As a fan of both science fiction and fantasy, I had to read Dermott Mullan's commentary “Brother From Another Planet: Redeemed?” (Oct. 6-12). I can only say, “Decidedly far-fetched!”

The idea of rational creatures with free will and an immortal soul existing on another planet is, I offer, directly opposed to divine revelation and Christian tradition. Mullan suggests that St. Thomas Aquinas offered such possibilities in the Summa Theologiae when he commented on hypostatic union. However, Aquinas often presented notions that he did not support; he was simply testing the ideas of his day. For example, when discussing evolution, Aquinas leaves open the possibility of our first parents evolving from other creatures, other species. However, he personally posited that God did not make that choice, that Adam and Eve were created as the Scripture states, i.e., God simply created them from the primordial slime. While God has abilities beyond our imagining, he [does make] choices. Using the sense of hypostatic union to support the aliens proposed by Mullan is a very long jump.

Next, if Mullan's aliens were to exist, how do they fit into the basic sense of our Catholic faith? Christ is the bridegroom and the Church, created in his image, is his bride. The Church has always held one bridegroom/one bride for mankind, who is made in God's image, i.e., we are called to be monogamous.

Are we now to consider that Jesus is polygamous? That alien species are also his brides? And what about Mary as queen of heaven? How does her role fit into the alien-species notion? Are there other Marys as well?

The cosmos is a cathedral of time and place made by God for his bride-to-be. It is a great act of creation. But how does that act compare to his work of creation that we find in the cross and the Eucharist? It does not! The cosmos pales when compared to the cross and the Eucharist. The cosmos simply gives us a hint of the enormity of God's love for mankind.

Finally, Mullan fails to consider the greatness of the bride of Christ, the Church. I offer that the Son of God finds his bride to be most satisfying and he has no wandering eye for another (read Song of Songs). Alien life on another planet on a par with or higher than mankind? Foolishness!

MICHAEL A. FAULKNER Ocean Grove, New Jersey