Mr. John G. Craig Jr., Editor
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
34 Boulevard of the Allies
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Dear Mr. Craig:

I must write in praise of Marylynn Uricchio's review "'Priest' powerful drama despite one-sided view" (Weekend, May 12, 1995, p. 5). This column evinces a command of the language so far exceeding mine, I am somewhat reluctant to remark upon it lest my own fumbling, stumbling words pale in comparison.

Ms. Uricchio relates how the movie's "young and very dedicated priest" stands "sharply in contrast to the mellowed pastor." The younger is an activist; the elder, "inclined to be a comfortable part of the community."

Marvelous! She can say all this without once using the word stereotype. I confess. I could not have done so.

She then describes the torment the younger priest must endure, knowing that a child of the parish is being molested. "Torn between the sanctity of the confessional and his desire to help the child, [his] hands are tied."

Wonderful! She can describe this situation without once using the word contrived. I confess. I could not have done so.

Moreover, Ms. Uricchio throughout describes a movie that denigrates the teachings and practices of a major world religion without once using the word bigotry. I confess again. I could not have done so.

It goes almost without saying, however, that Ms. Uricchio's most remarkable feat is her utter restraint. She witnessed a deliberate act of sustained bigotry--the bigotry came right up and slapped her in the face, slapped her silly, slapped her senseless--and she recovered so thoroughly, the reader cannot detect that she even noticed the attack.

Amazing! Such heroism--or is it immunity? or is it sympathy?--must be acknowledged. This column, too, I will nominate for inclusion in next year's release of the Catholic League's Report on Anti-Catholicism, on anti-Catholic bigotry in the media.

Sincerely,

Lane Core Jr.