The following letters to the editor appear in the edition of June 12, 2003. Letters appearing in this space do not necessarily reflect the views of the Arlington Catholic Herald or the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. The editor reserves the right to edit letters as necessary. There is no guarantee of publication. Send letters to: letters@catholicherald.com.

Men Are Accountable

I would like to respond to the letter by Suzanne Daly concerning dressing modestly. I have nothing against dressing modestly. I am, after all, a grandmother, and I’ll take a comfortable pair of jeans any day of the week. However I do take issue with the statement: "modest clothes that accentuate a woman’s beauty without being an occasion of sin for others." An occasion of sin for whom? Men? Why is it that women are responsible for the moral behavior of men? Why can’t they be responsible for themselves? In the Biblical context, we see that horrible person, Eve, causing the downfall of the whole human race because Adam, the gutless wonder, didn’t have the fortitude to stand how own moral ground.

The idea of women as a source of "sin" has persisted throughout centuries. An example of this is our Islamic sisters, where in the more conservative cultures, must cover from head to toe so they will not be "an occasion of sin."

God created us, and our bodies are beautiful. Physical beauty is a gift from God. Whether you dress like a nun or a strumpet is a matter of choice, and men can be responsible for their own sinfulness. Sinfulness is not a gender issue. We are responsible for ourselves, and to continue to blame women for the sins of men will never allow men to "grow up" and take responsibilities for their own actions.

Trish Conk
Lake Ridge

War is Avoidable

Is there anyone who does not ardently yearn to see war banished, to see peace preserved and daily more firmly established?" This question comes from Pope John XXIII’s 1962 encyclical letter "Pacem in Terris" or Peace on Earth. Recently, we observed the fortieth anniversary of this landmark teaching on peace. On this occasion Pope John Paul II issued a short message entitled, "Pacem in Terris: A Permanent Commitment." The Pope calls on us to re-dedicate ourselves to a peace built on truth, justice, love and freedom.

It is a wonder that we continue to accept war as inevitable. We fail to name it for what it is, sinful and evil. One of the few voices of sanity in regard to war is our Pope. He wrote in 1991, "Never again war! No, never again war, which destroys the lives of innocent people, teaches how to kill, throws into upheaval even the lives of those who do the killing and leaves behind a trail of resentment and hatred, thus making it all the more difficult to find a just solution of the very problems which provoked the war."

The best description of the war that I have heard is that it is a failure to love as God loves us. To love our enemies as ourselves is to risk, sacrifice even our lives to help our enemies see that what they are doing is wrong. We would never think of killing them, for doing so prevents the possibility of their conversion. Surely, if we were the one doing wrong, we would want others to treat us with this kind of love, the non-violent, self-sacrificing love that Jesus modeled for us.

I’m convinced peacemaking begins with us. As we learn to compromise and get-along with those we live with day in and day out, we learn the skills of living in peace in our troubled world. We need solutions that are consistent with the message of Jesus. Our elected officials need to hear from us that there is no number of "smart bombs" which will guarantee peace. There are no "regime changes" that can guarantee peace.

Pope John Paul II reminds us in his letter of the fundamental importance of dealing with the injustices and imbalances of our world that breed violence. Imagine what might happen if we all asked our elected officials to use part or all of the $80-$100 billion this war on Iraq is costing us to help create jobs and hope for those that live in extreme poverty and hopelessness.

John Horejsi
Fairfax

Not All Catholics Schematic

I write regarding the Catholic News Service story, "Rome Liturgies Display Breadth of Pope’s Legacy," in your June 6 edition. I am grateful to see coverage of the recent Tridentine Mass in Rome. However, by characterizing this significant event solely as a concession to the followers of Archbishop Lefebvre, John Thavis perpetuates the myth of traditional Catholics being naturally and necessarily schismatic.

I have attended an indult Mass for several years, and I have met very few traditional Catholics who come from schismatic groups and even fewer who express any solidarity with such groups. In fact, for the vast majority of us, our attachment is to the Mass. Our growing membership comes not from the ranks of schismatics, but from mainstream Catholics, mostly young families, seeking an authentic expression of Catholic spirituality. Far from reveling in ultra-traditionalist dissent, we tend to be strong believers in orthodox Catholic teaching, supporters of our Holy Father and lovers of the Church. We worship through this venerable rite, not for the sake of some sectarian allegiance, but for the intrinsic value of the Mass, in solidarity with the many holy saints that rite has nourished through the centuries.

Catholic journalists would do well to experience traditional Catholics as we exist in union with the Church. Instead of a threat, they might find us as a radiant facet of the Holy Father’s new evangelization.

Richard Rice
Alexandria

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