly three hours of the planned 50, we would be in flagrant violation of that central principle. As for the argument that the similarities between the Second Age of Middle Earth and today’s world “are too obvious to be ignored”: The more the show stays within its own world, the better. Any attempt at allegory will undoubtedly be of the Trump-is-Sauron variety. Its absence thus far has been one of the show’s redeeming (or at least non-damning) qualities. — Andy Lessard, St. Therese Church, Alhambra

An anniversary worth celebrating

Msgr. Laurence J. Spiteri • Sep 27, 2022
I was delighted to read Angelus’ coverage of the 30th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)in the Sept. 23 issue.  The Archdiocese of Los Angeles enjoys an important connection to the CCC: the future Cardinal William Levada served on the commission that St. Pope John Paul II established to compile the text. Levada was first a priest and later an auxiliary bishop in Los Angeles.  I am not so sure about the claim that the CCC risks becoming some kind of a “sacred relic.” But I do wonder how many Catholic religious leaders and instructors are very familiar with its contents. People often look for answers without realizing that they may be found in the CCC.  Archbishop José H. Gomez stated rightly in his article that “the catechism is a great witness to our hope in Jesus Christ.” Therefore, I echo the voice heard by St. Augustine: “Pick up and read.” — Msgr. Laurence J. Spiteri, Vatican City

Even Giants fans can appreciate Vin’s faith

Bishop Carlos A. Sevilla, S.J. • Sep 13, 2022
I appreciated the wonderful cover story on the life and Catholic faith of Vin Scully in the Aug. 26 issue.  I live with about 70 other Jesuits from around the western U.S. at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, California, in the Bay Area. Obviously, many of us are San Francisco Giants fans (there are some Dodgers fans, too). Tom Hoffarth’s article was truly magnificent and brought him to life. We truly enjoyed it. Bravo on a job very well done, and many blessings to you and your work.  — Carlos A. Sevilla, S.J., bishop emeritus of Yakima, Los Gatos

A call to less arms

Marilyn Boussaid • Sep 13, 2022
I often disagree with Father Ron Rolheiser’s columns, but I thought “Disarmed and Dangerous,” in the Sept. 9 issue, was exceptionally good. I feel strongly that it isn’t compatible with Christianity to carry weapons. I’m not even sure that it’s suitable for Christians to fight in wars, even with “just war” theory. I realize this is a difficult problem, and there is no perfect answer. I am horrified that a couple of my friends own guns. I’m more horrified at the number of self-righteous people stocking assault weapons, with the intent of taking over the government. The worst are those who still insist that the “right to bear arms” means that every nutcase, every emotionally volatile teenager who wants to own a deadly weapon has the right to do so. It’s not very likely the Founding Fathers of this country would have foreseen such madness. — Marilyn Boussaid, St. James Church, Redondo Beach

Vin tribute hits the mark

Ned Colletti • Aug 30, 2022
It is a challenge to do justice in a memoriam to the best among us, yet Tom Hoffarth’s appreciation of Vin Scully in the Aug. 26 issue was easily the closest piece of writing I have read in a long time that portrayed a person as appropriately as possible.   It was 40 years ago when I first met Vin. He was working for the Dodgers and already a Baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster; I was starting on my journey with the Chicago Cubs. It wasn’t until November 2005 that I began working closely with Vin for most of the next 16 years. I made a career from making decisions regarding who could play for baseball teams I worked for: who could be a leader, who could provide an example for those players, and who I could count on no matter the circumstances. My scouting report on Vin: Besides my parents, the best person I have ever known. A gentleman. Kind. Class. Sharing a perspective on life few others could offer. Hoffarth’s story was to that point. I have read many well-written stories about Vin through the years and many more in the days around his passing. The stories were all nice to read but, candidly, only Hoffarth’s taught me more about Vin than I had already known. When you have spent 40 years in one vocation and you have known someone for the same amount of time, it is not easy to learn even more. But I did, thanks to Hoffarth’s understanding of Vin and the depth and story-telling style of his writing. — Ned Colletti, Los Angeles. Colletti is the former general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Can solutions-based journalism save Catholic media?

Rob Cullivan • Aug 17, 2022
I appreciated Greg Erlandson’s column “Is Catholic journalism yesterday’s news?” in the Aug, 12 issue.  I wrote full time for a diocesan Catholic paper from 1988 to 2006, and have freelanced (including for Angelus) for other publications since. For one, I believe Church leadership underestimated how much of a negative impact the abuse scandals had on the Church’s image. How many people want to trust their youngsters to an institution that ignored their abuse? There are now literally millions of people who will never take the Church’s pronouncements on ANY issue seriously because of what happened. I also think the Church wasted ample opportunities to build bridges with progressives over too many issues. The fact that certain Catholic hospitals, for example, have stymied labor organizing has done a tremendous damage to the Church, and I have repeatedly found people are shocked to know Catholicism actually preaches that workers have a right to organize to collectively bargain. St. Pope John Paul II was positively radical compared to even a lot of liberal Catholics on this issue, but you’d never know it by reading how some people perceive his pontificate.  I agree that a solutions-based journalism is the way to go. When I was writing full time, I’d try to outline a problem, say the plight of migrant workers, note what the Church’s official teaching was, and then outline how church folks were practically addressing it. This approach seemed to garner the most positive response from readers and also let “conservative” and “liberal” Catholics know they had more in common than they realized. — Rob Cullivan, Portland, Oregon 

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