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Salena Zito’s article “When your priest turns out to be a monster” in the Aug. 30 Daily Inter Lake rings true for many Catholics here in the valley who were fortunate as children to have been protected from the predatory wiles of “monster priests.” Despite the shock that Selena felt learning the ghastly truth about a clergyman she had revered in her Pittsburgh parish, I do hope that she holds on to the good memories of her parochial school past that formed & still bind her to faith in God.

For many who, over the past 25 years, have been on the front lines of trying to expose clergy sexual & power abuse & its systemic nature, the current abuse crisis in Pennsylvania, though heart & gut wrenching beyond belief, is familiar territory ... the same scenario, just different names and more of them.

To observe opportunist Catholics attempt to pin the entire blame for coverup of clergy abuses on Pope Francis would be laughable if it weren’t so evil in nature. No pope in recent history has done as much as he to expose the intrinsic corruption within the ranks of the Vatican, to dispel clericalism or to attempt to return the Church to its Christ-centered original intent. As for guilt and complicity in cover-ups, there’s plenty of that to go around; from the hallowed corridors of Vatican City to the tiniest, most pious, traditionalist prayer group found in every parish in the nation. May Salena and all those seeking truth and forgiveness in this matter hang on to Christ’s promise to St. Peter in Matt: 16: v. 18… “upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” —Nancy McGunagle, Kalispell

Monkey is not racist reference

Congressman Ron DeSantis recently used the term “monkey” as in don’t monkey around with the politics of Florida, since he’s running for governor of that state. But given the racial climate which now seems to permeate every aspect of our thinking in today’s political arena and his opponent being black, it was said that we hear that work has got to be a racial slur on the part of DeSantis.

Now I’m dating myself, but I do remember when I was a young man there was a rock group called The Monkees and contrary to the “racial thinking” of today, they were all “white.” But their theme song was: “Hey, hey, we’re the Monkees, and people say we monkey around” and I cannot recall at any time did anyone of any COLOR consider that phrase “racist.” I wonder what Davy Jones would say about all of this, if he were alive today, since he was the lead singer in this group?

Maybe Congressman Ron DeSantis should use this theme the next time he campaigns? —Jim Garvey, Kalispell

Faith or fact?

One fact science has proven is that humans are born male or female. Anything else is a lie. Additionally, 97 percent will leave fools alone to their meaningless lives IF: they leave us who find great joy and satisfaction in the life we are living with intense familial meaning, alone.

Should the recent letters on “science seems to say” and so-called-clergy “my faith tells me” be taken at all seriously? No. The writers are either simply comedians or following their own made-up faith, based on what they want and not what is. They do not follow fact-based science or fact-based God (who WILL be found if you REALLY look without your prejudices). —Dan Boutwell, Columbia Falls

Catholics must face facts about clergy abuses

Salena Zito’s article “When your priest turns out to be a monster” in the Aug. 30 Daily Inter Lake rings true for many Catholics here in the valley who were fortunate as children to have been protected from the predatory wiles of “monster priests.” Despite the shock that Selena felt learning the ghastly truth about a clergyman she had revered in her Pittsburgh parish, I do hope that she holds on to the good memories of her parochial school past that formed & still bind her to faith in God.

For many who, over the past 25 years, have been on the front lines of trying to expose clergy sexual & power abuse & its systemic nature, the current abuse crisis in Pennsylvania, though heart & gut wrenching beyond belief, is familiar territory ... the same scenario, just different names and more of them.

To observe opportunist Catholics attempt to pin the entire blame for coverup of clergy abuses on Pope Francis would be laughable if it weren’t so evil in nature. No pope in recent history has done as much as he to expose the intrinsic corruption within the ranks of the Vatican, to dispel clericalism or to attempt to return the Church to its Christ-centered original intent. As for guilt and complicity in cover-ups, there’s plenty of that to go around; from the hallowed corridors of Vatican City to the tiniest, most pious, traditionalist prayer group found in every parish in the nation. May Salena and all those seeking truth and forgiveness in this matter hang on to Christ’s promise to St. Peter in Matt: 16: v. 18… “upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” —Nancy McGunagle, Kalispell

Monkey is not racist reference

Congressman Ron DeSantis recently used the term “monkey” as in don’t monkey around with the politics of Florida, since he’s running for governor of that state. But given the racial climate which now seems to permeate every aspect of our thinking in today’s political arena and his opponent being black, it was said that we hear that work has got to be a racial slur on the part of DeSantis.

Now I’m dating myself, but I do remember when I was a young man there was a rock group called The Monkees and contrary to the “racial thinking” of today, they were all “white.” But their theme song was: “Hey, hey, we’re the Monkees, and people say we monkey around” and I cannot recall at any time did anyone of any COLOR consider that phrase “racist.” I wonder what Davy Jones would say about all of this, if he were alive today, since he was the lead singer in this group?

Maybe Congressman Ron DeSantis should use this theme the next time he campaigns? —Jim Garvey, Kalispell

Faith or fact?

One fact science has proven is that humans are born male or female. Anything else is a lie. Additionally, 97 percent will leave fools alone to their meaningless lives IF: they leave us who find great joy and satisfaction in the life we are living with intense familial meaning, alone.

Should the recent letters on “science seems to say” and so-called-clergy “my faith tells me” be taken at all seriously? No. The writers are either simply comedians or following their own made-up faith, based on what they want and not what is. They do not follow fact-based science or fact-based God (who WILL be found if you REALLY look without your prejudices). —Dan Boutwell, Columbia Falls