Celebrating a Stroke of Faith in Brooklyn
Dear Editor: Thank you for publishing Bill Miller’s excellent article (“Strokes of Faith,” Nov. 16) on the beautiful art of James Tissot.
The historically accurate, faithfilled, visually vivid, and spiritually uplifting art of Mr. Tissot is a great treasure housed in the Brooklyn Museum within our diocese.
Perhaps our very own Bishop of Brooklyn, Robert Brennan, would suggest that an Easter and accompanying Christmas exposition could be displayed for the public.
This would be a most wonderous addition to the 2025 Jubilee Year.
Just saying.
Deacon Thomas Jorge
Forest Hills
Editor’s note: Deacon Jorge is the director of religious education at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Forest Hills.
Defeating Communism
Dear Editor: George Weigel wrote an amazing article (“Pope John Paul II & the Risk of Freedom,” Nov. 16) in a
recent edition of The Tablet.
The Berlin Wall came down, and Communist governments collapsed. It was a special time. The Cold War ended peacefully. An acquaintance at that time with a degree in rhetoric reminded me that the Polish government’s success was aided by the American Labor Union, which sent copy machines to Lech Walesa’s political party.
The Pope, the president, and the brave people of Eastern and Central Europe pushed to make this new reality real. We are all better people for their efforts.
Joseph A. Cullina
Richmond Hill
The Positive Role of Catholic Education
Dear Editor: I second Archbishop Timothy Broglio’s sentiments in the Nov. 16 edition of The Tablet (“Archbishop Broglio Sends Congratulations to Trump”) about the duty of all “to treat each other with charity, respect, and civility”
regardless of disagreements about public policy.
As a retired Catholic school teacher and principal with over 50 years of service, I’d like to speak in particular to those of you still actively engaged in the mission of Catholic education. While a Catholic school education continues to produce exceptional academic results, the commitment of our teachers to Gospel values is what has made a Catholic education truly exceptional.
In light of the recent presidential election results, I fear your work will become exceedingly more difficult in that regard — work perhaps never before more important than now.
As one Catholic educator to another, I pray you never lose sight of your moral responsibility to build character in the children you teach so that their interactions are less characterized by mean-spiritedness and personal gain but more by the virtues we associate with good character. Less “The Art of the Deal” and more “The Sermon on the Mount.”
Children need positive role models from all sectors of society — including their government leaders. How each of us talks about and treats others really matters. Sadly, my experience tells me that good character will be in short supply again soon in the highest places of power.
I hope and pray that I am wrong.
Luke Nawrocki
Long Island City
