Letters

Why apologise?

Concerned Catholic

Contents - Dec 2006 - Buy a copy now Editorial: The first Christmas - Peter Westmore Benedict XVI challenges 'de-Christianisation' of society - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Sydney RCIA conference for 2007 on authentic formation of new Catholics - Paula Flynn 'Lost!' controversy: Archbishop Bathersby's reply - AD2000 Report Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: the Montessori method for RE - Anne Delsorte A 'best practice' guide to priestly vocations Modest dress: Suitable attire for Mass: the moral dimension - Bishop John W. Yanta Religious Life: Tyburn Sisters' communities spread around the world - Tess Livingstone 2006 National Church Life Survey: important questions overlooked - Michael Gilchrist Shrines: Marian Valley: Queensland's centre of pilgrimage - Peter Westmore Letters: Vatican guidelines on Holy Communion for politicians - Vincent Bemowski Letters: A must read for faithful Catholics - Frank Bellet Letters: Liberal Catholicism - Paula Gartland Letters: News from India - Fr Francis Pinto CSsR Letters: Church teaching - Mark Moriarty Letters: Infant Baptism Letters: Community? - Peter Gilet Letters: Christian differences - Alan Barron Letters: True Church - E. Makaus Letters: Linguistics - Matt Bruekers Letters: Liturgical language - Ted Hayhoe Letters: Why apologise? - Concerned Catholic Books: The Shroud Story, by Brendan Whiting - Peter Westmore (reviewer) Books: COME, LORD JESUS:Reflections on the Advent and Christmas Seasons, James Tolhurst - Michael Gilchrist Events: Advent and Christmas Ceremonies - Priestly Fraternity of St Peter Books: SACRED PLACES, PILGRIM WAYS: Catholic Pilgrimages in France and Belgium - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: New Titles from AD Books Reflection: Jesus' law of love and the Ten Commandments - Fr Dennis Byrnes

I am disheartened to note that Pope Benedict XVI heeded the advice of his counsellors to make a public apology of sorts for causing upset in quoting a historical text to illustrate a point in a lecture to theological students on 'faith and reason.'

Quite obviously he was not making a public speech but addressing a private group of university students on a specific scholarly topic. Yet he was called upon to apologise. What is the world coming to!

I was astounded to hear on TV one Muslim cleric charging the Pope with 'provoking people to go after and attack Muslims'. Hadn't this individual heard of 9/11 and the numerous other incidents the world over where Islamists have pursued their homicidal terror campaign.

Yet we in the free world are not even allowed to utter the word 'crusade'. The sooner decent people everywhere wake up the better.

By giving in to the Islamic extremists and pandering to their whims and fancies we only encourage them to persist with their violence.

This was underlined by the brutal murder of Sister Leonella Sgorbati who forgave her killers as she lay dying on the pavement in Mogadishu, Somalia, which some said was in retribution for the Pope's 'insult to Islam'.

The sooner these murderous fanatics are rounded up and brought to book the better.

CONCERNED CATHOLIC
Name and address supplied/br>

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 19 No 11 (December 2006 - January 2007), p. 16