LETTERS

National Catholic Reporter, Dec 8, 2000

Time for apologies

* It was both edifying and appalling to read the Oct. 6 article, "Blacks built a church of their own in 1945."

I was touched by the courage and determination of a group of African-Americans whose Catholic faith was so meaningful to them that they were willing to endure serious adversity just to worship in a Catholic church. I was moved by their willingness to work to form a new church so that they could have a community for their children, and by their endurance in sustaining that community through the years.

However, I began to wonder about the church they loved and were not willing to leave, about the parish where they were humiliated and made second-class people. Where was the bishop, where was the priest and the parishioners who, as Catholics, believe that we are all God's children? Did anyone speak up about this injustice done to our sisters and brothers? If not, shame on us. We are not truly following Jesus when we treat fellow human beings so inhumanely.

I hope amends have been made by this parish to these good people, and, if not, I believe it's time for apologies and reconciliation.

BETTY SCHOLTEN Holland, Mich.

Priests and AIDS

* A.W. Richard Sipe's Viewpoint, "Priests still die of AIDS as church postpones needed dialogue" (NCR, Oct. 27) contains its own refutation. "He was grateful to his bishop, who had been kind, understanding and personally attentive to him during his illness," he writes of a priest-friend dying of HIV/AIDS-related illnesses. This dialogue of bishops with priests with HIV infection or dying of HIV/AIDS-related illnesses has not been postponed. It has been taking place all along in the context of pastoral and spiritual care, as well as medical care and social support.

It is utterly amazing that Mr. Sipe, who writes of the importance of respecting "the dignity and value of priests," goes on to name a bishop who is said to have died of an HIV/AIDS-related illness in order to point out that his death certificate listed another occupation. This is a good example of people getting so caught up in their cause that they violate the principles they claim to support. What direct knowledge does Mr. Sipe have of this bishop, of his suffering, of his own view of his illness, of the concerns and feelings of his family? If it is little or none, then on what basis can he claim that this is an example of the church "devaluing or betraying its own priests"? Whatever his level of knowledge, reducing the bishop to an item of evidence makes talk about "the dignity and value of priests" sound very hollow -- not to mention assurances about not compromising "the confidentiality of any family or the anonymity of any priest."

Mr. Sipe is disingenuous (for I doubt he is ignorant of how his own church operates) when he writes that the National Conference of Catholic Bishops "within 30 days could assemble a remarkably accurate count of the number of priests who have died of AIDS." A former religious himself, he surely knows that the bishops' conference has absolutely no authority to command such information from religious orders. Nor can it do so with regard to individual dioceses that may not necessarily feel bound to supply it with regard to matters that are clearly their own responsibility. So, the resulting statistic would be anything but accurate, even leaving aside the fact that some priests who have died of HIV/AIDS-related illnesses may never have revealed their condition even to their bishop or religious superior.

Mr. Sipe speaks of "public relations maneuvers." When he alleges something, I guess he is simply being factual. If the conference responds, then that is a "public relations maneuver." Not much of a commitment to dialogue there.

(Msgr.) FRANCIS J. MANISCALCO Washington

Msgr. Francis Maniscalco is director of communications for the U.S. Catholic Conference.

* I only wish that the American church leadership Would listen to informed voices such as A.W. Richard Sipe and come to terms with the issues involved in the failure of the Catholic church to deal openly with the clerical AIDS matter -- one more example of its ability to sidestep issues and to shift the blame to the victims. Clerics who contract HIV have, for the most part, freely and sincerely embraced a priestly vocation that they saw as the fulfillment of a cherished dream. As Sipe has corroborated for us, many clerics are homosexual or have a fluid sexual orientation. Many, like myself, only began to face this reality after ordination. The fault lies ultimately with the blindness and cowardice -- "prudence" -- of the official church, its obsessive secrecy and its failure to provide training in matters of sexuality and celibacy to men preparing for the ministry.

I can truly say, "There but for the grace of God." If I were somewhat younger, my name would likely be embroidered on an AIDS quilt. Therapeutic help, which I sought on my own, led me to understand that I am bisexual, and marriage became possible. The church did zilch for me in this struggle.