Power of Prayer

Relevant to the "Novena to the Mother of God for the Nation" (Sept. 23 issue, Section C):

The presidential election may fundamentally change the United States forever. We have already witnessed an attack on our freedom of religion by government edict. The attack against life has been prevalent for years as legalized abortion, and now in Massachusetts, and likely elsewhere, there is a movement to legalize doctor-assisted suicide.

As Catholics, our responsibility is to fight against this evil. We have the right to work for a change in political leadership and a return to "one nation under God."

Before the election, we should gather in public places and in our churches for prayers to end the assault on our morality by the present administration in Washington and replace it with people with values like our own.

I urge Church leadership to sponsor similar national prayer events across the country.

Speak to your pastor and to your bishop, and encourage them to organize prayer events on Nov. 4. Pray in your church; pray in front of the courthouse for freedom of religion; pray near the local abortion mill to save the children; pray that all Catholics will vote as Catholics should, with a properly formed conscience.

Charles Caliri

Northborough, Massachusetts

Rise Up, Catholics!

Pertinent to your coverage of religious liberty ("Catholic Family Wins Stay Over HHS Mandate, Aug. 12 issue, page one):

The Obama administration continues to attack religious liberty. It doesn’t enforce the Defense of Marriage Act. The president is the most pro-abortion commander in chief ever.

Now, more than ever, we need the leaders of the Catholic Church to rise up and take a stand. Church history is full of saints who were imprisoned or died for their faith.

Thomas More stood up to the king of England and was beheaded.

Worrying about tax-exempt status and other issues are excuses for failing to act.

The Lord is calling. May Cardinal Dolan and our Church leaders in the United States have the courage and wisdom to answer the call.

Tell Catholics they shouldn’t be supporting the administration’s tyrannical policies.

James Pardy

Cincinnati, Ohio

Sickened by Corruption

Regarding your continuing coverage of the presidential election:

In the midst of this political season, I am disappointingly struck by the tremendous amount of money being spent on two presidential campaigns and other federal, state and local campaigns. This not only saddens me, but tens of millions of Americans. Viewing this tremendous amount of money being spent by so few people seeking political offices, I feel driven to write this letter.

Considering how most of the salaries for these political offices pale in comparison to the money spent to gain these offices, I truly believe that most Americans have taken off their blinders to realize just how much underhandedness and corruption exists in all levels of our government.

Americans are no longer idealistic or faithful about our government officials being pure and willing to go all out to help each and every citizen, regardless of our financial status. There can be no doubt that money buys access to government policies, and, therefore, campaign contributions are, in actuality, investments in rich and powerful peoples’ futures.

Is there any wonder why so many voters don’t bother to vote?

Tim Monroe Bledsoe

North Augusta, South Carolina

Sonogram Truth Check

Relative to your continuing coverage of the culture of death ("Pro-Lifers to Obama: Go After Planned Parenthood," Sept. 9 issue, page one):

Amid all the verbiage concerning the use of sonograms before abortion, not once have I heard any member of the opposition to sonograms tell the truth about the use of sonograms.

Supporters of abortion will say: "Women should not be forced to have a service that would add cost to the procedure," or "Women should not have to view a sonogram in order to have the procedure," or "Forcing women to view a sonogram before the abortion procedure is a violation of their civil rights."

There are many other objections to sonograms by such persons, but they are too numerous to list here. However, there is much evidence that shows when a pregnant woman sees a sonogram of her unborn child she is most apt to not abort. Sonograms have seriously cut into abortion profits.

The truth is: Abortionists have always used the sonogram as a tool in the procedure — a sonogram shows the abortionist the position, the actual size and the placement of the fetus.

This advance information makes for a less timely procedure.

Also, every woman who has had an abortion in the past several years has had a sonogram produced before the abortion. So, the cost of this sonogram is now, and has always been, included in the complete price of the procedure. Therefore, it is a total falsehood that now women will be charged additionally for sonograms.

Now the woman has a choice to view or not to view — it is her call.

The Florida sonogram law, effective as of July 1, 2011, requires the abortionist to show and explain to the woman a visual image of the fetus. If one does not choose to view the image or hear the explanation, one will be asked to sign documents stating that it was offered and declined.

Before this law was effective, women were forced to pay for a sonogram but not allowed to view the image.

As with any procedure, the patient should have all available information, and the sonogram will accommodate that important need.

Mabel Ryan

Ocala, Florida

Put on Christ

After reading a couple of times Melinda Selmys’ article "True Christians Must Be Themselves" (Aug. 26 issue, In Depth), I believe I "get" what she is saying — but even the title of the article can be a bit misleading.

A Christian is called to be an alter Christus, to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:4). St. Paul tells Timothy: "Preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; convince; rebuke; exhort; be unfailing in patience and in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings" (2 Timothy 4:2-3).

Although Paul was writing to a bishop, there is some application here for all of us in our various walks in life to both live and teach a virtuous life in Christ — most especially to our children.

It has become quite evident today — even as our bishops are now publicly speaking up — that we "ordinary" Christians, cannot, must not, be silent, either in the midst of an amoral culture that is "in our face," pressing hard on the Church … and infiltrating our Christian homes, luring both young and old into living in many ways "as if God does not exist."

To "speak up" does not necessarily mean one is "looking down" on others; still, if we can recognize the "truth" being told, even where we don’t "see" love, we can "put" love.

Pam Haines

St. Petersburg, Florida

Crystal-Clear Choice

With regard to the Register’s recent sidebar on the vice-presidential candidates ("Voting Their Catholic Faith?" Aug. 26 issue, page one):

Our choices for both president and vice president are crystal clear on the abortion issue: Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan support the right to life for unborn children — while Barack Obama and Joe Biden support expanding abortion with your tax money.

President Obama has allowed our taxpayer money to be used for groups that perform and promote abortion in other countries. And Obama’s health-care law provides funding for health plans that pay for abortion.

Obama has indicated he will continue to appoint only judges who are in favor of abortion to the Supreme Court — which would ensure that millions of unborn babies will continue to die for years to come in our country.

In addition, Obama is trying to force Catholic and other religious groups to provide abortion-causing drugs through their insurance policies. In contrast, Romney and Ryan support religious freedom, so that Catholics and other Christians can be free from practices such as abortion that violate their beliefs.

Obama and Biden are also for homosexual "marriage." Romney and Ryan support marriage between a man and a woman, as defined in the Bible.

Rita Kelly

Harlingen, Texas

Corrections

The Register’s story "Bishop Finn Convicted" (Sept. 23, page one) stated, "The case marked the first instance in American history where a bishop had pled guilty to mishandling sex-abuse allegations." Bishop Finn did not plead guilty. He was found guilty. Also, the term "conviction" is not technically correct. He received a "suspended imposition sentence," which is unique to Missouri law and through which there is no conviction.

In the Register’s Catholic Identity College Guide ’12, DeSales University had answered that it does not have coed dorms; however, the university has made a clarification that some residence halls do house both genders, separated by wing or floor. Access to these areas is limited by proximity card access; opposite genders cannot access each other’s areas without being escorted as guests during normal visitation hours.

In "Labor of Prayer — One Rosary at a Time," the subheadline incorrectly stated that the museum is in Oregon. It is in Washington state, as the article itself states.

Re: "True Beauty Satisfies the Human Heart," psychologist Margaret Laracy is working toward her state license.

The Register regrets these errors.