Gracious, helpful hosts a Wing Ding highlight

I had never had the chance to visit Fort Wayne before my visit to the Wing Ding. I now understand why they keep coming back.

The people of the city were, hands down, some of the friendliest and helpful people in the world – from the hotels and restaurants to movie theaters and gas stations. I felt welcomed and appreciated for the visit.

People stopped and talked, thanked you for being there and even apologized for the silly weather (Lord love ’em). It made the trip, the weather and money I spent so well worth it all.

Thank you so much for a wonderful Wing Ding.

JOANN ROTH Louisville, Ky.

Outdated theology drives mandate foes

When the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops decided to reject the Department of Health and Human Services’ mandate compromise to have insurance companies pay for the free contraceptives and sterilizations for all women under the health insurance policies of Catholic hospitals, universities and social agencies, they bypassed the new straightforwardness of the 1965 Constitution on Religious Freedom to return to the old “double standard” of the 500 years of the Inquisition and the 300 years of the Holy Office theology.

This old traditional theology did not accept that the right of private conscience dwelt in all human beings due to their human dignity, as the 1965 Constitution does. Are the bishops using this old theology to deny non-Catholics’ their right of conscience?

Since Catholics are a minority of Americans, the bishops call for freedom from the HHS mandate under the First Amendment. But when they are the majority of employees at Catholic hospitals, universities and social agencies, the bishops claim privilege for the latter institutions by being relieved of the effects of the HHS mandate and practice intolerance against non-Catholic women employees (other Christians, other faiths and non-believers) by denying them their right of private conscience to receive free contraceptives and sterilization surgeries under the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

The bishops’ militant Fortnight for Freedom was a misguided and arrogant attempt to bludgeon our government into submitting to their interpretation of the right of private conscience of Catholics and to discriminating against the private consciences of non-Catholic women employees in Catholic institutions.

This campaign is based on an outdated theology that was changed and developed into the new theology of the 1965 Constitution on Religious Freedom.

REV. EDWARD J. RUETZ Retired priest Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend

Health care repeal’s implications chilling

If the Supreme Court did not uphold the tax on the Affordable Care Act, then the next step Congress could have taken is to do away with Social Security and Medicare.

Something to think about, isn’t it?

PHILLIP DIRIG Orland