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Letters to the Editor, July 15, 2010 |
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Thursday, 15 July 2010 |
Marriage day gave wonderful witness to the sacrament
On June 26, a very special and important Mass was celebrated by Archbishop John Nienstedt in our beautiful and awe-inspiring Cathedral. It honored couples celebrating their silver and golden anniversaries and all couples celebrating greater than 50 years. All married people present were invited to renew their vows.
Those couples of 25 years, 50 years, and over 50 years who registered for the reception numbered over 500. The families and guests of the honorees, the public at large, was a much larger number. This was a large crowd witnessing to the sacrament of marriage.
We were delighted with the recognition of the importance of marriage and
family. We sat next to Arthur and LaVerne Laliberte of Sacred Heart in
Robbinsdale. The Laliberte’s have been married 71 years and were the
longest-married couple attending the Mass. We have known members of
their family who are excellent examples of faith-filled people giving
Christian example of family life and service. As Catholics, we must give
good, holy examples of family life.
Some families in our
now-closed Holy Childhood Grade School have children who, when grown,
will be a holy gift to our nation. The link of parents forming their
children as Catholic citizens is vital. The lack of commitment to
marriage and family of many Americans is a crisis to our nation.
The
marriage day Mass is an excellent demonstration to the community of
proper family formation. It should be widely publicized in the press.
Let us remember that the sacrament of marriage is the way to start a
family.
Merlyn and Bernadine Scroggins
Holy Childhood, St.
Paul
Don’t be afraid to talk about Jesus
Many of
us live in families in which one or more members have rejected our Lord,
Jesus Christ. We pray for them. Is there more that we should do?
In
Mark’s Gospel, Jesus healed a man from an illness. When the man
realized that Jesus had healed him, the man asked to go with Jesus. But
Jesus told the man: “Go home to your family and tell them how much the
Lord has done for you and how kind the Lord has been to you” (Mark
5:18-19).
All of us can tell our families what the Lord Jesus
Christ has done, and continues to do, for us. We sometimes hesitate
because we do not have a degree in theology or because we fear
rejection. Jesus did not tell this man in the Gospel that the man needed
a degree or that he should fear rejection. Jesus simply told the man to
tell his family how much the Lord had done for him.
May God give
us the courage to tell our families, especially our children and
grandchildren, how much the Lord, Jesus Christ, has done for us.
Bob
Regal
Holy Trinity, South St. Paul
Illegal immigration
hurting farmers
I read the Minnesota bishops’ statement on
immigration, and I am disturbed.
I am an American Legion, Veteran
of Foreign War and Disabled American Veteran member. Which of these
bishops offered their time or life for this country? The bishops think
everyone is welcome. The illegals should enter into the U.S. under our
immigration laws.
My ancestors came to the U.S. over 150 years
ago legally. Some were farmers and dairy farmers. At present, some of
our children and grandchildren are farmers, and milk cows.
The
problem is that illegal immigrants work for less pay because they are
illegally here and it causes lower prices for agriculture and dairy
products. Therefore, my family and grandchildren do not receive a fair
price for their products.
It is said, “No one would do the work
the illegals do.” That’s wrong, because any job is filled if the wages
are what they should be. What our government wants is cheap food at the
expense of our farmers. That is the reason the government wants the
illegals here. It is very hurtful to me as a veteran and farmer to allow
the illegals to come here undocumented.
Raymond Keller
St.
Michael, Pine Island
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