The Archdiocese is entitled to and should desire financial stability, but its mission should be quite different from that of a du Pont. The arrogance shown by the Blue Ribbon Commission in dishing out its bad news only added fuel to the fire initiated by the sexual-abuse scandal. I am sure that Quindlen is quite intelligent, but has shown no "street sense" at all in his decision on which schools to combine and where to send many of the misplaced students. It showed a complete lack of understanding of his targeted market.
I offer you this warning, which I am confident will be the long-term outcome if this plan is enacted as is: Many families will find it impossible to send their children to the suggested schools for a variety of reasons, including cost, safety and convenience. These are the families who still support a church that has hurt and deceived them. These saddened families will send their children to public schools and will be added to the ranks of the disgruntled who no longer attend Mass. Their children will follow suit. Any expectations that church contributions will increase or even stabilize is simply naive. Any intelligent businessman would view this as a doom loop, and as a religious leader, you should be saddened.
Francis X. O'Neill
Philadelphia
GIs' critics are all wet
I felt I must write in response to Signe Wilkinson's cartoon featuring U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan urinating on the dove of peace.
It is indeed ridiculous to send young men off to war - the most uncivilized activity a man can engage in - and expect him to still act civilized. The frontline soldier must constantly live with fear, deprivation, devastation and, above all, death and injury 24 hours a day. It is quite easy for us to sit here in our comfortable living rooms and harshly judge their actions in this situation.
