Church had duty to discipline Majerus

Adam Rittenberg's article ("Church Can't Deny Majerus…") shows a lack of understanding of the issues regarding Coach Rick Majerus' public statements supporting abortion and embryonic stem cell research.

Mr. Rittenberg tries to position the issue as a matter of free speech when in fact this is not the case.

As the document "On Catholic Universities" issued by Pope John Paul II states, every Catholic university must have "fidelity to the Christian message as it comes to us through the church."

While no one denies Coach Majerus' right to say what he wants, words have consequences.

Coach Majerus is a high-profile figure at a major Catholic university, and he made public statements contrary to key Catholic teachings regarding the sanctity of human life from conception until natural death.

Bishop Raymond Burke has a grave responsibility to teach, sanctify and govern the faithful in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

When a high-profile Catholic figure publicly denounces Church teachings, the Bishop has no other choice but to discipline the individual for his own spiritual good.

While this was probably not Mr. Rittenberg's intention, his column is a typical form of anti-Catholic bigotry. What Mr. Rittenberg seems to be saying is that the church should keep her mouth shut and bow down to the opinions of secular society.

The Catholic church will never do so, and thank goodness for spiritual leaders like Pope Benedict XVI and Bishop Raymond Burke who take their responsibility to teach the Catholic faith seriously.

Peter Nordlund

Barrington