Harry and the Archbishop

In “On Potter, Politics, The Passion … and Everything” (Inperson, Sept. 14-20), Archbishop Charles Chaput was asked: “You recently defended the Harry Potter books against censorship, arguing that the problem isn't magic and sorcery in the books but how the culture alienates us from responding to them in an appropriate way.” He answered, “Any excessive focus on witchcraft or sorcery is bad, but I think the Harry Potter books and films can be enjoyed as a children's fantasy. Nothing in either attacks the Christian faith, and good does win out over evil.”

In an article Archbishop Chaput wrote in January 2002, this is what he said: “So what's the verdict on Harry Potter? That's a matter for parents, not bishops, to decide. I think Harry Potter can be happily enjoyed as a children's fantasy movie. Nothing in the movie attacks the Christian faith, and good does win out over evil. At the same time, unfortunately, characters in the Potter books do sometimes accomplish good things by doing bad things, like lying.” The article is posted on www.catholic family.org.

The last time I looked, the end never justifies the means! The fact that good things are accomplished by doing bad things, like lying, does indeed attack the Christian faith.

I would like to know what the bishop did in the way of study regarding the Harry Potter phenomenon. There is a ton of information exposing the many dangers of Harry Potter available from very reliable sources. I am sorry, but I'm just so tired of hearing relativist statements about “Little Harry.”

I am also tired of fighting the clergy in the course of trying to carry out my duties as a parent. Knowing how controversial the Harry Potter series is, I expected more than this.

I think Archbishop Chaput is an awesome bishop. I would, however, ask him to use a pen name when doing movie reviews.

JOHN BEDARD Springfield, Tennessee

No ‘Father Dads’

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

Years before the current sex scandal, I was having a conversation with my more liberal cousin and a priest about whether the Church would ever allow priests to marry as a norm rather than an exception. What I told them is what I usually tell anyone who starts this conversation. “I don't know about you, but I'm pretty selfish in my spiritual needs, and I want my priest to be there in the hospital giving me last rites rather than down in the delivery room helping his wife give birth to a child!”

We also have some friends who were told, when the husband was looking into the deaconate, that they needed to wait until their own family was older and less demanding. (They are expecting No. 5). So why would it be easier for a priest with small children?

And finally, as a former Army wife, I saw the hardships our family had to go through while my husband was caring for one of his soldiers' family's needs. As a leader in the military, especially overseas, he was not only responsible for the soldiers but also their families. Priests, especially parish priests, are responsible for the spiritual needs of all the members in their respective parishes, and thus their own families would suffer.

If the Catholic Church ever went “democratic,” I would vote No to priestly marriage. Luckily, the Holy Spirit is guiding us and “the gates of hell will not prevail” against us.

JANE SNYDER

El Paso, Texas

Show Your Commandments

Thank you for “Monumental Battle: Judge Moore Stands by Ten Commandments” (Aug. 31-Sept. 6).

The recent aggressive removal of Christian symbols from public view should be frankly frightening to every Christian regardless of denomination. Are we headed for a United States devoid of any reference to God? I spent a few years in Poland before the fall of communism and remember the active public persecution of the Church. Is that where we are going?

Already free speech regarding God is being curtailed. Soon more Christian symbols will be removed from public display. How soon will the practice of our Christian faith become illegal because its moral tenets insult certain groups? Ladies and gentlemen, we are sliding fast on the slippery slope to state-sponsored atheism. (Isn't that a sort of religion?) We have got to do something.

Then you ran a follow-up, “As Monument Comes Down, Project Moses Heats Up,” (Sept. 7-13) and some hope was restored. But we must do much more if we want our country to retain its Christian heritage. Along with our evangelical-Protestant brothers and sisters, we need to launch a counterattack.

Let's all display the Ten Commandments — millions of us. Signs on our lawns, posters in our car windows, fliers, bumper stickers — wherever people can see them. Show the liberals that they've finally pushed us too far. Now we're going to push back, and we're not going to stop until our Judeo-Christian tradition is restored to its proper place in the public square, as the very foundation of our national existence. God who has created us gave us our rights. No state has the authority to take them away.

Can a few tyrannical judges stop millions of ordinary people from displaying the Ten Commandments? “Thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates,” says the Lord (Deuteronomy 11:20). Let's do it and see what happens.

KATHRYN SKUZA, M.D.

Union, New Jersey

Rosary Guide, Umbert and You

Dear Associates,

The response to the Register Guide to the Rosary has been very positive. We have distributed all tens of thousands of copies that you donated to the Archdiocese for the Military Services. Rosary guides are on ships, aircraft and armored vehicles and in rucksacks around the world with our military men and women. They are treasured by both Catholic and Protestant service personnel.

Now, Gary Cangemi, the author of Umbert the Unborn, has given us permission to print a collection of Umbert cartoon strips in book format. This will be a wonderful tool for parents, grandparents and godparents to teach young people about the truth of pro-life issues that will confront them when they reach adulthood. There will be 84 pages of cartoons and commentary in this beautiful full-color soft-cover book. We need your help to begin publishing this so that it will be available for Christmas.

If you can help us raise the $16,000 we need for this vital project, or have any suggestions for marketing, let me know.

And don't forget — please join Father Owen Kearns, LC, in New York City on the evening of Oct. 2 at the Waldorf Astoria. Contact me for further information about this exciting event.

MICHAEL LAMBERT

Register Development Director

(203) 230-3805

[email protected]