Churches help more than writer realizes

In response to Lisa Rehling's letter on Saturday, Dec. 6, I'd like to make a few comments.

She accuses the Catholic and Mormon churches of their lack of priorities in funding homophobic initiatives. She feels they shouldn't enjoy tax-exempt status. She accuses them of squandering millions in order to effect certain political and legal outcomes.

We don't consider homosexual marriage as a political issue. It has and always will be a moral issue. And it is our responsibility to do whatever is needed to let people know what the moral teaching of the church is.

She also states we would rather spend money on this than feed, clothe and house the population of women and children who live in poverty. She must not be aware of all of the charities the church gives to.

We do not just talk the talk, we walk the walk.

You have no idea how many poor churches we support, those who don't have the good fortune to have it as good as some of us do. At St. James, every year for the past twenty or so years, we supply approximately 800 boxes of food for the Mercy Home Area Poor. We provided hundreds of pairs of children's shoes to the poor in Mexico. We have the St. Vincent DePaul Society that supplies food for the food pantries in the suburbs. Each night from October through April, a parish houses the homeless, supplying them with a hot supper, breakfast & lunch. We also provide clothing. We give to the women's centers to provide health care, clothing and support for expectant mothers before and after birth.

We have a sharing parish. We don't ask if they are homosexual, atheists, etc.

And we are not the only church that does this.

Getting back the original comment Lisa makes about the church being homophobic, we need not be bitter. We just disagree.

Kathleen Muhr

Arlington Heights