Volume 25, Number 3    December 2003

Write On

 

Tale of torture, and a plea
I was challenged and even embarrassed as I listened to the wrenching account by Sr. Dianna Ortiz, an elementary school teacher, of the brutal torture she and thousands of other innocent people suffered in Guatemala and Central America at the hands of regimes trained and supported by the U.S. Her chilling plea: “Why doesn't the Church cry out in outrage and demand an end to the torture that is knowingly going on around the world?” Her book is “The Blindfold's Eyes: My Journey from Torture to Truth”(Orbis Books).

Fr. George Karnik, writing in his column in the Dubuque, Iowa archdiocesan newspaper.

Ed. note: To get involved with Ortiz's group, Torture Abolition and Survivors's Support Coalition, go to www.tassc.org

Woman priest brings tears
Rev. Mary Ramerman and Fr. Jim Callan of Spiritus Christi, Rochester, N.Y., offered Eucharist at a prayer session early Saturday morning. Mary writes:

The mass was beautiful and there were lots of tears. My hope is that it does give people hope. It's good to know that you can have a Catholic mass with a woman celebrating and the sky doesn't fall in! The conference was great. I came home with much to think about.

Rev. Mary Ramerman, Rochester, N.Y.

At last, an inclusive liturgy
This is my third conference and what I really appreciated was the inclusive conference liturgy Sunday morning. With the new GIRM liturgy instructions from Rome, I realized how trivialized and control-oriented and limiting they are. Being a part of an inclusive community, even if it’s once a year, is an incredible luxury.

Sharon Pikula, CTA New Mexico, Albuquerque

CTA gospel in Bangladesh
I can't send any money to help in your excellent cause, in which I believe fully. Please keep me on your list so that I can spread your good word, the real Good News, all around. We churches in Bangladesh are way back in the pre-First Vatican era, and we cannot predict when we shall have married priests, women priests, et al.

Brother Jarlath D'Souza, CSC, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Lauds CTA leadership
Keep up your good work as described in Tom Fox's NCR article (11/21/03) and as shown by your leadership in actions like this year's unionization victory for church workers and the Ephphatha initiative, as well as support of other reform groups like FutureChurch, CORPUS, CITI, etc.

Quentin Quesnell, Estero, Fla.