Readers respond to our print, web and social media posts
[googlefont font=“Cormorant Infant” fontsize=”20″]From Our Readers[/googlefont]
YOUTH CONNECTION
Thank you for the inspiring article “Mission in the City: Native American Youth Explore Change and Leadership in Chicago” in the September/October issue. We have supported Maryknoll, the St. Labre Indian Catholic School on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation and the Jesuit Educational Ministries for many years. It was encouraging to read about how the young people connected to these groups learned so much about social justice and how to work for change in their communities by living out the values of these parallel educational and missionary endeavors.
Pam and George Wright
Farmington, Michigan
‘INSIDE STORY’
I read the story titled “Voices for Veronica,” in the September/October issue. Because I have close ties to many Spanish people who are in this country, I know the inside story. My closest friends came from El Salvador legally and are very open to talk about the illegal traffic and the fake identifications that you can easily obtain. I think Veronica has to take a strong look at her own behavior and be responsible for herself and her family. She is blaming this country and yet breaking the law. When one of my sons was living in the Southwest, sharing a house with college friends who were Spanish, he was totally blown away by “a wedding at the house every weekend.” American girls “marrying” illegal guys and apparently this gives them citizenship. Now that these kinds of things and fake ID’s are being addressed, the ones who have been getting away with these kinds of illegal behavior will have to face the facts.
Fran Kurpil
Liberty, New York
TURNING HEARTS
Thank you to Father Joseph Veneroso for continuing to inspire us with poem/prayer photo meditations. They seem to flow from him easily. If only Father Veneroso’s “Who are those people?” in your November/December magazine would turn the hearts and minds of our leaders as easily to enact comprehensive immigration reform.
What will happen to the Dreamers? And sad indeed how many are being held in detention centers and family members separated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Do our leaders see nothing wrong with government approval for needed workers and then paying low wages? Google the article by Terry Spencer for The Associated Press in November that was headlined “Mar-A-Lago needs more help, gets permission to hire 70 foreign workers.” Something is terribly wrong when people are at the mercy of power, used and abused, and we allow it to continue.
Leona R. Wieland
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
TROUBLING CRITICISM
I found a critical letter in the Readers’ Responses in the September/October issue about a past article on “Nones” really troubling. Not only is the writer dismissive of the University of California, Berkeley, but uses vindictive words like “reek” and “tripe” and takes MARYKNOLL to task for publishing Kaya Oakes’ article. None of us has the last word on “what God’s Church stands for”—not the letter writer, not Maryknoll, not the pope. Instead of foolishly thinking we do, we can only strive to live a good, caring life that recognizes and honors the wide array of God’s creation.
Kristin Neufeld
Rochester, New York
GIFTED FAMILY
Sprague’s photos are worth a million prayers. I can’t tell you how many times I have opened your magazine and been awed by the beauty of a child’s face, an image of frost-covered grass, pieces of the world we need to see and the faces of all ages that can touch our souls. We are one people, but Sprague’s photos help us see that every time.
It would be lovely to have a collection of those photos and perhaps an article about the photographer. I am sure I am not the only one who would treasure that.
If you can’t do an article, please do let me know more. I see that it is usually S. Sprague, but this last back cover has an N. Sprague—a family of gifted photographers?
Thanks for a fine publication.
Eileen Flockhart
Exeter, New Hampshire
Editor’s note: Thank you for your compliments on Sean Sprague’s photography. Based in Wales, Sean Sprague has been traveling and shooting for MARYKNOLL magazine since 1993. His photography, for MARYKNOLL and other organizations, has won numerous awards. He is also a contributing writer to this magazine. His son, Nile, is very much a chip off the old block. Based in California, Nile has recently begun contributing to MARYKNOLL and taking assignments when his father is occupied with other shoots.
LOOKING BACK
I thought that Pope John Paul II put the kibosh on liberation theology because he felt it was too close to communism. His alternative was for individuals to follow the message of the Gospel. In other words, Christ was missing from the liberation theology message.
It is easy to look back at what has happened in Latin America and South America, historically. For example, is Cuba better off today or how about Nicaragua? We know that there is tremendous hardship going on in Venezuela as I write this letter. Look at Colombia. The rebel left finally gave up after many years of conflict and turned their weapons over to government in exchange for a peaceful resolution of their differences.
Did the Miguel d’Escotos of the world really make a difference?
Joseph P. Nolan
Waterbury, Connecticut
The editors invite Maryknoll Members to send us their views. Write to:
Members’ Memos
P.O. Box 302, Maryknoll, N.Y. 10545-0302
Our e-mail address is: mklmag@maryknoll.org
Featured Image: Woman in the Altiplano of Peru (Nile Sprague/Peru)
