Kudos

       I congratulate you all on the treasure trove you publish, The Journal. Obviously your contributors are dedicated intelligent Christians, priestly people. I learn and I enjoy. The Journal is one of many I read and I rank it high.

Tom McMahon, San Jose,  CA

      We really enjoy the articles in The Journal. I particularly have enjoyed Michael Zarb's biblical theology on the priesthood. He is the third author I have come across on the subject. Who does the consecrating at the eucharist?

      Our local Corpus is alive and well. We had some 20 people out for our Advent liturgy and party. A great celebration!

 Fred Williams, Calgary
 

We Are Catholic

     We hear from Italy, Canada, Africa, Ireland, Englland, United States, etc. - please complete the list.  We are Irish, German, Italian, - please complete the list.  We, here in the United States, are from the North, the South,the West  - and a lot from back East.

     Please help me complete the list. We are Diocesan, Franciscan, Trappist,  Augustinian - please help. All of the above is wonderful only in that we come together in our Catholicity. We are universal and we are one.  We are learning that our Catholicity extends to include (at John Shuster's Liturgy we had - John help.) Protestant, Jew, Liberal, Conservative and Ancient (?) Catholics. We are military and we are civilian. We are old and we are young. We are male and we are female. We are celibate, heterosexual and gay.

     I've often thought that maybe there are more married priest get togethers than there are of those in assignments.

     Like so many things I write - this may be a lot of jibberish.  However, I have grown a little this past year by having an awful lot of compassion for my brothers and sisters who have been isolated. Isolated and persecuted. I've often thought of how much more difficult it would be to persecute them if I were at their side - if I were there with them. However,  I think it has helped them to know that I am just here.  Perhaps, there is some strength for them in knowing that they are so intimately linked with so many of us who do think and relate with them. We are Catholic.

Frank Kabisch

Vocations!?

This is the letter I sent to the Island Catholic News in response to their article about Vocation Week.   

Dear Editor:

 Thank you for reminding me to pray for Vocations and thanks to John for  his kind words stressing their variety. I am also reminded that our  Diocesan Synod urged women with a vocation to the priesthood to pray,  study, and seek ordination. I pray that their vocation will be  recognized by the hierarchical church as it is by The People of God  throughout the world. These women throughout the world urge the need for  a renewed priesthood. Such organizations as WOW (Women's Ordination  Worldwide) and B.A.S.I.C. (Brothers And Sisters In Christ) as well as  Epiphany in Australia, Advent in England, Leaven in Ireland, Family  Priests in the Philippines, Ministerium Novum worldwide, Corpus USA, our  own Corpus Canada, and many many others give testimony to the cry of  staunch Roman Catholic voices who seek to dialogue about this. The need  for a renewed priesthood, women and men priests, married and single  priests, is not about the present shortage of priests- even with an  abundance of priests, there still is the need for such a renewed  priesthood. When we pray for vocations, we pray that we will recognize  and ordain the ones that the Holy Spirit has given us in abundance.

Chris Diamond, Cobble Hill