Massachusetts Mess

The mess in Massachusetts reminds me of your recent editorial “Homosexuality, in Your Face” (Aug. 17-23).

It couldn't be more timely or welcome to the readership the Register serves so well. In it you incisively identify a myriad of issues and consequences the “gay rights” apologists are trying to steamroller past the American public.

This extremely small, well-organized group has been wildly successful in its efforts to promote the homosexual agenda. One of its major tactics is to cynically and falsely portray anyone who opposes this juggernaut as being homophobic. This approach has been devastatingly effective, in particular, with getting weak-kneed politicians to endorse virtually all of its legislative initiatives. These initiatives are being passed at such a rapid pace, in many locales, that the average person isn't even aware of them until it is too late to do anything about them. Thus, we are losing the homosexual-agenda battle by default.

Your articles and editorials serve to arm your readers with ammunition that can be used by them to refute the pressure tactics of the homosexual-agenda crowd. The operative word is “used.”

I urge my fellow Catholics to come off the sidelines and join the fray against these homosexual-special-privilege legislative efforts that are tearing the moral fiber of our society to pieces. The nuclear family is the bedrock foundation of our society; isn't it worth fighting for?

WILLIAM SCHROEDER

Rockville Centre, New York

Under God

This is in response to “Religious Lawyers Weigh Possible Impact of Pledge of Allegiance Case” (Nov. 16-22) and your other coverage of the Pledge of Allegiance and the “under God” clause.

In all of the continuing controversy relating to this upcoming decision, everyone, including our supposedly learned legal experts, has forgotten a very important aspect of the law regarding this question — the doctrine of precedence.

This doctrine clearly states that a law or ruling that's been in effect for a number of years and has become common usage can't be changed simply because someone objects to it on constitutional grounds at a later date.

So, if the words “under God” are objectionable, they should have been declared so in 1954, when they were added, and should not be challengeable 50 years later.

It follows then that the pledge should remain as it is, for the benefit of millions of loyal and God-fearing Americans, regardless of the delicate feelings of a handful.

EUGENE MERCIER

Nashua, New Hampshire

Beating AIDS

Regarding “Vatican Holds Firm Against Condom Use” (Oct. 19-27). Bravo for the Vatican. Now what about the White House?

President Bush's $15 billion program “to fight AIDS” isn't designed to fight AIDS at all. It will help those already affected (sick, dying, orphaned), and that is good.

But it won't slow the spread of the disease by possible “7 million new infections” when only a paltry 6% of the money is earmarked for abstinence education and twice that amount goes to Planned Parenthood-style “prevention” (i.e. condoms, sterilization, abortion and birth control) not even mentioned in the feed from Catholic News Service.

Rather than standing up for Catholic moral principles, it seems we are to be thankful for the 6% and the “conscience clause” that guarantees Catholic relief organizations will get a share of the prevention money and “not be discriminated against on the basis of their moral or religious convictions.” Assuming we still have any.

CAROL SUHR

Pine, Arizona

Cardinal Error?

I have often noticed in the Register and other publications that a cardinal is referred to as, for example, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Cardinal Francis Arinze and Cardinal John O'Connor.

This is incorrect. A cardinal is addressed as Angelo Cardinal Sodano, etc.

PATRICIA L. STULTS

Paulding, Ohio

Editor's note: Your letter gives us an opportunity to explain this rule. In formal correspondence, it is acceptable to address a cardinal as you say. But guidelines released by the U.S. bishops and by news services instruct that written material should refer to cardinals in the way you noticed it is done in the Register and in L'Osservatore Romano … As it happens, even the Pope uses this form. We searched the Vatican Web site for references he has made to cardinals and found this one from a December 2001 letter: “I recall your esteemed predecessor, the late Cardinal Ugo Poletti, who accompanied me in the first part of this pilgrimage ..”

Better Late Than Never

Since discovering the Register a year and a half ago (at age 82!), I have read Father Andrew McNair's commentary with great interest and usually great agreement.

However, his column titled “Is the International Criminal Court a Step Forward?” (July 27-Aug. 9) makes me take pause.

Without specifics, the court is made to sound like a panacea to solve, or at least defend, human rights. The devil is in the details, however.

The court would have unlimited power to arrest and judge American citizens, destroying our sovereignty. It would have foreign judges who don't even know English. More ominous is the fact that the leadership at the United Nations often falls upon countries notorious for human-rights violations themselves.

Who can they be expected to prosecute — leaders of regimes known to violate rights or even commit genocide, or a U.S. serviceman performing his military duty?

HARRIETT FOX

Mount Sinai, New York

Beautiful Purity

Tim Drake's Inperson interview with Mary-Louise Kurey (“The Beauty of Abstinence,” Sept. 21-27) was quite inspiring. I'm making a copy available for our nine children.

The Register is a breath of fresh air each week. Thank you for supporting Pope John Paul II and the traditions of Catholic teaching in the secular world that surrounds us.

DON BARTON

Jacksonville, Florida

Long Time Coming

Many years ago in Glasgow, Scotland — in the “BT” (before television) era — I listened as a child to many wonderful plays on the BBC.

One evening they broadcast a play about a man who, when making a visit to a Catholic church, was accosted by the devil, who tried desperately to persuade the man to extinguish the sanctuary lamp. During this great drama, unfortunately, our radio station broke down and I was never able to hear a rebroadcast.

I have asked a number of priests if they could identify the story, but to no avail. Can anyone help with the title or author? This story has been haunting me for years.

ANNE ROONEY NOBLE

Jupiter, Florida

Editor's note: Surely there's a Register reader who can help solve this mystery. Anyone?

The Tabernacle Testifies

Official Catholic documents authorize situating the tabernacle in a prominent place in the church. But some Catholics argue that, when the tabernacle is in front of us during Mass, it distracts from our fully appreciating the act of consecration.

Jesus himself was the central focus at the Last Supper. He was present among his apostles while he changed the bread and wine into his body and blood.

I believe that seeing our Lord's tabernacle in front of us inspires us to give him loving homage and reminds us that it is Jesus himself, acting through the priest, who performs the great miracle of consecration.

MRS. BILL DERRICK

Lewisburg, Tennessee

Wobbly Web Site

I am a subscriber to the Register and am extremely impressed with the structure of the paper. Although I am retired, I have a hard time finishing the paper each week before the next paper arrives. I am quite thorough regarding fully understanding what is written and it takes time.

I regularly want to pass on some of the articles to my children who all have young families, but, judging by the difficulty I have reading through the entire paper, it would be impossible for them. This leads me to want to send them articles that you present so they can read it and be aware of our faith and the complexities that surround it.

I am not a very astute computer person; no matter how hard I try, it just doesn't seem to click. I am not able to access most of [your online] articles, except for the three or four on the main-page heading, and find that some articles are available in the Recent Archive heading but some are not. Is it possible that I am not doing something completely to access the other articles? I believe that, if I were able to pass on select articles, others may also become subscribers.

VIC PASTULA

Tipton, Michigan

Editor's note: Our Web site as it exists is very limited. We have long been planning to redesign it and make it a better tool for subscribers.

In fact, while we're thinking of it: Anyone who can contribute funds to move the Register into the 21st century, Internet-wise, can contact Michael Lambert, our development director, at (203) 230-3805 or mlambert@circle media.com.