Following are NCR reader responses to recent news articles, opinion columns and theological essays with letters that have been edited for length and clarity.
Election and candidates
Readers respond to Msgr. Paul Garrity's op-ed A consequential president who never gave up on his faith, family or country, as well as coverage of Kamala Harris' presidential campaign (ncronline.org, July 26, 2024):
Biden hagiography sickening
Are you joking? Joe Biden funded and armed Israel while it slaughtered almost 40,000 civilians.
DR. PATRICK HENRY
Walla Walla, Washington
***
Another day, another article by a Catholic in the National Catholic Reporter praising a genocidaire named Joe. This one, by a priest no less, is perhaps the most nauseating one yet.
I regularly read firsthand accounts of Palestinian victims of the US taxpayer funded genocide on websites like Mondoweiss and The Electronic Intifada. I read Palestinians telling us of their torment, then I come to the National Catholic Reporter and read about what a wonderful, even saintly, human being their tormentor Joe Biden is.
I scroll down NCR's front page and see, per usual, nothing about the Palestinian genocide at all. Next I visit Commonweal, then America, and finally US Catholic. Turns out that Gaza isn't a priority for any of them either. What exactly is the purpose of a Christianity in which that is in any way acceptable?
JEFFREY JONES
Hamburg, New York
***
Harris abandoned Catholic abuse survivors
Although Kamala Harris’ ability to ‘navigate religious traditions’ and her own apparently happy interfaith marriage are commendable, these positive factors will not mean diddly to clergy abuse survivors and their supporters nationwide when they fill out their ballots come November; especially those in the San Francisco Bay Area. Long at odds with the San Francisco Archdiocese, victims/survivors well remember Harris’ dismissal of them during her tenure as the first woman district attorney of The City by the Golden Gate. Always a fractious position, nevertheless, Kamala’s radical predecessor (Att.Terrence Hallinan) had already assembled a vast backlog of hundreds of clergy abuse complaints, files and lawsuits going back to the 1940’s and the light was green for these cases to finally be prosecuted and the Diocese held accountable. Riding on her ‘fellowship’ with Mayor Willie Brown, and some questionable notoriety as a ‘tough prosecutor’ on child sexual abuse crimes, Kamala’s election generated hope for victims who awaited patiently with their lawyers for their horrific stories to be heard in a court of law and justice to be served. Were they? When Catholics consider Kamala Harris on their ballots in November, may they be assisted by her history as D.A. of San Francisco which answers that question and speaks for itself.
NANCY MCGUNALE
Kalispell, Montana
***
Biden homage appreciated
Msgr. Garrity thank you so much for this essay about the goodness of Joe Biden. I heartily agree and I’m excited about the candidacy of Kamala Harris. Her candidacy is possible because of the generosity and goodwill of Mr. Biden. I will begin praying for her success. Another presidency with an amoral, unqualified white man who is also a convicted felon is just unthinkable for me.
I will always hold Mr. Biden in my heart and I hope his presidency has not diminished his health.
PAMELA FORNAL MCULLOUGH
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
***
Advertisement
Bishops and abortion
Readers respond to NCR's staff editorial US bishops made a bad deal with the GOP (ncronline.org, July 29, 2024).
Bishops' meddling
Congrats to the anonymous editor who wrote that clear-minded piece on the implications of past and present political involvement of bishops in the abortion issue in America. I am not a US citizen, and not even a Catholic. I am an ex-Catholic nun currently writing a book on my experiences in religion, and am nevertheless keenly interested in what my Catholic brothers and sisters are up to.
Thank you for such a well-rounded comment on this particular issue of religious authority meddling with politics.
CARLA VAN RAAY
Perth, Western Australia
***
Bishops betray CST
You spoke truth to fanaticism. You spoke truth to misrepresentation.While abortion is an important issue for Catholics, so are all the other ‘Beatitude’ positions of Catholic Social Teaching. Pope Francis, through his addresses, the Catholic Church through its documents, and the US Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) through their directives, such as Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, have all said officially – repeatedly – that candidates and issues must be evaluated in the full context of Catholic Social Teaching. Yet some Catholic Bishops have promulgated teachings in direct contravention to the Church: that only one social teaching matters, nothing else. Would Jesus have tolerated 1 step forward and 9 steps back? My Catholic faith says "no.”
GARY MAKOWSKI
Seattle, Washington
***
Pastoral cost of bishops' tone
Amen! Amen! Amen! I just might add that if they had spent as much time "walking" with women they might have developed some empathy and offered them support. I know a woman who, when she was told that if she wanted to live she had to abort her pregnancy, didn't dare talk to a priest because she felt she would have had to choose between being called a murderer or saving her life. So much for bishops' non-negotiables.
MARGARET BITZ
Fargo, North Dakota
***
