Fr. Geromel's article, "Why Presentment Is Necessary" [TLC, June 25] was well articulated. I would like to add another reason or two supporting presentments for both Bishops Wood and Righter.

Call me silly or old fashioned (at 38), but I and probably many laity actually do look to our church for moral guidance. Without it, our cathedrals might as well be parking lots with darn nice windows. While not a confessional church, we as a faith must have some core beliefs and dogma or evangelism is impossible. Every church has standards to which it holds its current and future leaders. The knowing ordination of noncelibate individuals is a matter, unlike liturgics or music, on which people expect any church to have a pretty clear message. These cases are not matters on which "wiggle room" or "fudging" is going to be cute or even possible if we hope to maintain any credibility.

Given that both bishops do appear or even admit to having ordained a noncelibate homosexual, and with Archbishop Carey weighing in on the issue, the matter now is front and center with spotlights before our entire church, the Anglican Communion and, indeed, Christendom (not to mention all the company of Heaven). We expect and frankly need a ruling at least as clear as our church's past policy statements on nuclear proliferation or aid to the Contras. Failing to rule only will present the church soon with a fait accompli.

Presentment is not supposed to be easy, fun or nice. This is why bishops "get the big bucks." If, however, our bishops fail to use these now famous episodes (and others?) to clarify our policy about an obviously important issue, then we might as well start converting St. John the Divine to "Bishop Pike's Memorial Parking Lot."

RICHARD S. ANDREWS Fort Collins, Colo.