2004 LETTERS
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Contents © 2004
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

LETTERS
November 2004

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An editorial communication breakdown resulted in the following sentence being printed in the October "Roamin' Catholic" highlighting St. Kieran's in El Cajon: "The norms on eucharistic ministers approved by XXXXXXX on ZZZZZ state...." It should have read, "The norms for Eucharistic ministers contained in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 3rd Typical Edition, state...." Apologies to Mr. Espedal, and to St. Kieran's.

On subject of Eucharistic ministers at St. Kieran's, Stanford Espedal offers this correction. "I wrote: 'After Father's communion, he gave each minister the Host, and they then passed the Chalice among themselves.' What actually took place was that after Father communed all the Eucharistic ministers in the Host, he then gave communion in the Chalice to the two ministers of the Chalice, who in turn gave the Chalice to the ministers of the Host on their side of the altar."

THE POWER OF THE CLOSED CHECKBOOK

Being a mother of four children with two of high school age, I have a strong interest in good Catholic colleges. I must admit I have been shocked at the information I have read on USD for the past two years. I have e-mailed my network of Catholic parents and told them to cross USD off their list of potential colleges, as it does not reinforce the Catholic faith that we have worked so hard to instill in our children.

While I will continue to use the "power of prayer" with the hope that those in positions of power at USD will return to faithful Catholic teaching, I have discovered that the "power of the closed checkbook" sometimes speeds up the process.

Maureen Fitzsimmons-Vanden Heuvel
Hartford, Wisconsin

ABORTION FACT FROM FATHER MARX

In San Diego News Notes for September 2004, on page 16 (Little Notes) I read a common mistake in reference to the numbers of babies killed by abortion. The number given is 1.3 million babies a year. Those are surgical abortions only. There are more birth control, IUD, Norplant, and other abortions. But this fact seems to be overlooked so often by so-called pro-lifers. In short, people should know there are many more non-surgical abortions, abortions due to abortifacients.

Yours in the Lord of Love and Life,
Father Paul B. Marx, OSB
Collegeville, Minnesota

ABORTION IS A TRIFLING ISSUE

Father Grancini and the "fellow Americans" homily on August 7, 2004 at 10:30 mass greatly disturbed me. (Little Notes, September 2004.) I am a confirmed Catholic and have been attending Our Lady of the Rosary Parish for over 14 years. I chose this parish because I felt more support towards individualism and creativity. I felt at home and at peace, unlike other institutions where I felt like a pocketbook. I understand that to be Catholic is to not participate in abortion activities. We do not believe in abortion. If we want to look at this matter statistically, then look to your fellow neighbor, because one of two people have either had an abortion, or fathered an aborted child. This would mean that many Catholics were participants in a "pro-death" activity. Also, traditionally, the Catholic Church doesn't uphold the value of a woman to be equal to a man -- with the exception of the Virgin Mary who, I might add, is a virgin. In the 1920s, when women wanted equal rights and the right to vote, the Catholic Church wasn't for that either. Recently, the Pope gave a speech about a world crisis. He stated that the War against Terror is not the only attribute to the world crisis -- women were part of this crisis because we want equal rights and quality positions in the work field. Being a Catholic woman, and enjoying my Constitutional rights, and loving America, has left me to say the everyone has their own choice, whether it be pro or anti.

As Americans, we shouldn't condemn someone because of what they believe, or impose our view onto others. As Catholics we should accept every person we come across and hope our goodness leaves a "footstep" on their heart. Regarding the election, instead of "banding to stop supporting pro-choice politicians," let us band together to elect politicians who are pro-people, for the people. Choose a politician who sees each and every human as human -- no color, no race, no religion, no regards to wealth or poverty, no property, no age. We are all human, and it hurts me deeply to see us tear each other apart because of trifling issues, such as abortion. We are in a war, not just a war against terrorism, but a war against corporations, a war against poverty, a war to fight for the underprivileged children to receive valuable educations, so that they will be knowledgeable enough to know what makes us have wars against each other and put an end to foolishness. If we focus on this then what problems are left?

Love the children you have in your arms and let's stop trying to impose our view onto the arms of others. When a person sees another -- as yourself -- doing the right thing, they will be inspired and follow your lead. I love life, and I understand that children are miracles. Look into the eyes of the miracles standing before you, and teach them and love them.

Chelle Rose
San Diego

NEWS NOTES COMMITS MORTAL SIN

The article about Mr. Yuhas ["Gay Conservative Writer Disgusted By Pride Weekend," September 2004] was stunning to me. You state that you oppose homosexuality but then hand a smashing victory to the homosexual world movement. In war the false strategies of one side allowed for the victory of their opponents. As one who has opposed the secularized demonic culture and as one who has been on the front lines even more so than Mr. Yuhas who claims he was in the Army and the Marine Corps, I understand you were featuring him as the conservative pro-life poster boy for the cause of life. I need not give my credentials, which are known throughout the military and naval worlds. But you made a catastrophic error. Your poster boy is a practicing homosexual who happens to be in the "butch" category and he abhors the "femmes" and the passive homosexuals. But he asserts he is having a homosexual liaison with an active-duty member of the Marine Corps. What is the effect of your publicizing this debacle? You are saying to impressionable young men and women that as long as you are a "normal" appearing conservative type with closely cropped hair if you are a man and flowing hair if you are a woman, your sexual life is your own affair. Is it? God our Father, all things are Thine, bodies and souls and the farthest reaches of the universe, and nothing that exists is not Thine. Our innermost desires and thoughts are under God's dominion. How is it that in possessing another's body in homosexual copulation it is not a heinous insult to God? And how is it that you so lightly pass over Yuhas' personal life which he himself has publicized and make it incidental to his glowing conservative credentials? Then you highlight that he is a Jew. Of what real consequence is that to the heinous sin that he flaunts before us? You yourselves have committed mortal sin, the sin of scandal, by even highlighting this person. You are under the same judgment as this benighted moral leper.

Mr. Yuhas undoubtedly believes that because he is a disabled veteran, conservative, pro-life, and all of the rest of it, that he somehow is a moral arbiter. In that he is sadly mistaken. The mortal sin of homosexual copulation of whatever type and the very act of sodomy in all of its manifestations are forbidden. Any form of sodomy is forbidden even within the normal marriage bed. How much more are all thoughts, desires, acts of sodomy as performed by the homosexuals unthinkable acts for any Christian.

The law is inexorable and all of this talk of compassion and sympathy for the homosexual is absurd. The biblical law remains now and although the penalties of the Law are not at all tolerable within the modern culture, the heinous nature of the anti-life activities of the homosexuals is plain to all rational men.

You have made a colossal error in publicizing Mr. Yuhas as the spokesman of life. What life does he promote? His own lasciviousness and abominable sin?

I urge News Notes to go to the examples of fidelity, to the clergy that are true to their callings, to families where children are indeed the jewels in our crown. Give us examples of virtue and uprightness, and let the homosexuals go to their own fate which they have freely chosen. We will not prevent them from freely choosing eternal damnation. Let us keep our own counsel and admire those who show us the light.

Anonymous

Editor responds: We did not offer Mr. Yuhas as a "spokesman of life," nor as a "conservative pro-life poster boy." We found it interesting that someone within the homosexual community is as disgusted by the debauchery of Pride weekend as we are.

LOVING THINGS PRIESTS DO

How can anybody help but to hear of all the negative press associated with the Catholic Church these days. Every time I hear of a new child abuse case I find myself outraged that there is so little press written about the wonderful and loving things Catholic priests do for their communities and the children who live in them. It almost seems as if when abuse is not involved it is not worth mentioning.

As a child my brother, sisters and I attended Saint Callistus an elementary school in Garden Grove or Saint Ana (I'm not sure which). My sister (Annitta) was a very sick little girl and spent much of her time in the hospital during the summer months. A young priest from the school, we only knew him as Father Springer, was often her only visitor for weeks at a time. Father Springer who came to see her on a regular basis brought so much joy and love to this little girl that she remembers him with much love and gratitude to this very day. Annitta still maintains if Father Springer had not come to see her when she was in that hospital all those years ago as much as he did, the loneliness would have surely killed her.

Our family moved from that area in 1971. I don't know what ever became of Father Springer (I think his first name may have been Francis.) But I would like to somehow thank him for the positive influence he made in my sister's life. I pray this letter somehow reaches him.

Donnitta Broughton Williamson

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