Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington

From the

Official News Magazine of the Diocese of Spokane

(From the Sept. 30, 2004 edition of the Inland Register)

The Inland Register welcomes letters. Letters must be signed, though names will be withheld upon request. Please include an address and phone number. Limit letters to 500 words. Letters may be edited for clarity or space.

Send letters to:

Inland Register
P.O. Box 48
Spokane, WA 99210-0048

Fax: (509) 358-7302

E-mail: inlandregister@dioceseofspokane.org

Phone: (509) 358-7340

Please, remember to be charitable.

Editor:

There have been a number of recent developments regarding St. Vincent de Paul in the Northwest recently and we wanted you to know the facts.

In the past two months, the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores have undergone major changes, including painting, merchandising, improved signage, improved lighting, and creating more space in the isles. In Spokane, we have a food bank and family services center at 722 N. Regal St., and three retail locations: 2901 E. Trent, 2601 N. Monroe, and 3019 E. Diamond St.

Our three Spokane-area thrift stores are operated with donations from area churches, the wonderful people of Spokane, and caring local businesses. The stores raise funds to finance and operate our food bank and family services center. The St. Vincent de Paul Family Services Center provides the less fortunate with food, beds, furniture, clothing, and necessary household items, and sometimes with assistance with heating or utility bills. We are a non-profit organization whose motto is “Help us Help Others in Our Community.”

How can you help? You can donate useable household or business items to St. Vincent de Paul by calling 509-535-2491 to schedule a pick-up, or by dropping the items off between 9-5 Monday thru Saturday at the Trent location. Some of the items we especially need include silverware, house-wares, computers, electronics, furniture, linens, maternity clothing, appliances, winter clothing, designer or name-brand clothing, vintage clothing, collectibles and, of course, food for our food bank. We also accept items that can be auctioned on EBay, like auto-graphed items, coin/stamp collections, etc.

You can volunteer your professional services or time by calling Lacy at 509-535-2491. We can especially use the skills of electricians, carpenters, concrete layers, heating and air system technicians, sign makers, artists, auto painters, auto mechanics, computer technicians, appliance repairs, roofers, advertising expertise, media personalities, painters, accountants and more. Call us! We can use your help!

We would be willing to trade advertising space on our trucks for businesses who can help us with specific needs. Call us for details. And, of course, all donations are tax deductible within the limits of tax law. We are particularly in need of building materials.

Mathew Meeusen, Spokane

(Mathew Meeusen is the Operations Manager for St. Vincent de Paul, Spokane.)

Editor:

Reports of so many problems in our world today give us incentive to search for positive news. In this light, Father Jan Larson’s article “A Vatican view on liturgical music” (“Issues in Liturgy,” IR 9/9/04) is food for the soul. He presents Sistine Choir Director Father Liberto’s views on music from ages past and also shares his ideas about music in liturgy today. Father Liberto does not see music pre-Vatican II as material for the archives. He recognizes the beauty of Gregorian chant and wants this tradition to continue. The challenge he perceives for the present, however, is placing too great an emphasis on preserving our rich musical heritage to the point it impedes the creation of any new forms.

His input should be seriously considered, for in essence, it poses a challenge to life itself. If humanity chooses merely to embrace the status quo, it does so at the expense of growing, recreating, extending and increasing life. Its destination is eventual extinction. Regardless the work in progress (medicine, fuel, electronics, engineering, etc.) the fruits of past excellence must serve as catalyst for advancement, or they become fodder for stagnation and death.

Father Liberto’s vision for enhancing traditional liturgical music, utilizing charismatic and prophetic gifts as impetus for creating, is commendable. Understanding the importance of augmenting the known to the unknown, to invent something new, is the right formula and key to our spiritual growth.

We are a church of many generations, in a continuum of mapping out a course. All taking part in the progression of time, we never fully see the entire picture. We know our final destination has not been reached; that resources abound and remain untapped for the powers of creating. If by error we believe otherwise, Jesus reminds us in the interval between his Resurrection and Ascension, in John 20:17, not to cling to him or, for that matter, to our limited view of life. He was not where he was going and neither are we. We are pilgrims in transition, still trekking homeward.

All through the ages, generations of believers witness both new and renewed life. It is that wondrous secret of Christ living within each and every person (Luke 17:21) which puts “action into revelation.” It is catalytic activity occurring within the body, gaining in momentum and generating new life, which gives form, beauty and power to liturgy. No longer at its conception phase, music for souls is neither antiquated nor strangely new. It becomes music in rhythm evolving from every season, providing beauty in composition for all generations. Liturgical music is prayer in motion and, as such, the church must continue to allow this creating process of his life take effect in its body.

Connie Pomeroy, Spokane

Editor:

Michael Smith’s letter (“Letters to the Editor,” IR 9/9/04) stating that Dr. Michael Casey’s stand on abortion is inconsistent and questionable demands response.

Everyone who knows Dr. Casey is aware of his firm committment to living all the social justice teachings of our church, including defending pro-life principles. Mr. Smith said Casey ran an ad in which, “...he indicates he is strongly pro-life.” The ad is true. Dr. Casey is!

Smith goes on to say that Casey’s website, “...provides no information on his position on abortion,” suggesting that Mike Casey is pretending to be pro-life to get the Catholic vote.

Well, Mr. Smith, you have wronged a good man.

After reading your letter, I went to Dr. Casey’s website. Upon clicking his endorsements I scrolled to Political Action Committee Endorsements. Dr. Casey has a long list. Among them is one from Human-Life Pac. Human Life Pac is the Political Action Committee of Human Life Washington. Their motto is “It’s about Life ... protecting the sacredness of every human life – no matter the stage of that life, its condition, or surrounding circumstances.”

Human Life of Washington is affiliated with the National Right to Life. Saving women and their children from abortion is a primary goal. Their endorsements are only given to candidates who have a proud and proven strong commitment to all life principles. That is why they endorsed Dr. Casey. That is why he printed this endorsement on his web site.

I hope that before Michael Smith writes another letter of accusation against a fellow human, that he gets his facts straight. Also, I recommend that Mr. Smith and others who might wonder about Dr. Casey take the time to get to know him. Your lives will be the better for it.

Joanne McCann, Spokane