Lopez Mocks Church’s Teaching on Divorce

I was disappointed by Steve Lopez’s “One Way to Get Closer to Heaven: Helicopters” (July 18), on Catholic divorces and annulments. I do not begrudge his mention of the cathedral controversy, or his comment that the standards of annulment are not fairly applied, or even his jibes at Cardinal Roger Mahony. I object, however, to his derision about the Catholic Church’s position toward divorce.

Calling the teaching “narrow-minded,” he mocks it by referring to spontaneous combustion as a possible form of divine punishment. The mission of Jesus is more than feeding the poor: It is a call to justice and commitment to our obligations. The Gospels are surprisingly clear on divorce and, short of rejecting the teachings of Christ, I do not see how the church can consider Lopez’s “open-minded” approach to that issue.

Brian King

Hacienda Heights

Lopez writes frivolously about the problem of Catholics who have subsequent marriages outside of their faith. Who knows what their state of anguish is or where the fault lies in each case? Not even Lopez’s monk. But to imply that annulments are related to some sort of payoff is grossly misleading.

Some members of the Catholic hierarchy in their human weakness and lack of honesty could have countenanced some undue favoritism. Many others have remained faithful to the duties they discharge. Irrespective of each marriage written about, the institution and/or sacrament of marriage should not be considered lightly by journalists, the hierarchy or those who enter into it.

Nod Mulville

Pacific Palisades