FROM THE POST OFFICE
Herald Gives Cover to Heretical Teachers
Ed’s comment: The Arlington Catholic Herald (ACH) didn’t print the letter below which opposes giving dissenters a platform for scandal, specifically through the Continuing Christian Development Institute (CCDI). It’s a problem we have brought up with the bishop on many occasions. He is, however, deaf to our concerns and we’re not surprised this articulate letter was considered unfit for the pages of the ACH . CCDI, on the other hand, frequently is promoted in both articles and ads.
Two articles in the April 1-7 issue of ACH caused me great concern, because they promote two men who have done great harm to the Catholic faith over their long lives.
One man, Rev. Gerard Sloyan, age 91, taught me moral theology when I attended Trinity College, Washington, D.C. many years ago. He was also teaching at Catholic U. He taught the “fundamental option”, which is that individual immoral acts aren’t sinful – it is the overall view one has that matters. That is a heresy and has been refuted in the Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliation and Penance of Pope John Paul II in 1984. Father Sloyan’s teaching influenced me as a young person and I held that view for a short while.
I wish to point out that Nancy Pelosi and Kathleen Sebelius, both pro-abortion politicians – were at Trinity during the time frame I was there and would have been taught by Fr. Sloyan. Many sources fault him for the catechetical collapse of the past 35 years. He declared that children cannot learn doctrine; they can only experience religious emotions, thus depriving generations of young Catholics of the rich truths of the Faith.
The Herald article advertizes Fr. Sloyan’s lecture series beginning this month at St. Charles Borromeo Parish in our diocese. This is not good news.
The second man, Francisco Ayala, age 76, was given a half page in this paper to praise his work. He is a twice married ex priest who is well known for lobbying Congress to lift federal restrictions on funding embryonic stem cell research. Embryonic stem cell research uses the cells from aborted babies and is against the teaching of the Catholic Church. Not only is it anti-life, but it has not been shown to be in any way useful in advancing the cause of medicine; whereas, use of adult stem cells has shown promise. Is this the sort of man we of the Diocese of Arlington are supposed to praise and imitate? Why is he being held up to us in these pages?
Mrs. Olivia McFadden
McLean, VA