Letter To The Editor

Published: January 17, 2008

To the Editor:

As a second-generation Catholic American of Italian and Eastern European descent and a former U.S. Army officer, reading the article from the Nov. 8 Georgia Bulletin entitled “Immigration Debate Calls For Prophetic Courage,” I found myself concerned with more than just the challenges outlined in the article.

For one, The Georgia Bulletin article clearly lacked inclusion of other objective, viable and well-thought-out Christian perspectives regarding the “illegal immigration” debate by only presenting the viewpoints and current perspective of the Archbishop and selective parish administrators brought together by the archdiocese.

To me, the lack of other perspectives in the article, as well as what I viewed as somewhat extreme comments by a Catholic pastor (Father Stack), contributed to very divisive, non-unifying and disenfranchising implied messages being sent to the reading audience. Those included for one, that the viewpoints presented in the article should be the only truly Catholic perspectives—perspectives wrought with preconceived notions, those being that all law enforcement activity intrinsically threatens human dignity. The implication was that those who are not “on board” or that those who support law enforcement activities focused on addressing attacks and robberies, drug running, and growing gang activities brought about by illegal immigration are somehow less Christian. …

Secondly, the article clearly highlighted a growing problem in our Catholic archdiocese and society as a whole, that being the infusion of “multicultural agendas” that have gone out of control. In 1991, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., a former advisor to John F. Kennedy and Pulitzer Prize winner, published a book, “The Disuniting of America: Reflections on a Multicultural Society.” Schlesinger stated that a new attitude—one that celebrates difference and abandons assimilation—would replace the classic image of the melting pot, in which differences are submerged in real democracy and community. He argued that ethnic awareness would have many positive consequences to unite a nation with a “history of prejudice,” however, the “cult of ethnicity,” if pushed too far, would endanger the unity of society. Hmmm. Schlesinger couldn’t have been more perceptive and right on regarding identifying the root of the problem in some of our parishes in the Atlanta Archdiocese today.

In almost every Catholic parish in the diocese, various active outreach missions demonstrate that our willingness to fulfill our role as loving Catholics is alive and well. It is commonplace to see Masses offered in Spanish and information resources printed in Spanish. … There are various struggles, but many parishes are attempting to be one community, regardless of race or economic background, and to have an appropriate moderate inclusion of multicultural recognition.

Unfortunately, however, some priests and lay leaders in various parishes seem to have overstepped the intent of outreach missions and activities, failing to have the leadership presence to ensure that unbridled “multiculturalism” does not divide Catholic parishes into sub-parishes within a parish. All parishioners, regardless of ethnic background, should be treated as Catholic apostles of the faith, which includes ensuring a moderate respect for ethnic heritage but to the extent that it is limited enough where it does not encourage full ethnic segregation and that assimilating into a true Catholic community in a completely unified manner remains the paramount ideal.

I am praying for our diocesan leadership to have the courage to focus on properly leading our Catholic communities of faith with unity being the superseding goal. When this happens, then and only then will our parishes espouse true “prophetic courage.”

Vince Baker, Canton