Letters

Anti-Catholicism (letter)

Frank Bellet

Contents - Mar 2001 - Buy a copy now Editorial: ACU theology: prompt action needed - Peter Westmore New cardinals to continue John Paul II's agenda - AD2000 Report News: The Church Around the World Seminary numbers up in orthodox US dioceses - Michael S. Rose How Archbishop Pell will implement Statement on Women in the Church Elizabeth Anscombe, R.I.P. - Robert P. George ACU theology: how orthodox, how accountable? - Michael Gilchrist Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter ordinations How monastic life can reinvigorate the Church - Fr Peter Knowles OP Cardinal Ratzinger on 'Third Secret' of Fatima What we must teach our children: Archbishop Chaput - Archbishop Charles J. Chaput New Catholic radio program to start in WA The surprise Cardinal: Fr Avery Dulles SJ - Zenit News Service Letters: Euthanasia in S.A. (letter) - Errol P. Duke Letters: Science and Christianity (letter) - Scot Chaston Letters: Enneagram workshop (letter) - Br Con Moloney CFC Letters: Church doctrine? (letter) - Frank Mobbs Letters: Anti-Catholicism (letter) - Frank Bellet Letters: Old liturgical books (letter) - Frank Carleton Letters: Latin (letter) - Karmenu Attard Letters: Supernatural order (letter) - Fr G.H. Duggan SM Letters: Misguided compassion (letter) Letters: G.K. Chesterton (letter) - Nancy McKelson Letters: EWTN tapes (letter) - John Lovegrove Letters: Vocations and orthodoxy (letter) - John Schmid Letters: Third Rite in Toowoomba (letter) - Mark Power Letters: Poem to Our Lady - Marion Craig Letters: Appeal from India (letter) - Kevin L. Fernandes Letters: Catholic education (letter) - Daniel Bryce Letters: Boredom? (letter) - Josephine Landsberg Books: Come To The Father: An Invitation to Share the Catholic Faith, Aidan Nichols OP - Christopher Quinn (reviewer) Books: Streams of Living Water: Autobiography of a Charismatic Leader - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: Why the hopes of the Council Fathers of Vatican II are yet to be realised - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: Why I Am A Priest: Thirty Success Stories, ed. Boadt, Hunt - Katie Lindorff (reviewer) Books: The Pange Lingua Hymnal, compiled by Paul Newton - Fr Gregory Pritchard PP (reviewer) Reflection: Liturgy in the true spirit of Vatican II - Ralph McInerny

Reading Kevin Tighe's excellent letter on anti-Catholicism (February AD2000), I have one comment concerning his suggestion of a protest phone call to a TV station.

I believe Kevin's second suggestion of a letter to the editor should come first, and that a photocopy of the letter should then be faxed to the manager of the station. That way he realises he is reading something seen by thousands of others. The phone call - while not without its merit - is something just between the two of you.

Also, sending a copy of the newspaper letter to an offending sponsor can pay dividends, as I found out back in 1993, when I had an expensive TV commercial stopped in its tracks, by using such tactics.

And don't be put off by people defending their behaviour by accusing you of having no sense of humour, or that other hoary old chestnut, that they are Catholics, too. As I said to one such individual, "You can't tell the difference between what is humorous and what is both stupid and objectionable."

As far as claiming to be "Catholics" - during my 33 years in the media, I invariably found that the most vicious bigotry came from lapsed Catholics, apparently hung-up over the Church's laws on contraception, promiscuity or homosexuality.

FRANK BELLET
Petrie, Qld

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 14 No 2 (March 2001), p. 13