Contraception?

The article on a new natural family planning (NFP) device (“British Church Leaders Hail New NFP Device”) in the Nov. 10–16 issue of the Register leaves the reader under the erroneous impression (by distinguishing it from “other contraceptives”) that either some contraceptives are all right, or that to practice NFP is to practice contraception. “Church leaders” would hardly be welcoming it if this were the case. What is certainly welcome is anything that enables married couples to freely and responsibly align themselves with what they perceive to be God's plan for their family.

A contraceptive device is one which prevents conception. The “Persona” device enables a woman to know when she is fertile and might just as well facilitate conception as prevent it. NFPincludes having children as well as postponing their conception. It is certainly possible to use NFP for contraceptive purposes, just as it is possible to tell the truth for the purpose of ruining someone's reputation. Good things can be abused, but the abuse does not alter their nature.

Contraception as such is always unchristian. It adapts God's plan to the couple's. NFPadapts the couple's plan to God's. There's a world of difference.

Finally, if “Persona” performs as advertised, it is certainly useful, but it is at once more expensive, less effective and less universally applicable than current NFP methods (ovulation or sympto-thermal). These work equally well for women with irregular cycles and in menopause, and have a reliability rate upwards of 97.5 percent.

Father Brian Wilson LC Los Angeles, California

‘Common Ground’

I half-agree with your editorial “Late Night,” in the Nov. 17-23 issue. Yes, it might have helped the late Cardinal Bernardin to have loosened-up when dealing with people. But that does not necessarily mean that we have to applaud his “Common Ground” project.

Unfortunately, both Bob Dole and Cardinal Bernardin were surrounded by “handlers” who were wrong about the views of the general population. Many say that Catholics already have common ground in the Pope, and a moderate center in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. A centrist Catholic accepts both Mother Angelica's ornate Masses, said partly in Latin, and a simple guitar Mass—as long they both follow the present edition of the Missal.

The problem with the “Common Ground” project, it seems to me, is that it only seeks to reach out to the left, while dismissing even the right-of-center as beyond the pale. We keep hearing that we have to modify the English translation of prayers, but no one proposes that at least the Ordinary be printed in both English and Latin.

Don Schenk Allentown, Pennsylvania

Bishops'Mandate

It was a pleasure to read David Schindler's discussion of the works of Cardinal Henri de Lubac in his Register article, “America's Dangerous Lack of Religious Drama” (Nov. 17–23). A sidebar article described the cardinal's 1966 entreaty to the Catholic press to provide healing leadership in bringing about “true aggiornamento,” the hoped for reform that was the promise of Vatican II. Thirty years later, neither the religious press nor the American Catholic bishops have done enough to foster genuine renewal of Catholic life in the spirit and the letter of Vatican II.

If the press reports are true, 54 percent of American Catholics voted for a presidential candidate whose only consistency in public policy was his dogged support of the culture of death, especially regarding unlimited abortion rights.

Until our leadership decides to lead us back to Jesus and his Father-rather than to Washington, D.C.- Christians will remain lost in the desert and Pelagius will rule the public square.

Gerald Kerr Fort Scott, Kansas

Buddhism in France

The concern about Buddhism having a following in France (“Buddhism Finds Fertile Soil in France,” Nov. 17-23) reminds me of something Winston Churchill said about the Italians during WWII: “It is only fair, we had them as allies in the last war.” The same can be said for France and its relationship to the Catholic Church. The lukewarm are always with us, be it in war or the next pew.

I was taken with the quote from Geoffrey Saint-Hilaire, “Buddhism is nothing but the adoration and fanaticism of the void.” It sounds like Shakespeare's “wonderful nothingness” to me. What does God think of all this?

Edmond Day Watervliet, New York