Letters 11.02.14

Cardinal’s Compromise

Regarding Pat Archbold’s blog post, “Cardinal Dolan and the Shameful NYC St. Patrick’s Gay Parade,” (NCRegister.com, Sept. 3):

Archbold is spot on. Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s unprecedented decision to allow active, unrepentant homosexuals to march behind him as he stars as grand marshal is indeed “shameful.” It is also a clear contrast to the courageous shepherding of the Big Apple by Cardinal John O’Connor, who also founded the wonderful Sisters of Life. Shepherds are called to lay down their lives, if needed for the flock, not their ethics. This is not merely a lowering of an ethical bar, but its removal.

I am one of four consecutive generations of Catholic “Patricks” in my family, and my Irish blood is near boiling. I do not believe that, in 1,000 years, the “Great Saint of the Emerald Isle” would have agreed to anything like this. Nor do I believe that the coherent, courageous and holy defender of the sanctity of human life and marriage, Pope St. John Paul II, would have ever acted in such a shameful and scandalous manner. In fact, has there ever been a saint who promoted the sin of sodomy?

Like the sanctity of life, this is an ethical bright-line issue. If the family is not built on the marriage of one man and one woman, no other ethical line can or will hold. The crossing of this line leads to a moral freefall that embraces sodomy, polygamy, bestiality and any and all other perversions. Children need and deserve strong and loving homes and a culture that protects them from evil.

The cardinal’s actions undermine the efforts of devout Catholics to defend the sanctity of marriage. Ultimately, who does Cardinal Dolan think wins when a compromise is made with the devil?

When Jesus encountered the woman caught in adultery, he was compassionate and protective, but he did not say, “Bravo.” After protecting her earthly life, he turned his concern to her eternal life, and he asked her to “sin no more.”

Yes, we must pray for those who persecute the Church from within. I am sure of this, as I used to be one of them. Ultimately, we must pray for the triumph of the Immaculate Heart. The Catholic Church in America is confused and visibly wounded, but the heavenly remedy is Our Lady’s holy Rosary.

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.

          A. Patrick Schneider II

          Lexington, Kentucky

 

Christian Love

Relevant to “Caving In or an Act of Goodwill?” (Sept. 21 issue, page 2) regarding the decision by the St. Patrick’s Day Parade committee to include Out@NBCUniversal and Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s response, consider three points:

The Catholic Church and Pope Francis share the call for acceptance of all human beings, including those with homosexual orientations, for we are all children of God, possessing dignity and deserving respect.

When the Holy Father said, “Who am I to judge?” he was not speaking of homosexual acts. He was responding to a reporter’s question regarding whether a young man with a homosexual orientation and committed to living a chaste life should be accepted into a seminary to become a priest. The homosexual groups that will be marching with banners will not be marching for chastity.

Homosexual acts are harmful spiritually, physically and emotionally to the person and others. Our Lord Jesus couldn’t have been clearer in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, when he listed 16 conducts that were evil and which defiled a person. Four of them dealt with being unchaste. In respect to physical harm, the risk of 16 diseases is increased. To cite just two: The HIV risk is increased by more than 44 times (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), and a certain cancer risk is increased by 4,000% (Journal of the American Medical Association). Regarding emotional harm, indicators of mental-health problems (e.g. depression, anxiety disorders, drug-and-alcohol dependence, deliberate self-harm and suicidal attempts) are increased from 1.82 times to 4.28 times. The advocacy of behavior that leads to such harm to a person and others should not be welcomed, but discouraged. That would be loving one’s neighbor.

          Deacon Mark Gallagher

          Ocean City, New Jersey

 

Providing Strength

Pertinent to “The Gift of Grandparents” (Culture of Life, Sept. 21 issue):

Thanks for this article. Satan has pulled out all the stops in trying to destroy the family. I am being attacked daily for teaching the faith to my children and grandchildren. Reading this story and learning of this apostolate has strengthened me. Thank you, and God bless you.

          Pat Denzer

          San Antonio, Texas

 

Defeating Terrorists

Relevant to “Go to Your Mother” (Culture of Life, Oct. 5):

Regarding the horrifying threat of ISIS (as well as other radical terrorist groups), we are continually seeing in your articles printed here in the Register, and everywhere, that it is extremely urgent that a Lepanto-like “Rosary Crusade” be proclaimed worldwide. St. Padre Pio said, “The Rosary is the weapon.” Our Lady of Fatima urged us to pray the Rosary every day for peace. Remember the story behind the Oct. 7 feast day.

          Jane Jones

          Manassas Park, Virginia

 

Internal Terrorism

Re: your ongoing pro-life coverage:

Barbarism by ISIS and other terrorist groups is rightly and vigorously condemned by civilized persons throughout the world.

Worldwide reaction is that only the most depraved, fanatical people would accept such behavior.

Coalitions of countries are forming to eradicate those who are involved in such murderous activities.

Governments are joined in moral outrage at what is being reported and together are actively opposing and taking action.

We react to terrorism outside the womb, but many ignore the violence produced by abortion inside the womb. The barbaric act of abortion is completed more than one million times each year in the U.S. alone. This is the reported number, and since reporting death by abortion is voluntary, we cannot know the exact number of abortions performed.

What a blessing this would be to our unborn children if this same force of condemnation was directed to abortion and those who support it.

          Mabel Ryan

          Ocala, Florida

 

Corrections

The Register’s Sept. 7 editorial “Good Samaritans No More?” incorrectly stated that the Parable of the Good Samaritan is in the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 10. The parable is contained in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 10:29-37.

Also, a story about Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich (“A Light Along Our Christian Journey,” Oct. 19 issue, page 2) incorrectly identified the recipient of the miracle of Blessed Miriam — Michael Mencer — as Michael Mercer. The Register regrets the errors.