Dear Cardinal Francis George

With sadness and disbelief I read these words from your official statement concerning events during your sermon on Easter Sunday morning last:

"This is a profoundly disturbing action. . . It is a sacrilege that should be condemned by all people of faith and good will."

I have read about the actions of these young people in Church. They did not disturb the celebration of Mass but waited until you rose to speak in order to carry out their die-in. It was the equivalent of what Jesus did in the Temple when he overturned the tables of the money changers - a cry of outrage that a holy place was being desecrated not by money changing this time but by a respectful silence in the face of murder and a fawning acquiescence towards the unrepentant murderer of innocent children.

You live in a rich home and you are surrounded by wealth and the trappings of wealth. You are in a Church where Christ and Caesar go hand in glove. Maybe money changing is not far from the life style that you enjoy. Let me put it this way. If you had been brave enough to speak out against the war, would you still enjoy the temporal power, prestige and privilege that you enjoy today?

To declare the noble and courageous action of these young people who protested against the Iraq war in your church "a sacrilege" is an outrage.

Pope John Paul II condemned the Iraq war as illegal and immoral, Pope Paul VI condemned all war when he pounded the table at the UN and proclaimed "No more war! Never again war! If you wish to be brothers, drop your weapons.”

You however follow in the line, not of these pontiffs but of Cardinal Spellman, who DRESSED IN FULL MILITARY GEAR TO GO TO VIETNAM SAYING THAT WHAT AMERICA WANTED WAS FULL AND FINAL VICTORY - AT THE VERY SAME TIME AS THE POPE WAS DENOUNCING ALL WAR..

You proclaim the Jesus who is locked up in tabernacles of gold. I think you would hardly recognise the Jesus who walked in a Palestine under occupation as today's Palestinians walk in their own country still under occupation. That occupation too is with the active help of the United States whose policies and warmongering you support.

I was once a Catholic priest, ordained only four years before you were ordained. Although I have lost all faith at present, I recognise goodness and truth and honesty and courage where I see it. And I know that these young people are good, true, honest and extremely courageous.

My dear brother Francis, please come off your high horse and recognise the young prophets who stand before your eyes. Be big enough to commend their goodness and courage and to ask forgiveness for your statement about "sacrilege".

It would be so wonderful to read somewhere that you had done this.

Personally, I wish you only all that is good for you and yours

Justin Morahan
Pacifist