Letter to the Editor from Atlanta, GA

Published: June 23, 2005

To the Editor:

In her column on stem-cell research (“To Catholics: Let Us Become the Answer to Jesus’ Prayer,” June 2, The Georgia Bulletin), Lorraine Murray provides an absolutely arresting image for our Catholic faith: Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. This, Ms. Murray asserts, is symbolic of our ancient and strong Catholic faith that should not be changed.

Surely she realizes that on Sundays and Holy Days, Notre Dame is almost empty. Like many Catholic parishes, it is more monument than living faith community. If she had the power to somehow modernize Notre Dame so as to once again fill it with thousands of committed Catholics, would Ms. Murray do so? Or, is the monument more important than the living faith?

Robin McDowell, Atlanta