Moscow Martyr's Real Death-place

Thank you for your front page coverage of the book Sentenced as Vatican Spies (Jan. 3-9). It is wonderful to see a sign that the silence which surrounds the sufferings of these martyrs to the Catholic faith in our own time might end. Ours was indeed a time worse than the “new age of Diocletian” that the Russian Catholic Exarch, Fr. Leonid Fedorov, foresaw at the very onset of the communist terror.

However, it is important to correct a major factual error in the article: Anna Abrikosova, who as co-founder and prioress of the Moscow Dominican sisters suffered so heroically at the hands of her tormentors, was not shot at the Solovki Camp, where in fact she was never imprisoned (as were some other sisters of the community). She died of breast cancer in the Butyrki prison in Moscow, on July 23, 1936. I am citing Sister Philomena, a member of her community who was imprisoned with her at various times; but there are numerous other witnesses, among them a total of six sisters from the community, who encountered her in prison shortly before her death. It seems likely that her body was cremated in secret in the basement of the prison, since her captors hoped — in vain — that knowledge of this heroic witness to our Faith would die with her.

Professor Joseph Lake University of Massachusetts

Sweatshops

Thank you for your article, “18 Top American Retailers Sued by Overseas Workers” (Jan. 24-30). How shameful of other nations not to maintain a fair, minimum wage legally enhanced and maintained — as well as enforced. One day, hopefully, Pope Leo XIII's wonderful encyclical about working mankind's fair and just wages may come to fruition.

G.D. Bones Southeastern, Pennsylvania

Medical Missions

I would like to thank you for your wonderful article on the Helping Hands Medical Missions. I am a volunteer with the organization and was excited to see the work of the missions being highlighted in your paper. It is truly an inspiration to work with others on the missions. We are always in need of volunteers to help us. I noticed that there was no mention of how to contact the mission team if anyone was interested. The person to contact is: Lupita Assad RN, 3405 Dartmouth Drive, Irving, TX 75062, e-mail: [email protected], Fax: (972) 650-9101.

Karen Robinson Irving, Texas

Editor's Note: The Register has received many requests for information about how to contact this group.