LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

CONSTITUTION OPTIONAL NOW?

Dear Editor

May I address this letter to my elected representatives?

Dear Josh Hawley, Eric Schmidt, and Jason Smith,

Did you hear the President of the United States say that he did not KNOW if he needed to follow the Constitution? He took an oath TWICE to preserve, protect, and defend it.

If he is telling the truth, he needs to be impeached, convicted, and removed from office for not understanding the duties of the presidency.

If he is lying, he needs to be impeached, convicted, and removed for violating his oath to the country.

Do your job!

Ronda Rowland | Perryville __________________________________________________________

FAILURE OF DISCIPLESHIP

Dear Editor

With the passing of a truly saintly leader of the faith, Pope Francis; as a devout Catholic convert approaching a quarter century and gazing in dismay at the arguably 35- to 50-year “trend” of souls falling away from the Catholic faith, I find myself looking at one “simple” step Catholic leadership can take to address this documented failure of discipleship.

How about just listening to and following Jesus’s teachings in a wonderful progression toward sainthood and salvation?

1. At the parish leadership level, recognize that all of us are poor, weak, fallible human beings, so, allow those presiding at the parish level to thoroughly interact within their communities, exposed to the temptations of human life, i.e., fully participating in community and familial/married life, regardless of their sex/gender.
2.  Then, as they “progress” in their level of responsibility and commitment within the faith through Bishop and Arch-Bishophood toward the status of Cardinal, they require a greater and yet greater embrace of Jesus’s core values: a. Celibacy; b. Humbleness; c. Frugality and d. Piety.

 How could those saintly attributes be expressed?

1. Divesting themselves of all earthly materials: dwellings, vehicles, bank accounts, clothing, etc.
2.  Refusing to allow others to “gift” them dwellings, vehicles, clothing, or other earthly accoutrements to “celebrate” their position or notoriety.
3.  Increasingly focusing the entirety of their existence on systemically recognizing and uplifting the lives of their fellow children of God, and particularly the poorest and most destitute of their brethren.

Specifically?

1. Simple, humble garments.
2. Traveling in the simplest manner possible.
3. Prioritizing visitations with the poor and needy over the famous and powerful.
4. And most centrally, fully devoting every minute of their lives toward ensuring the husbanding of God’s creation: human equality, the protection of the environment, and the fervent insistence on understanding, comity, and friendship between all human beings.

As human beings and Catholics, our potential to impact this so fraught planet we share is enormous. Let us, through our Cardinals, embrace a pope and a hierarchy of leadership that embraces and exults God and love.

Jim Martin | Perryville

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The Republic-Monitor | www.republicmonitor.com Thursday, | 7A May 8, 2025 OPINION CONTACT US KEVIN JENKINS Editor 573-547-4567 EXT: 228 editor@perryvillenews.com