I appreciated the generous piece about a conservative Mennonite congregation purchasing a former Catholic church in Baltimore (“It’s Fancy, but It’s Home,” June). Given the often polarized nature of both church and media worlds, it struck me as important that AW gave respectful attention to a conservative Anabaptist community whose theological and cultural instincts differ from much of the publication’s broader orientation. The story itself stayed with me: Five centuries after the Reformation, Mennonite a cappella harmony will soon echo beneath the vaulted ceilings of a former Catholic sanctuary — with the bell, stained glass and even the silent pipe organ remaining in place. I found myself reflecting on what happens when one Christian tradition begins singing inside the architecture of another (see nateshowalter.substack.com).

Nate Showalter, Los Angeles

Pastor Nathan Zook of Hampden Men­no­nite Church says “Anabaptists are promoted from [historical] heretics to ‘profane,’ ”
referring to the Catholic Archdiocese de­sanctifying the building for “profane but not sordid use.” [Zook didn’t take offense at the wording. — Editor] As Christians of all denominations reach out for better understanding, let’s explore the meaning behind the phrase. (I’m a lifetime Roman Catholic and widow of a lifetime Anabaptist Mennonite.) “Profane but not sordid” comes from the Roman Catholic Code of Canon Law. In this context, “profane” does not mean offensive or blasphemous but refers to things outside a sacred Catholic context (from the Latin profanum, literally “outside the temple”). “Sordid” means the building can never be used for anything immoral, scandalous or offensive to Catholic faith and morals. The sale of the buildings, with blessings that a religious body will continue the work of Christ, sets an example of embracing our differences in love, honor and respect.

Janice Horner-Eicher, Albany, Ore.