Rose Redux

Your editorial regarding Michael Rose and his controversial book Goodbye, Good Men makes some cogent points, although I still am inclined to side with Rose (“Goodbye, Bad Blood?” Jan. 5-11).

You rightly assert that “The Church needs Michael Rose.” The Church also needs orthodox publications like the Register, which I applaud for its sound doctrine and its defense of the saintly Pope John Paul II. But do not shy away from taking on (in a charitable fashion, of course) the dissenters—both on the left and the right—who, by their lack of faith, are only pouring salt on the wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ.

MATT C. ABBOTT

Chicago

The Food-Mood Connection

As a subscriber since 1976 or 1977, I have had the pleasure of seeing the Register become more and more excellent, tackling the toughest issues with great intelligence and realistic adherence to the magisterium. It is a paper I continued to receive while we were ambassadors from Venezuela to the Holy See and now back in my husband's Venezuela. Your paper is extraordinary.

However, I would like to draw your attention to a huge mistake you have made regarding children. It is not regarding the Catholic faith, but could really cause great harm to families.

In the Nov. 10-16 issue, two articles—“Hyperactive or Just Plain Hype?” and “Diet and Defiance”—the idea that diet can affect behavior is scoffed at and dogmatically dismissed. As the mother of a profoundly brain-injured child, whose constant seizures (in spite of every anticonvulsant available to science) were kept completely at bay by careful and intelligent allergy treatments, I have been observing for the past 25 years the discovery of the effects of food, additives and allergies in general on brain performance and following the development of this field. There are several children in our extended family who have had learning and behavioral problems solved quickly and easily with this treatment. This area is absolutely fascinating and there are wonderful people doing extraordinary work.

I would be most grateful if you would make this known to the good families who read the Register. So many “difficult” or “bad” children can be helped and distressed mothers given hope by discovering that it could be the cow's milk, tomatoes, the family cat or something else that is often causing the unexplainable tantrums and unreasonable, depressed or repetitive behavior.

CHRISTINE VOLLMER

Washington, D.C.

Guns of the Gulf War

There were a couple of [details] missing in J.P. Zmirak's essay about the Gulf War in 1991 (“Into Temptation,” Dec. 8-14). First, the fact is that, on numerous occasions, Iraqi soldiers would “surrender” only to fire on coalition troops as soon as they lowered their guard a little bit. One reason war must only be a last resort is that things get confusing and mistakes are made, resulting in the loss of innocent lives as may have been in that case. This is why certain laws of war exist: to prevent the loss of innocent lives.

During the war with Iraq, we were dealing with an enemy who had a complete disregard for innocent lives. Nobody can forget how Saddam packed a command-and-control bunker with civilians knowing that its configuration, antennae and electronic emissions would identify it as a purely military target and mislead us into attacking it. He sent his people to their deaths in an effort to gain sympathy from the rest of the world. I hope we don't have to go to war, but, more than that, I hope this madman is not allowed to get his hands on the types of weapons he is so desperately seeking.

The second point is that I have no doubt in my mind that Timothy McVeigh and John Mohammed would have committed their barbaric acts regardless of their participation in the Gulf War. Case in point: the current belief that it was not Mohammed but John Lee Malvo who pulled the trigger.

JOSE CARBONELL

Potomac, Maryland

Stop War Before It Starts

As you have pointed out, Pope John Paul II insists that war must and can be avoided in a world made fearful by terrorism. “From the cave in Bethlehem there rises today an urgent appeal to the world not to yield to war,” the Pope beseeched in his Christmas message. John Paul called the world to “extinguish the ominous smoldering of a conflict which, with the joint efforts of all, can be avoided.”

The Pope's comments reflected the Vatican's widely known opposition to U.S. plans to attack Iraq. In contrast to last year's war in Afghanistan, where the Pope said there was a moral right to defend the common good against terrorism, the Vatican has repeatedly said that Catholic teaching does not consider “preventative” war to be justifiable.

There are several things each of us can do to stop the war: Attend the Peace March Jan. 18 in Washington, D.C., or San Francisco. Call or write President Bush and your Congressman. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Ask you parish priest to speak from the pulpit on Sunday on the Catholic concept of just war.

As much as President Bush desires this war, he is first and foremost a politician who will respond to the will of the people. Blessed be the peacemakers.

WILLIAM CLIFFORD ELLERMAN

Silver Spring, Maryland

Feisty Letter-Writer

I take exception to the front-page brief titled “Catholic Governor Barred by Priest” (Jan. 5-11). Msgr. Edward Kavanagh was referred to as a feisty administrator of St. Patrick's Children's Home in Sacramento. This description was unfairly demeaning. The monsignor should have been highly lauded for such action. How inappropriate it would be for Gov. Gray Davis, who has a long record of making a mockery of his Church's pro-life position to have had any part in the Christmas activities in a Catholic children's home.

The government is full of “Catholic” pro-choice politicians who in most cases advocate such a position only for personal gain. It is long overdue that their responsible bishops and priests take them to task. The failure to do so has cased significant damage to our Church and the pro-life movement.

VERN J. SIMON

Evans, Georgia

Editor's note: We intended “feisty” as a compliment.

2003 Prayer

Congratulations and thanks for the absolutely marvelous Dec. 29 issue of the National Catholic Register. What an effective and complete way of proclaiming the Year of the Rosary. I have read (as I do weekly) the entire issue with all the excellent insights and information, as well as suggestions in praying the rosary. It is an issue that many of us readers will save.

Thanks to your dedication to evangelism via the printed word. May your subscriptions increase week by week! Please extend my sincere admiration and thanks to your entire staff that does such an attractive and readable layout each week. May 2003 be a year of continued growth in the Register family. May the Lord Jesus reward your fidelity.

BISHOP PAUL V. DUDLEY

Northfield, Minnesota

The writer is retired bishop of Sioux Falls, S.D.