The staff editorial ‘Pope’s gift to earthquake survivors insufficient at best’ (Opinion, April 13) was petty and sloppy and warrants a retraction, or at least a clarification.
There isn’t a whole lot that the Holy See, with a budget half the size of the University of Houston’s, could give to the earthquake survivors that the Italian government and non-profit organizations are not already providing.
Nonetheless, a few minutes of doing research on Google turned up a few items worth noting. The Vatican dispatched a team of firemen to the region. Plans were announced for the Pope to visit the devastated areas after Easter. The Pope offered prayers and encouragement for earthquake victims at the Way of the Cross in his Easter message. The Church’s humanitarian relief organization had already sent money, supplies and personnel. ‘
All of these gestures are more significant and meaningful than the wine The Daily Cougar editorial board suggested the Pope send to earthquake victims. These gestures are at least as helpful as the $50,000 initially pledged from the U.S. government by President Obama.
The editorial board also seemed to forget about the hundreds of thousands of Christians living in the Middle East – should not the Pope use his moral authority to aid this embattled minority?
– Rolando Garcia, College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics writer
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