The Lord’s Day

Regarding "Sacred Sundays" (Briefs, Oct. 20 issue): The new policy that will be put in place for the 2014-2015 school year requiring Catholic schools and religious organizations in the Archdiocese of New Orleans to stop scheduling events on Sundays may not be popular with some of the parishioners. But I hope other parishes across the country would consider following their lead because, in our modern, hectic and secular society, it is easy to forget that Sunday is the Lord’s Day.

Alvera M. Sams

Findlay, Ohio

Welcome Information

Regarding "Secretary Recalls Final Months of Benedict XVI’s Pontificate" (NCRegister.com, Oct. 23): First of all, I want to thank you for the wonderful articles in your paper. I am a parish secretary in charge of the weekly bulletin, and I keep our parishioners very well informed with many articles from your great Catholic newspaper.

I just finished reading your article about Archbishop Gänswein and would love to write him a letter. Is there a way you can give me a "real" address for him?

Thank you very much and, please, please keep on writing those wonderful articles and stories. They keep us Catholics very informed (with the things that really matter). God bless you always, and remember you are always in my prayers.

Erlinda Zelaya

Norwalk, Connecticut

The editor responds: You might try reaching the archbishop at: Prefecture of the Papal Household, 00120 Vatican City State; Fax: +39 06 6988 5863.

Bound for Oblivion?

As I was reading the article: "High Court Faces Religious Freedom Issues in New Term" (page one, Oct. 20 issue), I couldn’t help but wonder how much longer we have as a nation to repent of the "legal" stance we have taken as a nation against human life in the womb via abortion and contraception, etc. Our government ("We the people") is doing everything it can to obliterate public reminders of the Fifth Commandment: "Thou shalt not kill," as we have made it legal to kill children in the womb. (Using the word "fetus" is nothing more than a ruse.)

Then there is the other related article, "The Brave New World of Three-Parent Babies," in the same issue. All such new medical research technology is truly "mind-boggling," yet all the more evil, as we strive to "play God" with the fundamental components of human life (sperm and egg) in test tubes and petri dishes, etc., endeavoring, thereby, to "fiddle" with and "create" human life.

I am inclined to believe that our country will justly fall into oblivion one of these days — if we don’t straighten up and get back on track as a nation "under God" in this matter of respect for human life, including God’s will regarding his "plan" for the transmission of human life via the exclusive "union" between one man and one woman. And I do not believe that Pope Francis intended to say that we should stop talking so much about such horrendous things being promoted these days — ignorance is not bliss!

Pamela T. Haines

St. Petersburg, Florida

On Embryology

I am writing about your piece "Cardinal Burke to Pelosi: Heed Canon 915" (Briefs, Oct. 20 issue). In particular, the piece concerns me, because there is no mention of what Rep. Nancy Pelosi has stated for her "reason" for her position vis-à-vis abortion. I’ve heard her say she thought that St. Augustine said that the determination of the fetus to be a person or a life could not be exactly determined and that when the fetus could live on its own was her determination and consistent with her Catholic upbringing.

I spent 16 years in Catholic schools, from 1948 to 1964, and recall learning about this. It wasn’t until recent presidential elections that I have heard that "life begins at conception." Is there a particular writing, statement, etc., that this dogma can/may be pointed to refute this?

Also, I would like to have this referred to the section headed "Why Do Catholics …?" Why do "Catholic" hospitals have no protocol dealing with babies who are aborted spontaneously? To my knowledge, they are handled as hazardous medical waste. Am I misinformed about this? Please evangelize me regarding this issue of spontaneous abortion.

Thank you for consideration of the above. My prayers for you and the good you do.

Kenneth R. Studinski

Janesville, Wisconsin

The editor responds: As Bishop Glen Provost of Lake Charles, La., recently wrote for EWTN: "St. Augustine, one of our most revered Fathers, lived and wrote almost 1,500 years ago; he did not see the world around him with a scientific perspective as we know it today; as with early writers of this and later periods, his concern was the nature of the immortal soul and the human being; he approached this question primarily from the perspective of theology and philosophy. To answer a question such as when does life begin, science gives us a quite adequate answer; according to one prominent embryology text, The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology: ‘Human development begins at fertilization when a male gamete or sperm (spermatozoon) unites with a female gamete or oocyte (ovum) to produce a single cell, a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marked the beginning of each of us as a unique individual.’ If he were alive today, St. Augustine would agree, because St. Augustine believed that there was no ‘disjunction’ in what was known by faith and reason."

Heartfelt Thanks

In response to the article "Exorcist Author Petitions Alma Mater" (Nation, Oct. 20 issue), I would like to give a heartfelt thanks to William Peter Blatty and Manuel Miranda for their efforts in challenging Georgetown University to return to its true Catholic roots.

As a grandmother who worries about the kind of world her grandchildren will be living in, this sincere undertaking could be the beginning for all Catholic schools and universities to "clean house" and start anew. We all know education is key, and I think my grandchildren’s generation is our hope. I look forward to future updates on this topic in the Register.

Ceil Auletta

Yardville, New Jersey

Correction

On page B1 of the Nov. 3 issue of the Register ("Why Do Catholics …?"), you mention that "most scholars accept that Jesus was born around 4/5 B.C. and died around 29 B.C." Obviously, it’s 29 A.D.

Frank J. Russo
Port Washington, New York