Posted on 05/26/2004 2:39:05 PM PDT by ELS
To the Editor:
Re "Democrats Criticize Denial of Communion by Bishops" (news article, May 20):
With Americans dying every day in Iraq and other pressing issues demanding serious and thoughtful consideration, these religious leaders would have voters use abortion rights as a litmus test for office?
Our founding fathers were divinely inspired when they established boundaries between the church and the state. The bishops should support those boundaries by encouraging voters to analyze candidates' qualifications. Should abortion rights be part of the calculus? Sure — along with all the other pressing issues of the day.
BRIAN MCCABE
North Caldwell, N.J., May 21, 2004
•
To the Editor:
What's newsworthy about the 48 Congressional Democrats signing a letter to Cardinal Theodore McCarrick complaining that communion was being denied to Catholic politicians who support abortion rights is that this action was prompted by the policy of a mere handful of bishops.
Obviously, the bishops still have moral clout. And if they had acted in a similar manner years earlier, abortion would never have come to be perceived as an inalienable right.
Fortunately, some of the bishops are finding the backbone to stand up for life. As more bishops join in, this will make the difference between life and death for many of the unborn.
PETER SKURKISS
Stow, Ohio, May 20, 2004
•
To the Editor:
As a Roman Catholic, I regret the contribution that a minority of Catholics and their bishops are making to the use of abortion as a wedge issue.
Efforts to recriminalize abortion should be criticized by any faithful Catholic who has lived experience with what expert pediatricians and child psychiatrists call "the irreducible needs of children."
The obligations of both male and female parents impose tasks that are immense. Those who meet these obligations do so only with the help of divine grace.
The effort to recriminalize abortion mistakenly assumes that secular legislation can presuppose or compel openness to divine grace.
ED MANIER
Notre Dame, Ind., May 20, 2004
The writer is a professor of philosophy, University of Notre Dame.
•
To the Editor:
A Catholic politician can believe in church teaching on abortion while opposing laws to enforce that teaching. What if outlawing abortions made things worse?
Teaching the beauty and sacredness of life is having success in decreasing the number of abortions performed. This could be a wiser choice than the political one.
BETH CIOFFOLETTI
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
May 20, 2004
•
To the Editor:
The Catholic clergy now carefully monitoring the way politicians act and citizens vote should ask voters to oppose all politicians who voted in favor of, or otherwise supported, the war against Iraq, which both the pope and the United States bishops opposed as an unjust war.
GEORGE PATTERSON
New York, May 18, 2004
•
To the Editor:
As an American Catholic, I am encouraged by the response of 48 Catholic members of Congress to attempts by a few bishops to use communion to whip Catholic laity, politicians and voters into line.
Collapsing the distinction between moral law and civil law is inconsistent with Catholic teaching, and in resorting to it as a political weapon, the bishops risk grave scandal.
I hope that the task force to be headed by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick will understand that its credibility will be measured not by its eagerness to issue pronouncements but by its willingness to listen. I respectfully suggest that the hierarchy is, on the whole, no more aware of the complex issues of faith and politics than are Catholics in public life, who must think these matters through from principle to policy.
WILLIAM KENNEY
Whitestone, Queens, May 20, 2004
Do you think the NYT got any letters that disagree with their point of view?
=== The writer is a professor of philosophy, University of Notre Dame.
You can count on Notre Dame.
(I'm surprised "Catholic University" didn't make the first cut.)
Even with Pinch Sulzberger at the helm, you would expect maybe 5-1 in favor of abortion. But 6-0 is just a tad extreme, considering that at worst Catholics are evenly split on this issue.
The obligations of both male and female parents impose tasks that are immense. Those who meet these obligations do so only with the help of divine grace.
The effort to recriminalize abortion mistakenly assumes that secular legislation can presuppose or compel openness to divine grace.
The writer is a professor of philosophy, University of Notre Dame.
"The obligations of spouses in matrimony impose tasks that are immense. Such obligations can be met only with the aid of divine grace."
"Since secular legislation cannot compel openness to divine grace, it is wrong to oppose legislation which forbids spouses in difficult marital situations from killing each other."
Can anyone tell me where I send my employment application to become a philosophy professor at Notre Dame?
I graduated from a liberal, secular university. I am glad I graduated from a school which makes no pretense to teach Catholic truth, rather than from one which claims to teach it, but in fact perverts and dishonors it. If I were a Notre Dame alumnus, I would be ashamed of my university for keeping someone like this on faculty.
What boundaries?
I think the second lettr does support the Bishops. The writer's primary complaint with them is they did not step forward before Roe B.Wade.
I would make the point that if you oppose the Church's teaching, you aren't a 'faithful Catholic.'
The obligations of both male and female parents impose tasks that are immense. Those who meet these obligations do so only with the help of divine grace.
But to kill the child takes a liberal.
The writer is a professor of philosophy, University of Notre Dame.
Often, to be really stupid takes an intellectual.
Do you mean CUA in DC? I attended a lecture given by the current president who is quite orthodox and bringing orthodoxy back to CUA.
That's excellent news.
They've been on my grandmother's List for decades. Better late than never. Glad to hear it.
My favorites were from the jerks that are , of course, in support of Catholic Church teachings on abortion but against really trying to do something about it.
In the spirit of their letters, I respond as follows:
As an adherent Roman Catholic who follows the teachings of the Church that abortion is the murder of innocent human life, I demand that all Catholic bishops stand with those bishops who have shown that Catholic values must be promoted publicly and not just privately.
Kevin Collins DPA
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.