Dear Archbishop Beltran:
You don’t know me, but I’ve been a converted Catholic for close to a decade now. I’ve lived in Oklahoma all my life, and I chose to join the church because there, I found faith, tolerance and intelligence.
However, after reading your recent letter to Notre Dame’s Father Jenkins, in which you verbally spank him for inviting the president of the United States to deliver a commencement address, I’m questioning my decision.
In your letter you say you are “appalled, disappointed and scandalized” and accuse Notre Dame of having “certainly turned against the Catholic Church” becase they dare offer the president — a man elected to lead our country — the opportunity to speak.
You imply that now, after years and years, that Notre Dame is somehow less faithful
because the university — an institution where one is supposed to go and seek knowledge — extended an invitation to our president.
You continue to say that Father Jenkins has “a moral responsibility to withdraw the invitation to President Barack Obama to be your commencement speaker in May” and ask that the school “refrain from giving him any award whatsoever.”
Sir, I’m disappointed.
Whether you voted for him or note, Barack Obama is the President of the United States — a country, that you, yourself, live in, work in, and expect certain things from. While it’s easy for you to claim President Obama has “publicly and ruthlessly affronted the Catholic Church of America during the short time of his presidency” you also expect this same president to protect your borders, fight to make sure your church remains free from government interference, and enforce the laws which make sure that you — and every other member of the Catholic faith in America — have the opportunity to live and worship as you see fit.
Obviously you fail to grasp the true concept of First Amendment, when you continue to claim that President Obama’s “single-handed actions have totally reversed decades of successes of the church in the prolife cause” — an action underscored when neither you, nor other church leaders who have written similar letters, are privy to what the president plans to speak about.
In addition, you fail to include in your definition of “prolife movement” groups which advocate the elimination of the death penalty or which seek to eliminate torture. Issues which you, as Archbishop of Oklahoma, have been strangely quiet about.
I find it ironic that you also did not mention the president moved to prevent the torture of war prisoners and ordered closed a facility where torture had occurred; issues which a true “pro-lifer” would applaud and support.
Or perhaps this definition of “pro-life” only applies to certain classes of humanity; but not those who are outcast, poor or criminal.
Mr. Archbishop you speak more like a politician and less like a man of faith — and you disappoint me.
You ask Father Jenkins to “have the courage to take this extraordinary stand in view of the extraordinary scandal you have generated,” when all the good Father did was offer his students an opportunity not few college students will get — the chance to hear the president.
You ask for courage, when you, yourself, have failed on numerous instances to make public statements about social justice issues such as Right to Work, immigration and equality — all tenets of the Catholic faith.
Archbishop Beltran you know, as well as I do, that just because you allow someone to speak doesn’t mean you support what that person is speaking about. You, of all people, should understand this.
Sir, I expect more from the leader of my church. As the leader of Oklahoma’s Catholics, I would hope you, too, would follow the Lord’s admonition — so clearly written in the Book of Isaiah — to “come, let us reason together” something which cannot be done unless both sides are allowed to speak.
Sincerely,
M. Scott Carter
You don’t know me, but I’ve been a converted Catholic for close to a decade now. I’ve lived in Oklahoma all my life, and I chose to join the church because there, I found faith, tolerance and intelligence.
However, after reading your recent letter to Notre Dame’s Father Jenkins, in which you verbally spank him for inviting the president of the United States to deliver a commencement address, I’m questioning my decision.
In your letter you say you are “appalled, disappointed and scandalized” and accuse Notre Dame of having “certainly turned against the Catholic Church” becase they dare offer the president — a man elected to lead our country — the opportunity to speak.
You imply that now, after years and years, that Notre Dame is somehow less faithful
because the university — an institution where one is supposed to go and seek knowledge — extended an invitation to our president.
You continue to say that Father Jenkins has “a moral responsibility to withdraw the invitation to President Barack Obama to be your commencement speaker in May” and ask that the school “refrain from giving him any award whatsoever.”
Sir, I’m disappointed.
Whether you voted for him or note, Barack Obama is the President of the United States — a country, that you, yourself, live in, work in, and expect certain things from. While it’s easy for you to claim President Obama has “publicly and ruthlessly affronted the Catholic Church of America during the short time of his presidency” you also expect this same president to protect your borders, fight to make sure your church remains free from government interference, and enforce the laws which make sure that you — and every other member of the Catholic faith in America — have the opportunity to live and worship as you see fit.
Obviously you fail to grasp the true concept of First Amendment, when you continue to claim that President Obama’s “single-handed actions have totally reversed decades of successes of the church in the prolife cause” — an action underscored when neither you, nor other church leaders who have written similar letters, are privy to what the president plans to speak about.
In addition, you fail to include in your definition of “prolife movement” groups which advocate the elimination of the death penalty or which seek to eliminate torture. Issues which you, as Archbishop of Oklahoma, have been strangely quiet about.
I find it ironic that you also did not mention the president moved to prevent the torture of war prisoners and ordered closed a facility where torture had occurred; issues which a true “pro-lifer” would applaud and support.
Or perhaps this definition of “pro-life” only applies to certain classes of humanity; but not those who are outcast, poor or criminal.
Mr. Archbishop you speak more like a politician and less like a man of faith — and you disappoint me.
You ask Father Jenkins to “have the courage to take this extraordinary stand in view of the extraordinary scandal you have generated,” when all the good Father did was offer his students an opportunity not few college students will get — the chance to hear the president.
You ask for courage, when you, yourself, have failed on numerous instances to make public statements about social justice issues such as Right to Work, immigration and equality — all tenets of the Catholic faith.
Archbishop Beltran you know, as well as I do, that just because you allow someone to speak doesn’t mean you support what that person is speaking about. You, of all people, should understand this.
Sir, I expect more from the leader of my church. As the leader of Oklahoma’s Catholics, I would hope you, too, would follow the Lord’s admonition — so clearly written in the Book of Isaiah — to “come, let us reason together” something which cannot be done unless both sides are allowed to speak.
Sincerely,
M. Scott Carter
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