Readers write: February 4, 2019 issue
CM, Miriam Toews criticized for exploiting Bolivian rape case Re: “Moderns ghosts of a horse-drawn scandal,” Oct. 8, Oct. 22, Nov. 5, Nov. 26, 2018, issues. I feel that Miriam Toews’s book Women Talking exploits the sad situation in the Manitoba Colony in Bolivia and is obviously written by a person who has never been…
Readers write: January 21, 2019 issue
Editorializing, apology weaken abuse survivor’s statement Re: “Decades-old sexual abuse comes to light,” Sept. 10, 2018, page 13. It seems to me that Canadian Mennonite and Dave Rogalsky (former Eastern Canada correspondent) owe Ruth-Ann Klassen Shantz an apology for the poor handling of her statement. Mixing the abuser’s apology in with the article has done…
Readers write: January 7, 2019 issue
‘There needs to be understanding’ Re: “Worship happened,” Nov. 5, 2018, page 8. Ed Olfert’s column left me in tears. I facilitate many Kairos blanket exercises, where I act out the part of the “grandmother.” Chi miigwech (thank you) for doing this in your church group! It is my hope that more churches will do…
Readers write: December 17, 2018 issue
Kudos for ‘apologetic’ column Re: “‘I’m sorry’: Apologies and abuse” column by Carol Penner, Nov. 5, page 11. Thanks for some very good thoughts about how apologies can make things worse for victims of abuse. I especially like Penner’s fourth point: “We like things clean and tidy.” Perhaps this is because abuse in a church…
Readers write: November 26, 2018 issue
CM photo collection at Mennonite Archives of Ontario website Re: “A united witness,” Oct. 8, page 4. The Canadian Mennonite photograph collection lives on through the Mennonite Archives of Ontario’s ongoing efforts to digitize more than 8,000 photographs. The collection is a treasure trove of Mennonite life in Canada and around the world in…
Readers write: November 5, 2018 issue
Story on Manitoba prison ministry lauded Re: “Paying attention to the invisible,” Sept. 10, page 17. Many thanks for the fine article about our prison ministry program. On Oct. 3, Dorianna Toews, a new member of our team and a member of River East Mennonite Church in Winnipeg, and I led two groups of…
Readers write: October 22, 2018 issue
Differing responses to Steve Heinrichs’s ‘green gospel’ column Re: “Peter’s Letter to Canadian Christians,” Sept. 24, page 7. I don’t object to anyone taking a passionate stance regarding environmental issues, but please don’t misapply Scripture to support those views. Let’s look at the questions columnist Steve Heinrichs poses: “Is there hope? Can God move us…
Readers write: October 8, 2018 issue
A call for more conscientious coverage of abuse disclosures Re: “Decades-old sexual abuse comes to light,” Sept. 10, page 13. It is with concern and disappointment that we write regarding Ruth-Ann Klassen Shantz’s disclosure of abuse perpetrated by Lawrence Pentelow, a man in power at a Mennonite institution. The way we talk about sexualized abuse…
Readers write: September 24, 2018 issue
Supporters of Ruth-Ann Klassen Shantz speak out on her behalf Re: “Decades-old sexual abuse comes to light,” Sept. 10, page 13. We have known Ruth-Ann Klassen Shantz for 20 years as a strong, confident woman, not knowing that underneath she was trapped in the living hell of a traumatized teen. We have supported Ruth-Ann as…
Readers write: September 10, 2018 issue
Carbon tax more effective than pipeline protest in curtailing oil use I have to admit that my initial reaction to the news of the arrest of Steve Heinrichs was negative (“Mennonite arrested at Kinder Morgan pipeline protest,” May 7, pages 18-19). But after reading his “Burnaby Mountain Prayer Witness: Background & FAQ” document (bit.ly/2AYHTGn),…
