Genisio on Angels

A Good Letter to the Editor:

Angel statue should be built on private land

My name is James Angel Genisio. Yes, Angel is my middle name. Angel was my grandfather's first name.

The School Sisters of Notre Dame taught me in grade school that I had a guardian angel.

In the seminary I spent much time trying to comprehend St. Thomas Aquinas, now as the Angelic Doctor because of his teachings of angels.

Here in Oshkosh, the largest Catholic parish is called St. Raphael. The arch-angel.

My Webster's Collegiate Dictionary gives this first definition of angel, "In theology, a supernatural, celestial being superior to man in power and intelligence."

I am also an Italian Catholic. Perhaps my ancestors were converted to Christianity by St. Peter. I believe in life after death. I am now of an age that I know more dead people than live people and know that each day could be the day that I meet my mom and dad again. This is my religious belief.

Parents who have children die suffer tremendous sorrow and grief. They deserve our sympathy and support. It is difficult, however, to say that angels and Christmas are not religious and spiritual ideas, beliefs and themes.

Religious beliefs are part of my essential being and many United States citizens'. But they are not for every citizen of the United States. As citizens we are equal.

It would seem best to me to build religious theme statues on private rather than public land.

James Genesio Oshkosh