Cheer for Teens

The Oct. 21-27 “Facts of Life” panel contained the September finding of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. The campaign found that 83% of teens “say religion is important in their lives and guides their decisions, even in the area of sexuality.”

When you add to that the campaign's April finding that more than 93% of teens said they want “a strong message from society that they should abstain from sex until they are at least out of high school”—and the fact that an August Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that only 25% of teens are “sexually active,” i.e., had sex in the last three months, and the fact that sex is so prevalent in our culture—we have to stand up and cheer for teens.

The Kaiser survey belies the Planned Parenthood deception that “everybody is doing it” and all teens must be taught to use contraceptives, which, for teens, have high failure rates resulting in out of wedlock pregnancy and other problems. According to the Physicians Consortium, the highest rate of teen pregnancy is among contraceptive users.

Despite TV, movies, music, magazines, advertisements and Internet sites competing to see which can include more sex and corrupt and injure teens with the promotion of teen contraception, the vast majority of teens reject permissive sex.

We need to provide more support for teens in the war on their values. Parents, the first line of defense for teens, must be vigilant in discussing love, marriage and sex in a positive way with their teens, because teens whose parents do so are the least likely to engage in sexual activity.

Also, teen-chastity programs such as those featured in the Register (like Jason Evert's) should be an integral part of teens’ education, not just a once-a-year event.

Finally, teens need an appealing Internet site that provides the Church's teaching on love, marriage, sex, families, contraception and the problems flowing from contraception and pre-marital sex—abortion, STDs, undermining the family, etc.

JOHN NAUGHTON

Silver Spring, Maryland

Devil Vexation

Mark LaPointe makes an excellent point in his Oct. 14-20 letter, noting that one cannot be possessed by the Holy Spirit and an evil spirit at the same time (“Possessed by Whom?”). Scripture and Sacred Tradition hold that truth unequivocally.

But he leaves out any discussion of satanic activity short of possession. I find this remarkable, since each Christian deals with this area on a daily basis. Satan and his minions’ attacks are not limited to possession. Remember Jesus’ own session with temptation by Satan after his 40 days’ fast? Jesus was tempted even though there was no way he could ever be possessed. The lesson is that we can also be tempted, but Jesus will come to our aid with divine power if we call upon him. One of the reasons this incident is in the Gospel is to demonstrate Jesus’ power over Satan and his evil ways, which (among other things), he came to conquer.

Without Jesus’ help, we are just like weak humanity before they knew they could call on him, that is, trying to fight spiritual enemies on our own without spiritual power. (Devils are fallen angels and, as such, have powers far beyond mere unaided human power. Without Christ, we would be overmatched.)

In Mother Teresa's case, it appears she was being tested with some type of temptation or harassment while she was ill. Of course, the danger of her being possessed was remote indeed. She was not fighting satanic power on her own. She had God's help through his indwelling. Her illness weakened her, so her archbishop (ex-officio led by the Spirit) had an exorcist pray with her for deliverance from the vexation and she was delivered—not from possession but from the devil's testing, whatever it was.

A good spiritual director once told us students that if we are in a state of grace a devil could not possess us, but he can sure whisper in our ears. Anyone who has been seriously tempted should be aware of that. The Cure of Ars now has a plaque on his bedroom wall to commemorate the many nights he wrestled with the evil one who would not let him sleep.

That power of Satan to harass and tempt, short of possession, is left out of the letter as well as the editor's comment. Coping with this kind of satanic activity is basic everyday Catholic spirituality. Omitting this area is, I believe, symptomatic of the crisis of faith we currently experience. In C.S. Lewis’ great book The Screwtape Letters, a senior devil tells his student devil Wormwood that the best way to advance the triumph of the kingdom of darkness is to convince humans that devils do not exist. The success of this strategy is seen everywhere.

The need for awareness of Satan and how he deceives us has never been greater. The Holy Father has asked that bishops arrange classes on exorcism so that every diocese could have at least one priest qualified to assume the office of exorcist. I'm afraid to ask how many dioceses do not have an exorcist. I believe the answer would likely be frightening.

JOSEPH B. CALLAGHER

Bakersfield, California

Catholic Leadership

Your editorial titled “A Catholic Moment” (Oct. 14-20) is a telling and timely message that should be read and re-read. It is a lesson of understanding and recognition of what makes America great—the ordinary American who is willing to risk his life for the love of others.

Your editorial accompanies two front-page stories on the drive to excommunicate pro-abortion politicians. This irony generates in me a vision of another burning tower where innocent life is being consumed daily, and those flames have been raging for almost 30 years. This devastation of innocent unborn human life is also a great evil. So why does it continue to burn after so many years? The answer is: We haven't done enough.

You are right when you say lay Catholics need to follow the example of our newest American heroes. But, in my opinion, it's more important now that our religious leaders follow their example. Yes, our religious leaders have tried to douse the flames of abortion by their pronouncements and activities, but if our country achieves greatness through the heroism of ordinary people, what does that fact demand of our leaders when abortion continues to consume millions of innocent lives?

If the American bishops, as a body, were to excommunicate all Catholics who brazenly claim to be pro-abortion, they would counter years of mixed messages. We have, in effect, perpetuated confusion and conflict among Catholics, and have encouraged the pro-abortion politicians to continue their betrayal of the unborn (and the Church) because they know they'll still get elected. Isn't that a gauntlet thrown down to the bishops?

The American bishops have the power and the responsibility to excommunicate—as prescribed by Church law. This bold act would certainly get America's attention and the media's tendency to want to embarrass the Catholic Church would result in the widespread repetition of the message people need to hear. And the great majority will see it as a major effort to clarify and resolve the confusion. Catholics and others will understand and know in their hearts and minds, that they can't be “pro-choice” and be Catholic!

And then, if the Holy Spirit helps us spread that truth, we won't have to listen to a “Catholic” politician like Governor Gray Davis say, as he did repeatedly during his election campaign, that he was for a woman's right to choose—a sentence he was careful not to finish so he could avoid the hideous imagery of a baby's extermination.

When Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton are reversed we will admit our shame, but then society will look at today's generation to search for a scapegoat, similar to the Pius XII fiasco, where shameless liars are trying to defame an historic figure. These scapegoat hunters, and society at large, will ask some serious questions. Did the American Catholic Church do enough? What action could they have taken to stop the barbarism sooner? And why didn't they?

CHARLES N. MARRELLI

Irvine, California

Deny the Double-Dealers

There has to be some outcry when politicians repeatedly use the Catholic Church as a voting constituency yet ridicule its hardest teachings—especially when it comes to abortion (“Excommunicating Pro-Abortion Politicians,” Oct. 14-20). Here in New Jersey we have a gubernatorial race involving a Catholic, Jim McGreevey, who says things like, “My mother prays the rosary for the economy.” And has twice used the steps of a church to issue press releases on his commitment to himself—to his campaign. “Here on the steps where I was baptized …”

He has the endorsement of every major abortion-advocacy group, and he supported partial-birth abortion against the will of his own people.

We in New Jersey ask for prayers for the non-Catholic pro-life candidate Bret Schundler. The open way the pro-abortion candidate, Jim McGreevey, has flaunted and courted the millions of Catholics in New Jersey brings shame to us all. Furthering the shame is the fact that there has been no condemnation from any diocese in the state. If we cannot excommunicate Mr. McGreevey, we can hope at least to disen-franchise this kind of political/religious double dealing.

SUSAN O‘Dougherty

Morristown, New Jersey