Monica, I really appreciate your calm, theologically well thought out, and realistic comments and observations on so many topics. Your opening sentence in paragraph 2 is true on many levels. My pastoral involvements reflect this in many areas.  People are important. My favorite quote from B XVI reminds us anthropomorphically that each of us is the consequence of a thought in the mind of God, important, necessary, and not an accident.  With all that is going on these days, I pretty much use these words as an operational focus. 

You have a gift of expression, and thanks for sharing it.