Life First

I was heartened to read about Cardinal O'Connor's recent speech to Catholic health professionals, in which he appropriately described partial-birth abortion as “a horror far beyond others” (“Cardinal Blasts Partial-Birth Abortion at Medical Congress,” Sept. 20–26 issue).

In the same week that United Nations bureaucrats cheered wildly for President Clinton in spite of his current scandal, Cardinal O'Connor reminded us that the violent destruction of human life is an even greater scandal. The Declaration of Independence reminds us that “all Men … are endowed by their Creator with certain unalien-able Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Our nation's founders realized that life was the most basic right, that no other right could be enjoyed if the sanctity of life was not first recognized. The Founding Fathers also realized that only a virtuous people could remain free.

Our beloved nation faces many serious challenges as we prepare to cross the bridge into the 21st century. If we return to the set of values advocated by Cardinal O'Connor and our nation's founders, America can once again be a beacon of hope — a shining city upon a hill.

Gary L Bauer President

Family Research Council Washington, D.C.

Sermons from Dr. Laura?

Your article on Dr. Laura Schlessinger (“Dr. Laura's Rx for Bill, Monica, and Everyone Else,” Sept. 27-Oct. 3) appears at the same time many Catholic publications and diocesan papers are writing about morality in the wake of the Starr report.

In my estimation, Dr. Laura's advice is first-rate. While I listened to her program three or four times several years ago, I was completely turned off by her use of street language; I don't know if she has continued to do this. However, it seems that she is doing the morality sermon for all the faiths — I wonder why more of the Catholic clergy cannot give the same advice from the pulpit?

This past weekend I attended Mass in the Archdiocese of Washington; the church bulletin contained an insert with “the cardinal's reflections.” One sentence stood out because it was so sad and, unfortunately, so true of today's Church: “Church leaders are sometimes reluctant to speak about personal sin — lest some of the membership be alienated.”

Sarah McCray Annapolis, Maryland