We need to remove the basket

The print edition of the May 25, 2006 issue of our Catholic Herald has this letter from Executive Editor Brian T. Olszewski. The Gospel reference in the title refers to his so far unsuccessful efforts to significantly increase the circulation of our Catholic Herald which now he thinks is our problem.

Let your pastor know why your Catholic Herald is beneficial to you, and why it would be helpful to other members of your parish.

The real problem isn't that the Herald's light is under a basket. The Herald is the basket.

For example, when a local pastor, Fr. David Cooper, permitted a prayer service for women's ordination at St. Matthias Church, Archbishop Dolan demanded he apologize. Yet our Catholic Herald recently ran this column by Fr. Richard McBrien taking the same problematic position.

Here's another example. The Herald ran this column by Archbishop Dolan which includes his reiteration that general absolution is not to be used in normal circumstances. The Herald later ran a Guest Opinion by Fr. Ed Wieland advocating it (March 30, 2006) with no mention of Church teaching or of the Archbishop's statement.

If I suggested to someone that they subscribe to the Herald, and they came back to me with these contradictions, I couldn't explain them. So I don't suggest it.

I understand Fr. Thomas Brundage, Mr. Olszewski's predecessor, said in the Herald (December 22, 2005) that as things were going, the paper would fold within three years. Maybe there'll be a light under it when it does.