Ran across this opinion page exchange in the Winona(MN) Daily News. I don't have time right now to FrZ this thing with comments.
The first article by Mr. Doerr is all over the place. He accuses the Bishop of La Crosse(afterwords finds out La Crosse has no bishop) of "gutting and selling" the church in Arcadia. I'm not really sure he ever makes a point, other than displaying his mental instability. The second is Fr. Klos defending his position that the parish needs to sell their church, which he makes some very good points. The third is Doerr's reply which he refers to Fr. Klos as "Mike" is another incoherent rambling.
It is unfortunate that Doerr can't take a deep breath and think for a second. His last sentence eludes to what could have been a good point. Many area churches have undergone renovations, ect where high altars end up as stairs or "pews in saloons." I know of parishioners who in the 70s went to the local dump to find that their pastor had ripped all the priceless artwork, statues and high altar(chopped up with an ax) and thrown it all in the dump - tragically dishonoring all the parishioners who had toiled and labored to build up that church. But Doerr is too busy mumbling to himself about "tractor-trailers" and "illegal immigration" to ever make any point other than his dissatisfaction in everything.
By DON DOERR SR. / Winona | Posted: Saturday, May 15, 2010
As a Catholic, I am deeply disappointed by the corruption within the Catholic Church.
During my years in the Winona Catholic school system, we were led to believe, correctly or incorrectly, that the only young men who could consider the priesthood were those whose spiritual calling exceeds their physical desires.
These young men were then deemed to be closer to God and therefore to be admired and almost worshiped.
The rest of us rode motorcycles, drank beer and chased women, ultimately destined to marry and raise a family. I followed this pattern, completed my education, married, and became a college-level English teacher with 11 children.
We were also told that, correctly or incorrectly, to be forgiven of our sins, we had to confess them to God through one of our spiritually-orientated priests. We were told that it was an honor to kiss the bishop's ring.
At Cotter High School in Winona, I recall a priest slamming me against the wall, showing his fist and daring me to smile. This was just after he had told my friend that he would "never amount to anything." "I have no hope for you," the priest told my friend.
My good and kind friend drowned in the Mississippi on Aug. 17, 1968, a far better man than the priest who had judged him. Now I don't know.
As I write this letter to the editor, our Catholic bishop in La Crosse, Wis., is gutting and selling the Catholic church and the spiritual heritage in Arcadia, Wis., through public auction.
Arcadia, the most beautiful city in this area, is now controlled by Ashley Furniture, the corrupted Catholic Church, and a garrison of illegal aliens.
In Winona, our bishop spent $5 million to decorate the Cathedral in honor of himself.
Nationally, our Catholic Church is promoting illegal immigration to fill its pews and its collection baskets while demanding that its new priests learn Spanish to facilitate the invasion and subjugation of America.
As much as it saddens me to witness this corruption within the Catholic Church, I am too old to change and will thus remain Catholic, ever aware of my childhood training that has taught me that the alternative is eternity in hell.
It is my understanding that Martin Luther's mother asked him if she should join his new church. Luther is reported to have told his mother to stay with the Catholic Church because, "It is a hard church to live by but a good church to die by."
Winona DN
By the Rev. MICHAEL E. KLOS / Arcadia, Wis. | Posted: Thursday, May 20, 2010
As a Catholic, I too, like Don Doerr, am deeply disappointed by the corruption to be found within the Catholic church.
However, it would seem that our ideas of "corruption" are, in some ways, wildly different.
I would agree that the abuse of other human beings is a profound tragedy and a grave sin. Whether that abuse is psychological, physical, emotional or sexual, anything that causes a heart or a soul to be demeaned or broken is to be strongly condemned.
However, in contrast to Doerr's feelings, I find nothing in the Gospels that would suggest that our Lord is the least bit concerned with preserving buildings.
Everything in the Gospels points to concern for the soul and spirit of the human person, which God created to know goodness, truth and beauty.
Buildings can be important.
A beautiful, well-appointed church does much to assist in lifting one's spirit as well as informing the intellect so that we may more fully know him whom we worship.
However, the most beautiful, well-appointed, historically significant church in the world is but an empty shell without a community of faith, hope and love gathered around the altar upon which the most precious body and blood, soul and divinity of our lord, Jesus Christ comes into our midst.
The fact of the matter is Holy Family Parish has buildings we don't need.
These buildings cost our parish $10,000 per year just for insurance. Do I use this money to sustain an unneeded, empty shell or to evangelize and save souls?
As pastor, in consultation with my parish finance council, I made the decision to give people the chance to obtain these items for which we no longer have any use.
I believe that this was, and is, the right thing to do.
These materials will now be put back into use by people who can cherish and use them. As a parish, we will continue to explore avenues by which we can divest ourselves of these unneeded materials and buildings.
We are anxious to find someone who will maintain Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and put it to some good and appropriate use. It is a significant monument to the faith of Arcadia's founders, and I would like to see that honored.
Doerr's criticism of our parish's actions are as unfounded and ill-informed as his criticism of the church's teaching on the priesthood and immigration, his judgment on the immigration status of the Hispanics and others living in Arcadia, and his ignorance of the fact that La Crosse does not, at this moment, even have a bishop.
The Catholic church, and this parish, exists to help all people come to know and love God and their neighbor so that we might all be together forever in heaven.
Buildings are important in this pursuit, but our spiritual heritage is the faith of those who have come before us. A faith which continues to be lived today in hope and love.
Winona DN
By DON DOERR SR. / Winona | Posted: Thursday, May 27, 2010
I want to publicly thank the Rev. Mike Klos of Arcadia for his (Winona Daily News, May 20) response to my inquiry on May 13 regarding, in part, his plans for the beautiful Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in Arcadia, Wis.
If I understand, Klos correctly, he has no intention of demolishing this beautiful structure, the rectory and the school, and filling the space with tractor-trailers thus obliterating the memories of Arcadia's Catholic heritage.
If this is what Mike is promising, I owe both Mike and the La Crosse Diocese an apology. I sincerely pray that the people of Arcadia will hold Klos and the diocese to this assurance.
Remember, Rev. Klos, no parking lot for tractor-trailers. And no apartment building or community center for illegal aliens. The latter would be a violation of federal law and a threat to America's jobs, resources and future.
We cannot justify illegal immigration simply to fill our pews and our collection baskets. We are a faith, not merely a wing of the Democrat Party or Bush-McCain RINOs (Republicans in name only).
Rev. Klos, you state that the church is its people and not its buildings.
Please explain your view to the former bishop of Winona, who spent $5 million to redecorate our Cathedral, the newest Catholic church building in the city of Winona. We need to get our stories straight.
Father Klos, if the structure does fall prey to the wrecking ball, the new bishop of La Crosse will have to transfer you and bring in a replacement for a thorough whitewash of this Obama-style "change."
In gutting the interior of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, I trust that none of the pews will show up in area saloons.
Winona DN
Or not so much. I've been a wee bit busy lately, hoping to catch up on some things this week.
