Letters: Laity and the innocent of the church persevere

With respect to John P. McNamee's "A docile tradition protects the church" (Feb. 22), I agree to the extent that the sound of the response of Catholics to this tragedy implied by that word

docile

is silent.

Prayer is silent. Rumination is silent. The terrible feeling experienced by Catholics, by anyone who is spiritual, is silent. The sound of the shepherds of the Catholic Church worldwide who do not come forward, do not experience shame, do not repent, do not seek forgiveness, do not seek to change, is also silent.

The sounds that are alive, noisy, and celebratory are the continuing sounds of the laity as we persevere in our faith. Together with the majority of the religious and clergy who are innocent, we continue to celebrate Mass in our churches worldwide.

Jubilation is the sound we continue to hear when we bring Holy Communion to ill Catholics in the hospitals; make sandwiches for the hungry; shelter the homeless; clothe the naked, educate the ignorant. Jubilation is the sound to make when we sing and pray together during this difficult time in the history of our church.

"Seek first the kingdom of God and God's righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). The sound of seeking the kingdom of God is not a silent but a joyous one. We could go forth together in unity on this journey, the choice is there. The sound of seeking the kingdom of God is the true and just sound of the Catholic Church, which we all love to hear.

Anne Patricia Minicozzi

Villanova