Letters to the Editor

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What happened to ­family values?

Both Gov. Mitch Daniels and President George W. Bush seem to have forgotten their commitments to “family values” (of which they made so much during their election campaigns) and are instead intent on balancing their budgets on the backs of the needy by cutting Medicaid benefits.

I suspect most of us Catholics who voted for Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry oppose these measures. I hope that our fellow Catholics, some of whom suggested supporters of Sen. Kerry should not receive Communion, will join us in writing to their representatives in Congress and the State Legislature to oppose these cuts. This seems an effort consistent with the Church’s option for the poor in which Catholics of all stripes can unite. There are more ways of being pro-life than by opposing abortion.

Recognizing that the state’s budget must be balanced, it would be well for us to examine the considerable merits of Gov. Daniels’ proposal for a 1 percent tax increase on incomes above $100,000 and even to consider lowering the minimum subject to tax. This seems preferable to hurting the disadvantaged further.

Gil Klose, Richmond  

 

Remembering slain Sister Dorothy Stang

I was disappointed to note that in your Feb. 18 edition, there was no mention of the assassination of Notre Dame de Namur Sister Dorothy Stang that occurred on Feb. 12 in Anapu in Para state in northern Brazil. She had worked for the human rights of peasant farmers in this area for 30 years, defending them from illegal loggers and ranchers. There were no U.S. or world news briefs at all in this edition.

Reuters News Service carried an account, and even our own Indianapolis Star printed articles on Feb. 13, 15 and 16. I find it odd that our archdiocesan Catholic newspaper would not carry a story about this very courageous Catholic nun. She is even a “Midwestern neighbor,” having been born and lived in Dayton, Ohio, until she joined the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1948. Their motherhouse is located in Reading, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati.

I really think this report should have had space in The Criterion.

Carolyn A. Fillenwarth, Indianapolis

(Editor’s Note: See updated story on page 8 of the current print issue. The first story was printed on The Criterion Online Edition at www.archindy.org/criterion on Feb. 14.) †