Interfaith marriages can be harbingers of peace.

I AM IMPRESSED AND INSPIRED by Marianne Comfort's well-written article, "Two faiths are better than none," in the January issue.

From intriguing headline and opening paragraph to final sidebar, it is compellingly written and designed, flowing swiftly while providing many details.

In one sense, we've been through this before. As a Depression baby growing up in a city with clearly divided ethnic groups, I remember when "interfaith" meant that Irish Catholics were not supposed to marry Polish or Italian Catholics. When people married outside their ethnic group, they were ostracized. Couples who married across faiths suffered family as well as religious estrangement, even to being disowned by parents.

The pain of alienation may have been even more excruciating years ago because of institutional disapproval, familial constraints, and the absence of any support systems. Remember the television program Abbie's Irish Rose? We got through differences, somehow learning tolerance, if not approval.

To learn that interfaith marriages are increasingly becoming faith-sharing is exciting and fills me with hope that my generation's experiences are being replaced by new visions.

Beyond personal benefits within their families, husbands and wives who are deeply committed to their different beliefs and who struggle for unity in diversity may be forging the way to unity and peace in our world so torn by interreligious conflicts.

Unfortunately, two faiths are divisive for many people, as for warring religious groups around the world. More articles like Comfort's are needed to inform us of the problems of intimately retaining strong convictions and to challenge us to expand our faith sharing.

Sister Anne Paye, R.S.M. Edwardsville, Pa.

Peepless in Naples

Regarding The Examined Life, "Enough of this Peeping Tomfoolery," by Robert E. Burns in the January issue: I realize his comment is on the tabloidism of the so-called mainstream media. My comment is about Burns' comments on "the Starr `Pornography' Report."

Starr's "Pornography" Report came nine months after our illustrious chief executive, President Clinton, exposed the world to his disrespect for his family and the American people when he used our White House as the scene of his adulterous, pornographic behavior; told a bold-faced lie to his wife, daughter, and the American people as he wagged his finger at us; obstructed and stonewalled the independent counsel's attempt at justice; and spent $33.5 million of taxpayers' money while doing so.

I don't want to know what goes on in other bedrooms--it's none of my business! But President Clinton didn't hold his trysts in private. Instead, he practically shoved his indiscretions in our faces. I feel ashamed and disgusted with his wretched behavior. He abused the power of the presidency and disgraced the solemnity of the Oval Office. President Clinton should get the punishment he rightly deserves.

Debbie Weber Naples, Italy

Called to witness

Thank for you including "The Creed: Do you believe what you just said?" by R. Scott Appleby in the December issue.

The article was well-written, clear, interesting, and challenging. It is one of the best explanations I have seen to help a general reading/believing community know why and how we ought to "profess our faith" as a means to witness to what we are called to believe, as well as a sacramental means of deepening our faith.

Sister Agnes Cunningham, S.S.C.M. Batavia, Ill.

Your December issue sent me rummaging for my treasured copy of the September 1983 U.S. CATHOLIC and Father John Shea's article, "The Creed: an owner's manual to the Catholic Church." I think you did not improve on your past with R. Scott Appleby's present offering.

Most of us "in the pews" thirst for poetry, not pedantry! I fear that even the Lord would squirm at the over-intellectualizing of the truth he came to tell.

Lyn Baumstark Glastonbury, Conn.

Tolerance is a virtue

The short story by Marianne Mahoney Armshaw, "Concerning Taste," in the December issue, is wonderful. She's an excellent writer who seems to have a good memory of what it was like to grow up Catholic in the Vatican II era as well as a good sense of humor about certain differences in practice.

What her well-written story suggests is that many of us from different generations and backgrounds in the church could get along better if we saw our differences simply as matters of varying taste, rather than practices that others ignore only if they are not really Catholic. Her style also suggests that many of us could benefit from a more liberal use of tolerance and sense of humor.

Darlene Lister Lancaster, Calif.

Thanks for the invite

We were so pleased to read Nancy Kelley's delightful article, "How sweet the sound," in the November issue, because it describes our experience.

Some years ago when I was in a group-work job, I wanted to add "song leader" to my job description. I took music lessons from a sweet white-haired lady who told me after the fifth lesson that she hated to take my money. That experience made me reluctant to volunteer for a choir.

But when Nancy recruits, it's hard to resist. She assured me and my husband that they were not seeking musical perfection, just willing singers. After the first two funerals, we felt very good about being there to celebrate the life of the departing parishioner and to support the grieving family. An added benefit is the fellowship that grows out of our group experience.

We have found our niche in an unsuspected ministry. Without her invitation and encouragement we would never have realized any choir had a place for us.

Jean Mahoney Columbus, Ohio 

Lost in the translation

I read with interest the article "Let's not say adios to bilingual education," by Lourdes Rovira in the November issue. In defense of the voters' decision against bilingual education here in California, I think that the situation here is not like what many of your respondents consider as bilingual education.

Let me illustrate. An Oakland resident recently sued the board of education regarding this matter because his child, in the first grade, was being taught in Chinese, rather than English, because he happened to live in a school district that had a large population of people of Chinese origin.

The father knew that his son would need to be literate in English to get a job, a driver's license, or to vote--proficiencies children must achieve in this society but were not getting because of "bilingual education," at least as implemented here in California. By the way, the father was of African ancestry.

I think that we all would be in favor of programs that develop multiple-language proficiencies, but first our schools must teach English proficiency so that our children will have a chance at success in our society. That is what the vote here in California was all about.

Robert H. Irwin Berkeley, Calif.

Wealth untapped

I really enjoyed Patricia Robertson's article, "Through a glass, darkly," in the November issue. She is a very talented writer, and this article has something in it for everyone. My biggest regret, being a member of Pat's parish, is that she is not allowed to do the homilies at our church. I think our bishop is missing something there!

Jean Shepherd Hanover, Mich.

Faith on the Internet

In the article "Catholic.com: Surfing for salvation" in the October issue, Patrick McCormick oversimplifies the whole phenomenon of the church in cyberspace by reducing the topic to a comparison, cyberspace vs. in-person Mass participation, concluding, "Real presence beats virtual reality any day." Of course it does.

But McCormick missed a wonderful opportunity to tell us about the helpfulness of numerous specific sites online in providing general information helpful to both inactive Catholics in returning to the church and in answering questions that just about every Catholic might have about aspects of their faith.

There are highly reliable sites online for finding the answer to any question you may have about Catholic doctrine, practice, or belief. I personally believe that correctly informing Catholics about the helpful web sites, a medium that very likely is to become a major source for church evangelism and a major outreach to inactive Catholics by the year 2000, would prove more useful to the readers of U.S. CATHOLIC.

E. D. Lister Quartz Hill, Calif.

Please address letters for publication to You May Be Right, 205 W. Monroe St., Chicago, IL 60606. Or fax your comments to 312-236-8207. You can also e-mail us at editors@ uscatholic.org. We will withhold names upon request, but all letters must be signed. We regret that space limitations force us to condense letters and prevent us from publishing letters commenting on already published letters. --The Editors