Dolores S. Jarrell of Peters takes umbrage with a PG Op/Ed critiquing Pope Benedict's priorities of peace.

Michael Kerlin's "In Search of Peace?" (Dec. 30 Forum) was filled with more than its share of animus. He reported trembling at the "implications" of the pope's peace message, "The Human Family, A Community of Peace"; suggested parallels of genocide and secret informers; and mentioned those hair-raisers: inquisition, torture and paranoia. It sent me scurrying to the text.

Scurrying, huh?  Well, that's an interesting word.

Mr. Kerlin's major discontent, however, has to do with his perception of the pope's "implicit" anti-homosexual agenda. True, Pope Benedict's message does speak of the natural family as a community of love and life -- of the love of a man and woman whose union produces children. Schoolchildren know that conception or fertilization is the result of the union of egg (female) and sperm (male). To call pointing to that reality homophobic defies reason.

The union of male and female, alike but different, points to the creative force, the yin and yang of life. Achieving that integration of differences is at the heart of harmony and peace. Anything that circumvents the ability to learn to integrate those differences undermines the ability to learn to live in peace for the entire community.

It is kind of amusing that she references schoolchildren and sexual education to defend the Pope.  I doubt His Holiness was resting on a fundamental biological arguement; there was plenty of "sacredness of life" infused. 

Here's my question Dolores.  The Catholic Church has had, let's say, 1200 years to integrate the male and female differences and, thus, generate harmony and peace. 

How has that been working out?  I mean this is the City which had to publicly debate how to protect the womenfolk connected with a predominantly Catholic police force, is it not? 

Peace that is achieved without the trials and tribulations of finding that convergence is hardly worthy of the name. At best it is acquiescence; at worst -- apathy.

What the heck does this mean?  I can speak only for myself in saying that stepping away from a life trying to force myself into convergence with men has brought me more peace than anything else in my life. I can also speak only for myself in saying that when I was struggling with poverty and illness, it was pretty clear what would have brought me some peace.