Dear Editor: The last paragraph of Fr. Lauder’s review of Bishop Barron’s Letter to a suffering Church (“Mystery of the Church,” Sept. 14) is the best capsule summary I hope to remember whenever anyone challenges our religion:

“In the end, we are not Catholics because our leaders are flawless, but because we find the claims of Catholicism both compelling and beautiful. We are Catholics because the Church speaks of the Trinitarian God whose very nature is love; of Jesus the Lord, crucified and risen from the dead; of the Holy Spirit, who inspires the followers of Christ up and down the ages; of the sacraments, which convey the Christ-life to us; and of the saints, who are our friends in the spiritual order. This is the treasure, this is why we stay.”

Edward R. Dorney
Park Slope