Carts for Homeless

Jeff Dietrich’s point that giving shopping carts to street people keeps them visible to a community that would rather ignore them is absurd (Commentary, Aug. 4). Why not use the money spent on shopping carts to build a place in my neighborhood to house our brothers and sisters on the street--53rd Street and Hooper Avenue?

Catholic Worker’s answer to homelessness is as helpful as the new cathedral is to the church in L.A. What is the Catholic Church about these days? We have virtual armies of homeless people who roam the streets lifting whatever is not cemented down--chains don’t work anymore! And their shopping carts are their instruments of choice to carry stolen goods away.

Dietrich, spend the money here in the ‘hood and together we can bring dignity and proper visibility to our brothers and sisters on the streets. Where is Catholic Worker in South-Central L.A. anyway?

THE REV. WIL TYRRELL, S.A.

Assistant Pastor

St. Odilia’s Church and School

Los Angeles