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I was inspired by Rev. Jeffrey Keyes’ articles on the canon of the new Mass (Voice, Nov. 21 and Dec. 12).

I am glad the interfaith blood drive and the social justice e-mail group mentioned in the bishop’s column (Voice, Dec. 12) were so successful.

I always appreciate Rev. John Roche’s columns about Jesus’ love for us and His desire that we love Him in return.

May Jesus’ new life at Christmas fill us with new life.

Cathy Clark
Alameda

Stewardship, ‘Occupy’

I was astonished by the naïve rationalization in the Walt Sears article “Christian Stewardship principles echoed in ‘Occupy’ movement” (Forum, Jan. 9).

How does the immoral, slovenly and criminal behavior of the ‘Occupy’ crowd drive home a point about human dignity? How can one equate their actions with the issue of humane working conditions when most of the baby-boomer spoiled rabble that made up the ‘Occupy’ crowd have never experienced anything even close to inhumane working conditions. I doubt if most of them even know what it is to have callused hands.

What is “Christian” about able-bodied people spending most, if not all, their lives living off the labor of others? The U.S. government has already ruined countless lives, even generations of families, with their so-called “war on poverty” that by all factual accounts has done nothing to reduce poverty but has been quite obviously very socially ruinous.

When the 13 colonies were still a part of England, Professor Alexander Tyler wrote about the fall of the Athenian republic more than 2,000 years previous to his time:
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasure. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most money from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship.”

“The average age of the world’s great civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed . . . from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependency, from dependency back to bondage.”

What is Christian about bondage, selfishness, complacency or the real killer, apathy? Where are we in this sequence?

Harlan Krusemark
Concord

Aid victims of Arab Spring

After our celebrations are over, will we look at how the Christians in Uganda and Egypt are doing under the dominance of the spring event in the Arab countries?

Do we turn our backs on the victims of these events? Is there anything we can do as good Christian men and women?

Lillian Silver
Walnut Creek

Help Casa Vincentia

It’s me again — the LIFE WALK nag. Please consider putting a few dollars in an envelope and sending it to Casa Vincentia, 3210 62nd Ave., Oakland 94605.

This is a residence for pregnant young women (some are homeless) who have chosen to deliver their babies alive.

Mary McMahon
Livermore

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Letters to the editor provide a forum for readers to engage in an open exchange of opinions and concerns in a climate of respect and civil discourse. The opinions expressed are those of the writers, and not necessarily of the Catholic Voice or the Diocese of Oakland. While a full spectrum of opinions will sometimes include those which dissent from Church teaching or contradict the natural moral law, it is hoped that this forum will help our readers to understand better others’ thinking on critical issues facing the Church at this time.