State of the Union
Dear Editor: As President Biden gave his first State of the Union address to the country last week, the overall situation was not very good.
His popularity rating is at a record low of 37%, many Americans are still struggling with unemployment, the COVID-19 pandemic is still causing problems, there is still polarization in Congress, and among the American people, gun violence continues to surge and the state of the economy is not very promising.
In addition, our foreign policy is facing major hurdles, especially now with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Biden must be tougher with Putin and continue to ratchet up the pressure on his country for this unprovoked invasion of a sovereign nation.
The threat of nuclear war has been increased by Putin ordering his nuclear arsenal to be put on alert, which should be of major concern. This threat cannot and must not be ignored. Additional military weaponry and other essential supplies need to be rushed to Ukraine to support the Ukrainian people as they continue to battle to keep their country free from Russian aggression.
John Amato
Fresh Meadows
‘Liquid Catholicism’
Dear Editor: George Weigel is right in describing the German Synodal Way as “liquid Catholicism” and a form of liberal Protestantism. In a column in The Tablet (“Liquid Catholicism & the German Synodal Path”, Feb. 19) , he noted that the rest of the bishops around the world needed to take the matter in hand and correct their brothers in Germany (March 10, 2021).
They didn’t do that and now the cancer is metastasizing. It is hard to see how any of the recommendations voted on earlier this month have any relation to the Church Jesus built of His teachings.
As Mr. Weigel states, the synodal path “takes its cue from the surrounding culture” and thus has become part of this world.
Cardinal Mueller, prefect emeritus of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, has also weighed in on the secularization of the Church in many places but especially in the German “Synodal Way.”
Clearly, these German bishops have become part of the world and apart from the Church of Christ.
Therefore it is time for Pope Francis and the bishops of the Church to rebuke the German Synodal Way, firmly and publicly.
If they won’t come back to the Church, for as Mr. Weigel states, they are engaged in apostasy, then sever the tie and wish them well on their new experiment.
I predict that they will experience the same decline that many of the liberal Protestant sects have (see also what is happening to the United Methodist schism). Excommunication is not a punishment but an opportunity for conversion.
As St. Augustine has said,
“Then when it is necessary let us apply discipline. Otherwise, the evil may grow by the relaxing of discipline.
“If the sin is private, correct the sinner in private. If it is public and manifest, apply the correction in public so that the sinner may be led to betterment and others may conceive a salutary fear.” (New Testament sermon, No. 33)
Thomas Klocek
Chesapeake, VA
Amen, Weigel
Dear Editor: I completely agree with Weigel regarding the German Synodal path towards liquid/lite Catholicism (“Liquid Catholicism & the German Synodal Path”, Feb. 19).
And it makes me sad to say this. Personally, he’s like a modern-day prophet; he proclaims what others are afraid to say.
I hope that he doesn’t suffer the fate that befell most of them.
Cynthia T. Gonzalez
Fresh Meadows
Two Great Heroes
Dear Editor: I would like to remind your readers that February 26 was the 34th anniversary of the assassination of Edward Byrne, who was a 22-year-old police officer who was assassinated while guarding the home of a witness who had testified against a drug pusher.
We also recently passed the 59th anniversary of the assassination of a civil rights hero named Dr. Medgar Evers.
We must always remember the anniversaries of the assassinations of such great heroes.
John Francis Fox
Sunnyside
In Remembrance
Dear Editor: With great sadness, my two dear friends, Eileen O’Brien and Maryann Mongelluzzo, have passed away. Both of these women were educated and loyal employees at Immaculate Conception in Douglaston, New York.
I wanted them to be remembered for all the good they did for the priests and students for many years. They are gone but never forgotten.
Theresa Polise
Bayside