Thirty Years Too Many

This month marks the 30th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. It is a gloomy anniversary. What can our nation say about 30 years of abortion on demand? Is there any regret for the 41 million aborted children? How many potential scientists, doctors, lawyers, teachers and priests were aborted? Is there any regret over the countless women wounded, killed and assaulted in the abortion mills?

How should we recognize that horrible day, Jan. 22, 1973? Many will attend the March for Life in Washington, D.C. I hope to attend, to witness to our government the horrors of abortion. To let them know that legalized abortion is unacceptable to a nation founded on certain inalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I wonder if the march will receive any press this year? Every year, the story is rarely talked about in the mainstream media, even though it is one of the biggest marches in Washington. I ask people who have never spoken up before to make the effort to attend. All it takes for evil to succeed is for the good to say nothing.

Will our nation endure another 30 years of slaughtering the innocent? I pray that it will not. How can we continue to sleep at night with 4,000 children dying every day? Many say that abortion is no longer a relevant issue.

Even though this year marks 30 years since Roe v. Wade, abortion is a new tragedy because the babies who die today never died before.

THOMAS MESSE, M.D.

Groton, Connecticut

Work of Rosary Art

I am so impressed by your absolutely wonderful “Year of the Rosary” edition (Dec. 29-Jan. 4). I was only able to obtain one copy from a friend—and am unwilling to part with it. It is truly a treasure—a work of art!

I am interested in purchasing additional copies of this edition, as I believe it would be a most effective tool in teaching my CCD class about the rosary and the new mysteries.

How might I purchase additional copies of this issue?

VICTORIA GENNARO

Riverside, California

Rosary Men

Thank you so much for the “Year of the Rosary” special edition. It is so beautiful and meaningful, and it truly underscores the Holy Father's call to prayer this year.

Your “Guide to the Rosary,” including the pictures and reflections on each of the mysteries, would make a wonderful companion booklet as one prays the rosary each day.

I hope you have plans to separately print and promote this guide broadly. The National Resource Center for Catholic Men would certainly urge its use.

We are very grateful for the National Catholic Register and all you do to support, affirm and encourage our Catholic faith. May God richly bless you all in this new year.

L. KEVIN LYNCH

Gaithersburg, Maryland

The writer is president of the National Resource Center for Catholic Men.

Editor's note: Thank you to all of the readers who have contacted us to praise and request copies of our rosary issue. We have printed 10,000 copies of a special reprint issue of that paper; nearly 8,000 have already been sold. To order copies, call (800) 356-9916.

Soft on Cardinal Law?

The sympathetic editorial in the Dec. 22–28 Register, “Farewell Cardinal Law,” sounds like a take-off from The Wizard of Oz. He's not a bad man, just a bad cardinal.

It would be easier to have some sympathy for Cardinal Law if one did not know that for years groups and individuals in the area had been warning, urging and begging him to do something about the problems of various kinds of abuse. The pleas for help were largely ignored. Is that what is called clericalism?

Too many of the Catholic Church's leaders have replaced the wisdom of the Church's teaching of original sin, repentance mortification, penance and sacrifice with dubious psychological treatment from the experts of human behavior.

Now the bishops are again depending on secular experts such as Frank Keating and Kathleen McChesney to help solve their problems.

MEL SCHREMPP

Chewelah, Wash.

Rachael Lampa Fan

I am a young girl who very much enjoys your newspaper. I think you guys do a very thorough and interesting job.

My family are not regular subscribers as yet, but occasionally we are able to pick an issue up in the vestibule of our church, and when that happens it just gets read to pieces! Thank you for doing such an excellent job of informing and encouraging Catholics.

I am an enthusiastic fan of Rachael Lampa. I was so excited when informed by a friend that she is Catholic. They said they thought they had seen her interviewed in your “Inperson” column, several issues back.

I was wondering, would it be too much trouble for you to go through your files and find that particular issue and send it, or even just the article, to me?

Enclosed is some money. If this is too much trouble, don' bother, and keep the money as a donation.

KALLAH STANSBERRY

Pickens, South Carolina

Editor's note: Thanks. We'll send the issue to you.