Everyone can sympathize with the parishioners of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini for the loss of a familiar property (“Faith at the vigil’s end,’’ Metro, May 18). But there is something very sad about the willingness of people to separate themselves from the real church for loss of a building (St. Frances isn’t even an example of noteworthy architecture).

What Thomas Farragher cheers is not faith but sheer doggedness, mere passion without a valid object. Like competitiveness, it is not only not a virtue, but it’s not even a particularly human trait.

This widespread attitude might explain the force of some political campaigns and many other social ills. It’s not something to be celebrated.

Donald Novak

Canton