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Holy water? I hardly see anyone using it to make the sign of the cross going in and out of church. Just like no one genuflects before getting into the pew... but then, what is one genuflecting to? The tabernacle isn't on the main altar anymore.

Sorry, skipped the High Mass at Holy Trinity today for my local parish NO. Big mistake. Got a sermon on how we should expect married priests because there are no vocations. No mention on how orthodox dioceses have more vocations than beds, no mention on how most of us have two kids due to contraception and no mention of how one would be guided to a vocation when nothing presented is holy or inspiring in the least. And, most of all, this priest never spoke about his own fulfulling vocation. And all I was hoping was that he'd take the "our bodies are temples" part of the readings and elaborate on it in a Catholic way. I should have known better. Please pray for him. I am so angry and hurt it's going to be hard for me to continue to do it.

"When I saw the Church of St. Peter in ruins, and the manner in which so many of the clergy were themselves busy at this work of destruction -- none of them wishing to do it openly in front of the others -- I was in such distress that I cried out to Jesus with all my might, imploring His mercy."

I just read this in First Things in defence of Law. Do you know anything about this case?

Catholic Scandals (Cont.) I object to Richard John Neuhaus’ characterization of Bernard Cardinal Law in “Scandal Time Continued” (Public Square, June/July) as “more part of the problem than of the solution.” This is a very inaccurate statement that reflects the secular media’s position rather than objective reality. The main question concerning both critics and supporters of Cardinal Law is whether he is capable of leading the Archdiocese of Boston through this current crisis. The Cardinal was open to submitting his resignation in mid-April, but Pope John Paul II refused it and urged the Cardinal to clean up the mess. I suspect that the Pope’s judgment is far more trustworthy than that of the press.

One case in particular that has not been reported is the 1993 case in Woburn, Massachusetts, in which the pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church caught the parochial vicar in the act of raping a twelve-year-old boy. The pastor immediately reported the incident to Cardinal Law, who advised the pastor to report it immediately to the police. The pastor did so and of course it was covered by the press. Everything was done in exactly the manner in which the press is now calling on the Church to handle these cases. Unfortunately, the end result wasn’t as neat as many would like. The parochial vicar was very popular in the parish, and the parents of the twelve-year-old refused to let the boy testify. The parochial vicar was acquitted in the criminal case, and the pastor became so unpopular in the parish that it was necessary to transfer him. The Cardinal, however, eventually laicized the parochial vicar, despite the acquittal in court. That doesn’t sound like the action of a man who is callously indifferent to the suffering of his flock.

I truly believe that Cardinal Law is very serious about addressing this issue as a real problem and not just as a public relations fiasco. I believe that the Cardinal will be successful in leading us out of this mess, and that when it is all over the Church will be much stronger for it.

Daniel R. Guilderson Winchester, Massachusetts

Regarding that priest, he obviously is suffering from a crisis of morale, like a soldier who no longer has faith in his cause. He should not be preaching. How old is he, by the way?

I saw a secret sect relentlessly undermining the great Church. Near them I saw a horrible beast coming up from the sea. All over the world, good and devout people, especially the clergy, were harassed, oppressed, and put into prison. When the Church had been for the most part destroyed and when only the sanctuary and altar were still standing, I saw the wreckers enter the Church with the Beast. There, they met a Woman of noble carriage who seemed to be with Child because she walked slowly.

"At this sight, the enemies were terrorized."

After great tribulation, the nun saw the Church "promptly rebuilt," with the Blessed Mother "more magnificent than ever."

Take heart, Colleen. They might try, but the church won't be destroyed. The Blessed Mother will help us.

If I haven't given up in other intentions, you can't give up either.

Holy water? I hardly see anyone using it to make the sign of the cross going in and out of church. Just like no one genuflects before getting into the pew.

I am lucky enough to belong to a parish where most all the people Bless themselves with Holy water going in and out, genuflect for the most part crossing in front of the alter and getting into and out of the pews. It did take a while for us to find this however. We allso have a statue of the Blessed Mother holding the Child. On Sunday at least to 10 to 15 people light the candles next to her....