Covenant Controversy

Kathleen Hendrix’s article, “The Cleric of Covenant House” (April 10), made me wonder who really has the ego problem--Father Bruce Ritter or his competition?

If the main objective of these shelters is indeed to help get kids off the streets, then I cannot understand why opening a Covenant House in Los Angeles is being so strongly opposed. I can only conclude that the existing shelters do not want the competition. They do not want to recognize any program that follows a different structure than their own.

Father Ritter is criticized for not being a trained social worker. It appears to me Father Ritter has proven his abilities by dealing with situations face to face. He deals in realities. You do not have to be trained through the system (or “follow standard procedures” as your article put it) to understand children or their emotions. Compassion is what gives you that understanding.

The number of homeless children here is already so great, that anyone with any common sense knows the only way to prevent this number from increasing is to do something about it. Limiting the size of new facilities, or their placement, hardly seems the logical answer.

DEBBIE VINSON

La Crescenta