From Patrick J. Sheahan.

After reading Fr. Alphonse de Valk's article in your magazine concerning the Catholic New Times newspaper, I saw a story in the local papers that Bishop Richard W. Smith of Pembroke has banned the distribution of CNT in his diocese.

I have no intention of defending CNT. I thought Fr. de Valk's article was reasonably fair and balanced. CNT has certainly been a constructive and intelligent voice of Catholic people in the past. However the newspaper seems to have lost its way and maybe even gotten a little wacky lately.

Banning the newspaper is misguided though. Silencing the editors and writers is not the answer. CNT needs to hear from Bishop Smith and people like Fr. de Valk to help it get back on course. As much as I loved and admired the work of Pope John Paul II, I can't help but feel that he would applaud Bishop Smith's actions. Pope John Paul ruled the Church with an iron fist and would not tolerate dissent or disobedience. He went so far as to declare that the possibility of women being ordained was no longer open for discussion.

Yet when we think of Pope John Paul II's work in his beloved Poland he was the ultimate dissident. He defied the communist leaders and would not be silenced until his people were liberated from communist rule.

Often I have read in your publication that when Rome speaks, when the Magisterium makes a decision affecting Catholic people, then its followers must be obedient and there is no room for dissent. But surely our history has taught us otherwise. How often in the past has the Church tried to silence dissent, to condemn the disobedient and even threaten excommunication? Many of these dissidents became the Church's greatest saints.

Teresa of Avila wasn't too popular with the Church in her early years, but eventually wisdom prevailed and she was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1970. The Church sought to silence Galileo but we know how misguided that decision was for the Church and the world.

In Christ we have an example of one who dared to disobey, who challenged the religious and political leaders of his day. Didn't Christ break the rules concerning a woman's role in Jewish society?

We were created by God to use our intellect, to probe, to question, to challenge our politicians and our leaders in Rome. Silence is the enemy. Dissent is not to be feared. If the people in Boston had been silent and simply accepted the leadership of Cardinal Law and his administration, the abusive priests under his control would still be active and violating our young people.

Nothing is achieved by silencing people. Dialogue must continue. Even a great pope like John Paul can't silence the Catholic people. Silencing theologians, women, priests and anyone else who dared to oppose his teachings won't make issues go away. A pope is chosen to lead and serve the faithful along with the disobedient.

The new pope will still have to face issues like women priests, married priests, same-sex marriage, birth control and the lack of vocations. These issues need open and loving discussion among all of God's people, not just among the Magisterium.

Hamilton, ON