Hooray for Father Antoine Thomas about whom you reported in “Children's Adoration: ‘The Kingdom of Heaven Belongs to Such as These.’” (Feb. 10-16) He is one of those sensitive, perceptive souls who, along with Robert Coles, Maria Montessori, Sofia Cavalletti and others, has understood that our children, who come to us directly from God, maintain a profound awareness of his presence to them.

It is up to us parents/teachers to foster this mysterious bond in very young children as, for example, do those practitioners of the Catechesis of the Good Shepard. Sofia Cavalletti who developed this catechesis states in the introduction to her book, The Religious Potential of the Child, “The manifestations of serene and peaceful joy the children display in the meeting with the world of God lead us to maintain that the religious experience responds to a deep ‘hunger’ in the child.” And further on, “In the contact with God the child experiences an unfailing love ... (and) finds the nourishment his being requires, nourishment the child needs in order to grow in harmony.”

Father Thomas is providing this nourishment in the adoration program. Parents can compare the level of peace and harmony in their children after an hour of adoration versus and hour of TV. Love is stronger than chaos. The power of love in the Eucharist, as Father Thomas has attested brings not only children to their God but also families back together.

Let us make bold to join or to form Eucharistic Adoration programs for children and adults in our own parishes.

Thank you for your wonderful paper. The articles in this same issue, “Why Enron should have listened to the Pope,” “A Farewell to Candy: Kids and Lent,” as well as others, also struck a positive note. Blessings to you all.

THERESE NOECKER

St. Louis, Missouri