Diocese changes due to attendance

This is in reply to Bishop Kmiec's recent decision to close many Catholic churches and diocesan schools throughout the Diocese of Buffalo.

The bishop claims that shifting populations to the suburbs is responsible for his decision. I believe the real reason for this tragic situation is the dramatic decline in Mass attendance and priestly vocations since Vatican II over 40 years ago.

All the leading Catholic indicators have sharply dropped since the council. For example, "In 1965 there were 58,000 priests in the United States; in 2002 there were 45,000, of whom 16 percent came from other countries. In 1965 there were 1,575 ordinations to the priesthood; in 2002 there were 450. In 1965 there were 49,000 seminarians; in 2002 there were 4,700 ... in 1965 there were 1,556 Catholic high schools; in 2002 there were 786. In 1965 there were 10,503 Catholic grade schools; in 2002 there were 6,623. In 1958 weekly Mass attendance was 74 percent; in 2000 it was 25 percent."

Even Pope Paul VI and Cardinal Ratzinger, in "The Ratzinger Report," admitted that the fruits of Vatican II were very disappointing.

Additionally, the Vatican II is a pastoral council and not a doctrinal one, according to Pope Paul VI. The secretary to the council, Cardinal Felici, stated, " ... As for the declarations (of Vatican II) which have a novel character, we have to make reservations." In other words, Catholics can withhold assent and obedience to these teachings of Vatican II. Therefore, I call upon all Catholics to resist this evil council and cling to 2,000 years of Catholic tradition.

Richard Blatner

Old Maryvale Drive

Cheektowaga

 

Union negotiations took a wrong turn

It appears that the likes of Chris O'Neil will never be satisfied. His demands that the union should share in the negotiated savings is preposterous. Any savings should be shared by all of the taxpayers, not just those that belong to the union.

Roger W. LeGoff

Hunters Lane

Williamsville