Once again the Catholic church has revealed its ugly, hateful, and hypocritical side. It has chosen to dump Rev. Bozek because he has not followed the dictates of the Church. What offense he has actually committed is that he has failed to turn over the cash to the Archdiocese. It’s that simple. Fortunately he is not alone in his resistence. Unlike the Catholic faithful of the past who went along with the Crusades, The Inquisition, the silence or complicity with the Nazis, the tolerance and enableing of the pedophile priests, the intransigence with regard to women priests, and a host of other ills; the Catholics of today are much smarter and more charitable than much of the clergy. This nonsense will go on as the faithful leave the Church in droves. What will be left is the right-wing mentality of sin and damnation espoused by the likes of Opus Dei and other demagogues.How sad it is that all of the Church’s moves and positions revolve around money and power. Where does love, tolerance, and forgiveness fit in this rapidly deteriorating institution? As a cradle Catholic, I am sick at heart and deeply sad at what might have been.

Gene Dalton
St. Louis