Letter-writers defend Fighting Father Malloy

If you want to see three GREAT Catholic letters to the editor, see today's (July 21) San Francisco Chronicle (click on this post's title).

In one letter, Gibbons J. Cooney of San Francisco, who drops in here to comment sometimes, defends Father John Malloy, S.D.B., from previous letter-writers who attacked him.

Mr. Cooney writes: "Father John is hated (and loved) because he is a Catholic priest who teaches Catholic doctrine -- one of which is the sinfulness of homosexual behavior."

In the next letter, Dolores Meehan of San Francisco, who with Eva Muntean co-founded the pro-life West Coast Walk for Life, writes:

"Indeed, this is why I look to Father John Malloy and priests like him who have the courage to risk our anger and disfavor by not only calling us to righteousness, but committing their life and ministry to helping us find the way.

"A good surgeon does not hesitate to cut away cancerous growth; a good priest does not hesitate to cut away our sin. If only we had more priests like Father Malloy."

And then Father Malloy himself writes in to say this:

"I was only expounding the Catholic teaching in reference to sexual actions. Many people, also of the Catholic faith, seem unclear about Christ's teaching in this regard.

"We believe that Scripture and the teaching of the official Catholic Church, i.e., the pope with his bishops, gives us clarity in matters of moral principles. Christ loved sinners. He did not tolerate sin."

As I said -- three GREAT letters.