The following letters to the editor appear in the edition of Oct. 30, 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.

Christian Advocacy

I respond to Wavering’s letter, (ACH 10/9/03) in which he takes the Catholic Church hierarchy and John Horejsi to task for advocating the Church’s position on moral and ethical issues before our elected officials. His position is that Christ did not tell his followers to advocate before their government officials.

Sadly, Waverly overlooks a couple of basic facts in the Bible and in history. First, Christ’s followers had no government officials before whom they could advocate. They (and the chosen people before them) lived in theocratic kingdoms or empires in which the people (poor or otherwise) had little or no voice. The ruler reigned supreme.

Second, as is seen in the words of the psalmist and prophets, the people pleaded with God to have their rulers remove the yoke from their shoulders. Many times, God listened and spoke to the rulers to tell them to care for the poor. God was the advocate demanding justice for the poor.

Third, every pope since Leo XIII has encouraged, and at times, demanded the type of public advocacy which our bishops and John Horejsi put before our consciences.

Finally, if Wavering’s thinking is followed to its logical conclusion, Christian advocacy to abolish abortion could never be undertaken by our bishops, clergy and laity.

We do not live in a theocracy, kingdom or empire. We live in a democracy where the rulers are spoken to by the ruled. Thank God, we have advocates who speak to our rulers on behalf of God’s poor.

B. M. Byrne
Vienna

Praise for Priests of Arlington

I am in the Diocese of Beaumont in East Texas and this month our diocesan paper printed an article that tells us of the brave and wise stance of the priests of Virginia. I just had to write and tell all of you how proud I am of them. May God continue to call each of them ever closer to Himself, blessing them with His courage, love, joy and peace.

Colleen Kauntze-Cockburn
Texas

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