Santorum's Mixed Signals

I was happy to read “Let There be Politeness on Earth” in the Feb. 15-21 issue highlighting Karen Santorum's book Everyday Graces: A Child's Book of Good Manners.

Being a Catholic schoolteacher and former home-schooling mom, I appreciate the need for such a book. “Increasing the civility in our culture” is of the utmost importance to me also.

As a lifelong resident of Pennsylvania, I have long admired Mrs. and Sen. [Rick] Santorum. I have worked many times for his re-election, knowing the clear pro-life message he and his wife have stood for both personally and in the public forum at great cost.

With the dawning of this most recent primary season, I was struck speechless when I witnessed, on television, Sen. Santorum endorsing the candidacy of Sen. Arlen Specter over pro-life Congressman Pat Toomey. Specter has one of the clearest pro-abortion voting records of any Republican in the Senate. I believe Sen. and Mrs. Santorum have always worked to achieve civility in our culture. The pro-life community in Pennsylvania, however, is confused by this latest conflicting signal. Confusion breeds a lack of civility.

Karen Santorum states: “The concept of politeness has … enabled civilizations to thrive.” I pray the senator will reconsider his endorsement of Specter and allow more pre-born babies to thrive.

MAUREEN BRETT Roslyn, Pennsylvania

Killer Contraception

Regarding “Post-Abortive Women Say: ‘Don't Make the Mistake We Made’” (Feb. 8-14):

In a strong effort to increase the use of “emergency contraception,” the makers of the drug Plan B are pressuring the FDA to make their drug available over the counter. They falsely contend that this “wonder drug” will prevent tens of thousands of abortions by preventing pregnancy. Sadly, the fact is that so-called “emergency contraception” will often act to cause a chemical abortion. And legislation introduced this year (Assembly Bill 170) would mandate that all Wisconsin hospitals provide “emergency contraception” to alleged victims of sexual assault upon their request.

Emergency contraception, also known as the morning-after pill, is basically two high doses of the birth-control pill taken within a 72-hour period. It can work in three ways: by inhibiting the movement of sperm, suppressing ovulation and irritating the lining of the uterus so that a newly conceived child is unable to implant in the womb, thus starving and dying. This last action is chemical abortion.

Proponents of emergency contraception contend it does not cause an abortion. They argue that it prevents pregnancy and thereby reduces the need for induced abortion. However, they intentionally (and wrongly) define the term “pregnancy” as implantation of a fertilized egg in the lining of a woman's uterus as opposed to pregnancy beginning at fertilization.

Whether one understands pregnancy as beginning at implantation or fertilization, the heart of the matter is when human life begins. Embryological science has clearly determined that human life begins at fertilization — the fusion of an egg and sperm immediately resulting in a new, genetically distinct human being. This is not a subjective opinion but an objective scientific fact. Accordingly, any artificial action that works to destroy a fertilized egg (human embryo) is abortifacient in nature.

I deeply sympathize with victims of sexual assault. It is very difficult, however, to determine whether or not fertilization has occurred at the time emergency contraception must be taken. The situation can be likened to a hunter who sees something moving in the bushes and holds his fire until he is sure it is not a person. We must act with the same restraint in protecting newly conceived human life. And we should urge our legislators to oppose a bill that would require many religious hospitals to participate in a morally objectionable practice.

CHARMAINE HERBERT Brookfield, Wisconsin

The writer is an executive board member of Pro-Life Wisconsin.

Bible-Study Mixers

Regarding “Catholic Groups Make Headway in Bible-Study Programs” (Feb. 15-21):

As a lifelong faithful Catholic and 10-year member of Community Bible Study (teaching director of our local class for the past seven years), I am appalled by the charge that nondenominational Bible studies are “leading Catholics away from the Church.” My participation in Community Bible Study has significantly deepened my faith in Jesus Christ and in what the Catholic Church teaches, too. It is unrealistic to expect Catholic dogma to be taught in this venue (neither is Baptist or Methodist, etc.). However, I have found this study invaluable in spurring me to find out what my denomination teaches on a particular issue, why they interpret it as they do and to come up with an intelligible, nonconfrontational way of explaining my beliefs to others.

I can't speak for Bible Study Fellowship, the other group mentioned in the article, but the premise of Community Bible Study — as stated at every orientation session for new members and in print in each person's notebook — is that we know we have differences in some areas but we come together to share how the word of God has spoken to us and to focus on those things we have in common. We do not allow secondary issues to break down the unity that we have on the main issues.

It is unfortunate that Ms. Melanson was reprimanded for sharing her opinion, but it might have been how she said it rather than what she said. The small groups are for sharing our answers “with gentleness and respect,” as St. Peter says in 1 Peter 3:15-16, not for convincing others of the rightness of our opinions. I personally have grown tremendously because of this study, and I think others have a better understanding of what Catholics believe because of my involvement in it.

BARBARA MURPHY Clearwater, Florida

Compensation Clarity

What a thought-provoking column by Jennifer Roback Morse (“When Jobs Are Illegal, Only Illegals Will Have Jobs,” Feb. 8-14).

Morse's question about “how many American teen-agers realistically need their own health benefits or paid parental leave?” — plus her point that “like their European counterparts, California progressives expect employers to solve all the problems of the world, including child care, health care and the tender psyches of transvestites” — certainly demands some attention. Also, surely, the issue of government mandating unsustainable compensation levels has to be seriously considered in addressing our country's ongoing immigration-policy mess.

I'm looking forward to future installments of Morse's occasional series “Clashing Views: The Immigration Debate.”

K. DALE ANDERSON Randallstown, Maryland

Pesky Russian Catholics

Regarding “‘Do Not Think I Am Anti-Catholic’” (Inperson, Feb. 1-7):

The interviewer asked Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexi II: “Why are you so concerned with the Catholics of Ukraine?” He stated that “the Greek-Catholic Church in Ukraine was banned by Stalin, and those who returned to the Orthodox Church as well as those who remained uniates received pastoral care by the Orthodox Church.”

I assume he is implying that these pesky Ukrainian Byzantine Catholics should just be happy with pastoral care in Orthodox churches. Then I would have to ask the same question to him — why do the Orthodox need to build their own churches in the West when they could just be pastored by Eastern Catholic churches?

Further, why haven't the Orthodox Churches returned to Eastern Catholics all the churches stolen from us by the communists and subsequently given to the Orthodox?

DANIEL J. BARTON Fayetteville, North Carolina

(Retired U.S. Army, Byzantine Catholic Christian)

His Blood Is on Us

Regarding “Box Office Passion” (Feb. 22-28): When Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, viewed The Passion of the Christ, he found its portrayal of Jews “painful to watch.” In reading about his reaction, it occurred to me how little he and other nonbelievers understand Christianity.

All human beings are culpable for the death of Christ, and we should all find the movie painful to watch because of that culpability. Every time we sin we become members of the crowd yelling, “Crucify him!”

Any nationality, race or group of human beings was capable of killing Christ, but Christ told the woman at the well that “salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22). And so it was that the Jews were chosen to bring about our salvation in all respects — even in the death of Christ. For any Christian to hate Jews is ridiculous. The proper response is love.

BEVERLY ANN THEWES

Naples, Florida