Letter: Archbishop doing right by faithful

Tuesday, June 12, 2007 | 6:59 a.m.

Dan K. Thomasson, in his June 10 column headlined, "Crossing the line, again," attacked Archbishop Raymond Burke of the St. Louis Diocese for doing what church leaders are supposed to do - preach the gospel and correct those of their faith in their doctrinal failings.

He is not addressing non-Catholics; he is correcting members of the church who, through their actions, were violating church teachings. If the Catholic Church doctrinally condemns abortion, how can it be improper for the archbishop to insist that Catholic entities uphold and respect that doctrine?

We have too many wishy-washy church members who place themselves above the church. If they wish to be honest, let them find a faith that best suits their conscience. But don't attack a church that stands up for its beliefs and is protected in doing so by the First Amendment .

Catholics are required to form their consciences in accord with church doctrine. How else can you have a church with universal beliefs? Consistent in its teachings since apostolic times, what is now taught is what was then taught.

Bishops deal with faith and spiritual formation. In teaching their flock, they deal daily with moral issues, a great many of which are also political. Should a church leader be silenced because of the interaction between the two? If so, then that faith leader is prevented from doing the very job allowed him under the First Amendment - to perform his duties as a church leader in directing church members in their faithful attendance to church doctrine.

William F. Brennan, Las Vegas