The Bible Is Mum on Astronomy

I read with interest “Man of the Church: Challenging the Galileo Myth” (Sept. 21-27). There is another myth associated with Galileo that I have yet to see challenged, one that seems to have less substantiation, yet meets with almost universal acceptance — and one that may be even more damaging to the Church. [I am speaking of the myth] that, as your article mentions, “certain passages of Scripture seemed to agree” with the geocentric theory, and that, therefore, the Church might have to “reinterpret Scripture accordingly.”

I have read the Bible cover to cover five times and have yet to discover these supposed passages that lend support to the geocentric theory (or the heliocentric theory, or any theory for that matter). What are these passages? Is it that the sun “moves” across the sky? Do not our poets yet speak of the sun's course across the sky? And should the American Meteorological Society be held to task for day in and day out permitting its weathermen to speak authoritatively of the time the sun “rises” and “sets”?

A measure of common sense the size of a mustard seed would tell us that, if by some miracle the sun were to reach its apex at midday over New York City and then remain there for however many hours (as it did for Joshua to complete his battle), the morning papers would invariably report that “the sun stopped in the sky.” This is how we speak of the sun in relation to ourselves, and this is how we will always speak of the sun's movement and time's passing in relation to ourselves (whatever the prevailing theory of science might be), and so this is the way Scripture speaks of it.

The word of God is truth itself, and so it is absolute absurdity to enter into question of its truth; in a word, it rises well above the level of science and cannot be judged by its limited terms. Man cannot judge the God who has made him. Yet license for such “scholarly” work is repeatedly justified by pointing to Galileo and the inconsequential theory of a heliocentric universe.

Please, let us put this other myth to rest. The Bible is not geocentric or heliocentric. It is Christocentric and speaks authoritatively (as he has and does) on all matters under the sun.

On a separate note, as a monk-like, never-been-married forty-something, I just wanted to say how engaging I find Danielle Bean's descriptions of a mother's life. I should like to read a book-length account, say, “A Year in the Life of a Mother,” wherein she could offer short diary entries for each day of a particular year….

While I'm at it, let me also say that I find Don DeMarco's writing consistently of the best quality.

JAMES KURT Jersey City, New Jersey

Chinese Martyrs Clarified

A clarification is needed on the icon of the Chinese martyrs pictured for Tim Drake's Inperson interview with Debra Wang, “China Is Still Missionary Territory” (Aug. 31-Sept. 6).

The image shown is not an icon of the 120 Chinese Catholic martyrs who were canonized by Pope John Paul II on Oct. 1, 2000. It is actually an icon of 222 Chinese Eastern Orthodox martyrs who were killed during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. These Chinese Orthodox martyrs were canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1902. Their feast day on the Orthodox liturgical calendar is June 11.

An Orthodox church is depicted on the upper-left-hand side of the icon. One of the martyrs, St. Mitrophan Tsi-Chung, depicted at the front of the icon, is dressed in the liturgical vestments of an Orthodox priest.

GUSTAVO LOPEZ Oxnard, California

‘No Easy Answers’ on Married Priests

Regarding “In Media Letter, Priests Call for Optional Celibacy” (Aug. 31-Sept. 6):

Several things need to be noted. Popes were married for how long? What caused the rift between the eastern and western Church? Celibacy? Right! It is a practice that is now beyond its time to be reconsidered.

In the eastern Church, celibacy is optional and adheres to canon laws requiring a cleric to remain in his state at the times of the bestowal of holy orders. Most are married men. There are a few sex scandals. No one would even attempt to hide them from public view but would throw the bum out and call the police, say our prayers and get one with the work of the Church.

Men do not go into a vocation because the work is very hard and we live in a society that no longer values hard work and long hours. Giving oneself to Jesus or to the fellow man does not work well in capitalism. There is your correlation with low entrance to the priesthood.

For years I was a married Orthodox priest. Sixteen hours a day were normal. Getting up at odd hours to hold the hand of one dying happened often. My wife tired of the work and its moving from parish to parish. We retired from pastoral ministry and joined the Roman [Catholic] Church without seeking faculties.

Celibacy is often good for the work and destructive on marriages. It appears a married priest has fewer occasions of sin. On the other hand, it costs the parish to house, feed, clothe and insure a family. There are no easy answers to this question.

Beyond celibacy is the arena of vows. When I see God I know my vows have been kept. To the celibate priest I would wish the same.

REV. WILLIAM SCHILLEREFF Salt Lake City, Utah

Thank You Times Two

Abundant thanks for two recent items in your superb publication: the article “Grieving Parents' Morning Light” (Prolife Profile, Sept. 14-20) and the column “Prayers for Jacinta” (Spirit & Life, Sept. 21-27).

I was thrilled to read about the Morning Light Ministry since I, too, had little support after the stillbirth of our son Loren in 1999, due to anencephaly. I started a pro-life Internet support group, Anencephaly Blessings from Above, groups.yahoo.com/group/anencephalybless-ingsfromabove, which now has more than 200 members. In time, it became apparent that many moms who aborted their anencephalic babies and deeply regretted it needed unique support of their own, so I started another group called Anencephaly Support groups.yahoo.com/group/Anencephaly_ Support, particular to their needs. I eventually handed the reins over to new list leaders and both groups continue to thrive while providing information, encouragement and support to bereaved parents.

Another site worth visiting for those whose baby has received a fatal diagnosis pre-natally is Carrying to Term at www.geoci ties.com/tabris02. This site is for those who are preparing to carry their child to term and answers questions such as “how do we tell people?” or “can we plan the funeral now?” and what to do at the birth, as well as grief recovery and memorializing your baby.

Meanwhile, “Prayers for Jacinta” could not have been more timely for me as I read it on the fourth anniversary of Loren's stillbirth, Sept. 20. The writing touched my heart and I rejoiced in the months I carried Loren within me and for the hours we had with him after his birth.

I thank you sincerely for these articles and your very fine publication.

ANN MARIE HENNINGER Sequim, Washington

Mourning Our Own Aborted

I sure hope that Ginalynne Mielko from Georgia (” Stop the Spin on Sin,” Letters, Sept. 7-13) never considers becoming a post-abortion counselor, because she would sure do a lousy job in getting any woman suffering from an abortion to go back to the sacrament of reconciliation.

I, too, “must sound off” on a particular way in viewing those of us who have had an abortion. I had an abortion when I was 17 years old, not because I said, “You know what, it seems like a great day to kill my child.” No, I was alone, desperate, very, very young and uneducated.

Yes, I was the one who walked into the clinic and let them murder my child, and it is a decision that I have to live with for the rest of my life. We're not stupid. But because I've had an abortion means that I have to walk around being called “murderer”? What ever happened to “whoever is without sin cast the first stone?”

Just because someone refers to their child who has been aborted as “losing” that child to abortion does not lessen the sin any more. I would give the Church more credit than that.

I'm sure these women are well aware of what they've done without someone constantly reminding them of what a horrible and terrible sinner they are. Christ forgives and wants these women to come back to him so they can be mothers to their children in heaven. I'll tell you one thing, if I read a Catholic article that referenced “unable to forgive herself for the role in the murder of her baby …” I would have never come back to the Church for fear of being chastised forever.

Please, have a heart and stop worrying so much about how magazines are grammatically referring to women having abortions and go out and see what you can do to help these women before they have one.

Thank you, Register, for allowing those of us suffering from abortion to mourn our children with dignity.

JENNIFER HIGDON New Market, Maryland