PASTORS WON'T BE RATTING OUT DRUG USERS

In the Feb. 13 article on the new Face It Together antidrug
initiative ("New AntiDrug Plan is Unveiled"), the Register reported
that "clergy will be asked to help identify substance abusers in
their congregations . . . . "

From this statement, readers might infer that pastors will be asked
to turn over to the authorities members with substance-abuse
problems. As a pastor and a member of the Face It Together coalition,
I want to assure members of the religious community in Iowa that this
was not said by either Senator Charles Grassley or Gov. Tom Vilsack
and is not true.

The intent of the first step of Face It Together's faithbased
initiative is that pastors and other religious professionals receive
training in issues of substance abuse including how to recognize
users - so they might more effectively offer pastoral care to
individuals and families.

The confidential nature of conversations with pastors is
longstanding, well-recognized and vital to any pastor's work.

The Face It Together coalition is not proposing that this
confidential relationship be changed.

Sarai Schnucker Beck, executive director, Ecumenical Ministries of
Iowa, 3816 36th St., Des Moines.