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Letters to the Editor

Wait, is the pandemic really over?

Sally Carpenter • Mar 24, 2025
Regarding the cover story of the March 21 issue titled “Five Year Checkup” (March 21 issue of Angelus): In my parish, there are several indications the pandemic never ended.  During the lockdown, the parish office sent emails regarding social distancing, vaccines, masks, etc., but never sent an email when the unvaccinated could stop wearing masks. The Mass choirs have never returned. Altar servers are rare. No handshakes during the passing of the peace, just tepid hand waves. The Precious Blood is still withheld from the laity. The prayer chapel remains locked and the large baptismal font is dry. Parishioners can still sit on the patio or in their cars to hear Mass via radio.  Ministries such as adult small groups, Sunday Mass children’s liturgy, retreats, etc., have vanished. If the prayer groups and Bible studies have resumed, they haven’t announced their return. This is my parish’s new normal. — Sally Carpenter, Moorpark

The power of a prayer video

Marilyn Boussaid • Mar 10, 2025
I absolutely loved the LACatholics video offering prayers for Pope Francis and wishing him a speedy recovery. Thank you for including it in your daily e-newsletter, Always Forward. I’m sure it will be a big hit with our Holy Father! — Marilyn Boussaid, St. James Parish, Redondo Beach

Can helping heal anything?

Claudia Mena • Mar 10, 2025
Since reading Heidi Johnson’s commentary in the March 7 issue titled “The service cure,” I’ve been thinking a lot about her idea that helping others can help us heal from our own pain.  I’ve never had to endure a tragedy like the one Johnson did or the loss of a home or loved ones in wildfires, so it’s hard to compare my personal experience with what she describes. But I have experiences that track with her point.  Years ago, a confessor told me that the best remedy to get out of habitual sin is to “give my life” in whatever way possible, especially sacrificing my time, comfort, and even money for the good of others. I can say that following that advice has saved me countless times, although “giving my life” is a daily struggle that I have to ask God’s help with a lot. Thank you for the thought-provoking article! — Claudia Mena, Las Cruces, New Mexico

Reminding our Catholic VP of the Gospel

Father Thomas P. Rausch, S.J. • Feb 24, 2025
Thanks to Greg Erlandson for his column in the Feb. 21 issue setting Vice President J.D. Vance straight on Catholic teaching, and even more, for reminding him of the Gospel.   The Sermon on the Mount is so much closer to the heart of Jesus than any erroneous interpretation of the ordo amoris. As Pope Francis noted in his recent letter to the U.S. bishops: “The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan’ (cf. Luke 10:25–37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.” —Father Thomas P. Rausch, S.J., Distinguished Scholar in Theology, Loyola Marymount University

Don’t ignore climate change and the LA fires

Mark Rutkowski • Feb 10, 2025
While both the Jan. 24 and Feb. 7 editions of Angelus had many excellent articles about the LA wildfires, none mentioned the climate crisis.  While we cannot definitively link any single event to the climate crisis and while human-controlled factors may have contributed, this silence speaks very loudly. Despite Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on the environment “Laudato Sí”and his recent moral call to action on human-induced climate change, the topic has been largely avoided in Catholic circles in the U.S.  While we are all still mourning the devastation from the fires, we cannot ignore the climate crisis as a life issue. Our Catholic leaders need to emphasize that this is a nonpartisan life issue that deserves more attention. A letter from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to Congress last month that included a call for the “decarbonization of the economy” to “remain a key priority” is a good start.  As Christians who understand that everything is grace, we should soberly but prayerfully face a problem of even this magnitude without fear and respond with love and hope. — Mark Rutkowski, La Cañada Flintridge

A film worthy of a positive review

J. Caffrey • Jan 27, 2025
Thanks to Rafael Alvarez for giving “A Complete Unknown” the credit it deserves in his review in the Jan. 24 issue. I didn’t expect to enjoy its treatment of Bob Dylan’s character as much as I did. While I agreed with the recent critical reviews of “Conclave” and Netflix’s “Mary” movie, I think it was time to find a film worth praising in the New Year! — J. Caffrey, New York

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