Letter to the Editor from Cumming, GA

Published: April 20, 2006

To the Editor:

This might be alternately titled “To Gustave A. Backelant,” I think (“Letter to the Editor,” The Georgia Bulletin, April 13). Regardless, here goes:

First: Thank you, Gustave, for your service to your country. It is because of the sacrifices of people like you that we can have an exchange openly about religion and immigration. I commend you for this service.

Second: I agree our borders need to be secure. There is no clearer gap in our national security than the porous borders we share with Canada and Mexico.

Third: I am a convert through the RCIA program who has just taken first Communion and been confirmed. I wish I could share with you the beauty of the institution I have chosen to worship with. I wish you could see through my eyes how tolerant and accepting of divergent views the Catholic Church truly is. Through the inquiry and RCIA process I was constantly, and pleasantly, surprised at every new aspect I learned of the church I was preparing to enter.

The biggest lesson I learned during the past year is that the Catholic Church is one body with many voices. That all of those voices are not English does not concern me in the slightest. My wife regales me with tales of going to Mass as a child in Bridgeport, Conn., where not only individual Masses were said in another language, but entire congregations dedicated to one nationality. Imagine entire Masses and all church business being conducted in Polish, Slovakian or Lithuanian! It was not so long ago and its offspring is with us now with our Hispanic and other nationality services. I welcome the opportunity to worship with my brethren regardless of nationality, race or language and hope to always look at it as a learning and sharing experience.

My fervent prayer is that you will be able to reconcile, not sacrifice or subjugate, but reconcile, your personal views with those of the church and continue in the valuable service you have already provided.

Kevin Garrett, Cumming