Letters

Anti-Catholicism (letter)

Kevin Tighe

Contents - Feb 2001 - Buy a copy now Editorial: New religion texts for Melbourne schools - Michael Gilchrist Tasmanian priest to be Lismore's new bishop - AD2000 Report Bishop Wilson of Wollongong to be the future Archbishop of Adelaide - AD2000 Report News: The Church Around the World New RE texts launched in Melbourne's Catholic schools - Michael Gilchrist The finest RE texts produced to date - Anthony Cappello Liturgy: when will the 'Statement of Conclusions' make an impact? - Michael Gilchrist Religious persecution continues in Vietnam - AD2000 Report The "priest shortage": natural or artificial? - Larry A. Carstens Successful Thomas More Spring School in Wagga - Paul Sheehan A former heroin addict's personal testimony Archbishop Pell opens drug rehabilitation centre - Dr Joseph Santamaria Letters: Feminist book (letter) Letters: Church in China (letter) - Angela Martello Letters: Limbo (letter) - John Young Letters: Waste of resources (letter) - Shane Dore Letters: Vocations (letter) - Mrs Irena Nagy Letters: G.K. Chesterton (letter) - Tony Evans Letters: 'Creating Our Future' (letter) - Mrs Jeanette Joseph Letters: Consecrated life (letter) - Sr Mary Augustine Lane OP Letters: New Age spirituality (letter) - Frances Grundy Letters: Recipe for decline (letter) - K. Logan Letters: Sermons (letter) - Bernie Lewis Letters: Anti-Catholicism (letter) - Kevin Tighe Letters: Christian art (letter) - Kim Portelli Letters: Science and Christianity (letter) - Mrs Carol V. Phillips Books: 'The Essence Of Feminism' by Kirsten Birkett - Catherine Sheehan (reviewer) Books: 'The Sacred Liturgy', 'Discovering the Mass', by a Benedictine monk - Christopher Quinn (reviewer) Books: 'Pope Pius XII: Architect For Peace' by Margherita Marchione - Michael Daniel (reviewer) New patterns of religious vocations in France Reflection: The essential role of the Catholic priest - Fr John A. Hardon SJ

A well known journalist, whose weekly column is sometimes devoted to attacking the Church, has recently done so again in the most offensive way. His latest effort is particularly vicious and deeply insulting to Catholics. As we know, he is not alone; the electronic and print media are full of examples of anti-Catholicism - ranging from the fairly innocuous jibe to full blown bigotry. The point is that no other group is so singled out.

Imagine the outcry if the sacred beliefs of Jews, Moslems or Aborigines were held up for ridicule or scorn? Catholics do not seek victim status, nor should they, but they expect equal respect as fellow citizens. It seems as though anti-Catholicism is the Last Acceptable Prejudice.

If we fail to challenge those who excoriate Catholicism, the attacks will continue. We should all defend the Church, with firmness and charity, whenever it is assaulted. A phone call to a television station or a letter to an editor are more effective than most people realise.

Despite its wholesome reputation, the Walt Disney Corporation is one of the worst offenders, not only for its "soft pornographic" movies, but for undermining Christian values, marketed under one of its subsidiaries, Miramax Productions, presumably to keep the Disney image untainted. The notoriously anti-Catholic movie, Priest, was distributed by Miramax.

More recently, in conjunction with one of the major networks, Disney produced a television series entitled Nothing Sacred, which was so offensive that the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights in the US succeeded in persuading powerful sponsors to withdraw their financial support. The series was cancelled.

For their part, the Southern Baptists (God bless them) launched an ongoing boycott against all Disney products about five years ago. It would be a good idea if Catholics were to consider a similar boycott.

KEVIN TIGHE
Blackman's Bay, Tas

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 14 No 1 (February 2001), p. 15