Letters: Sep. 10, 2001

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Sister Joan is just another horn blower with a bunch of blind mice following her. JOSEPH A. TOFFANELLO Tinley Park, Ill.

In your article "A Nun's Dangerous Talk," I was expecting to see a reference to a book by Miriam Therese Winter, Out of the Depths: The Story of Ludmila Javorova, Ordained Roman Catholic Priest. According to the book, during the cold war women were validly ordained as Catholic priests behind the Iron Curtain. The Vatican may ban the discussion of whether there should be female priests; it cannot deny the precedent. ALEXANDER CUDZEWICZ Scottsdale, Ariz.

Sister Joan and her community may disregard their vows by defying church authority and church teaching, but rebellious groups like theirs are slowly dying. Most of their members are at or near retirement age, and their orders are simply not attracting new members. In contrast, those orders loyal to the church's teachings are growing. What's more, the newer Catholic religious orders, both female and male, are invariably orthodox, faithful to the church and thriving. Also, those Catholic dioceses loyal to the church are attracting seminarians. RON BRUNOEHLER Mendota, Ill.

On a recent visit to Montana, I found that there were three Catholic churches about a 20-minute drive from where I was staying, but the nearest church with a priest and Sunday Mass was an hour away. Jesus' command is "Do this in memory of me." Instead of trying to silence discussion of the ordination of women, church leadership should be discussing ways to provide the Eucharist in all Catholic churches every Sunday. If there are not enough celibate male clergy, then the ordination of women and married people should be discussed. I offer my prayers to Sister Joan and all who will not be silenced until the command of Jesus is realized. JOE GUYON Rock Hill, S.C.

The Continent Lights Up

America's "War On Drugs" has cost untold billions, made a mockery of the Bill of Rights and been a total failure. Congratulations to those European governments that have dropped this bankrupt policy [WORLD, Aug. 20]. The only ones who ever benefited were the police, the prison industry and drug dealers. RICHARD WEIL St. Paul, Minn.

The U.S. ought to take a page from the book of countries like Belgium, the Netherlands and Portugal (and a puff or two wouldn't hurt either) and decriminalize marijuana. Our local, state and federal authorities need to focus more time and money on the real criminals, not on busting a guy for possessing a tiny amount of "happy smoke." TODD SHIKORA Pittsburgh, Pa.

Your article about Europeans' legalizing or decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana does a terrible injustice to the thousands of American parents who are waging a small war with their children about drug use and abuse. Marijuana is a gateway drug that leads to the abuse of other drugs. I should know, since all four of my children started using marijuana and have progressed over the years to more powerful drugs. NAME WITHHELD ON REQUEST Volant, Pa.