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To honor Pope Francis,
pick up mantle of peace

Re: “First Latin American pontiff dies of stroke” (Page A1, April 22).

Pope Francis’ passing is heartbreaking, especially for those of us who admired his courage to stand with Gaza. As a Muslim woman, I respected his deep commitment to interfaith dialogue — but even more, his refusal to stay silent on the suffering of Palestinians.

He condemned Israel’s bombing of civilians, called for a real ceasefire and personally reached out to Christian families in Gaza every night.

This is not just a moral legacy — it’s a call to action. If we want to honor him, we must demand a full ceasefire, an end to the occupation and dignity for every Palestinian.

Sameena Usman
Santa Clara

Pope’s legacy is sanctity,
not liberal politics

Re: “First Latin American pontiff dies of stroke” (Page A1, April 22).

Though not Catholic, I am saddened by the death of Pope Francis. He was a voice of faith, with humility and compassion, and a beacon of hope to the world’s poor.

In his economic and political philosophy, the account of his career is a statement of the failure of good intentions. He wanted “a poor Church that is for the poor.” However, economic justice is better served by a rich society than a poor one. Emphasis of charity over growth as anti-capitalism reveals the limits of substituting compassion for economic reasoning. Good intentions don’t justify bad results. “Money must serve, not rule,” he said in urging political reforms. It didn’t work. His statement that “anyone building a wall to keep migrants out is not Christian” is absolutely correct. It’s an economic necessity, not a religious principle.

Francis was a true emulation of St. Francis. His legacy is sanctity, not political economics.

Fred Gutmann
Cupertino

Vance has forsaken
his faith for power

Re: “Vance, whose views have clashed with the pope’s, spends Holy Week in Rome” (Page A6, April 20).

In this article, converted Catholic J.D. Vance lectures the Vatican on Christian doctrine and charity.

Vance’s skewed interpretation of “ordo amores” (order of love) is his rationale for mass deportations of immigrants, as though his love for his family prevents him from compassion for other human beings.

I’m glad the pope clarified the true meaning of the Catholic theology in his anti-Trump letter in February, but Vance isn’t going to prioritize his religious beliefs over his political ones; he’ll simply rationalize his thinking.

Thomas Rudolph
Brisbane

Easter message built
on shameful legacy

Who could read Donald Trump’s Easter message and not think he’s totally undone?

Honestly, impeachment proceedings must begin sooner rather than later. We cannot withstand four years of this vitriol, vengeance and pettiness. It’s beyond politics; we’re talking about the health and welfare of the nation, if not the world.

If the Republicans continue to sit on their hands to protect themselves instead of this country, we’re doomed. I fear we cannot wait for the midterm elections to right the ship; Congress and the Supreme Court must act now to rein in this runaway train. Trump is textbook: power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Claudia Parker
San Jose

Weakening CEQA is
wrong path to housing

Re: “Bills are taking aim at land use” (Page A1, April 20).

Legislators in Sacramento are trying to use the housing shortage as an excuse for weakening the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). A proposed bill, SB 607, would roll back environmental review requirements for nearly all building projects, including freeways, airports, dams, railyards, shopping centers, sports complexes, power plants, prisons and mining operations.

The bill’s supporters claim SB 607 will make it easier to review “infill housing,” which means building homes in already developed areas. But infill housing in cities already gets special treatment under CEQA and doesn’t have to go through the usual environmental review process. Instead, this bill would make it easier for almost any project to avoid environmental review.

That’s why my organization, Green Foothills, opposes SB 607.

Lisa Liddle
Board vice president, Green Foothills
Los Gatos

Maternal mortality is
crisis in Sierra Leone

Every day, women in Sierra Leone risk their lives to bring a new life into the world. Sadly, the act of giving birth becomes fatal, ending their life. Even with some progress, Sierra Leone remains one of the countries with the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. This is an international emergency that needs immediate attention.

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There are myriad causes for these deaths: insufficient access to qualified health care workers, economic hardship and inherent gender inequity. The majority of these women reside far away from health care providers, making them more susceptible to death.

According to the National Institutes of Health, “obstetric hemorrhage was the leading cause of maternal death (39.4%), followed by hypertensive disorders (15.8%) and pregnancy-related infections (10.1%).” We call for decisive action from the government, foreign partners and society. Maternal mortality is a human rights and national dignity problem, not merely a health one.

Melanie Soo
Millbrae