Catholic Investments

I think the Aquinas Mutual Fund is playing a strange game investing in companies whose policies they disagree with in order to change behavior (“Catholic Mutual Fund Managers Keep Corporations on the High Road,” Feb. 15-21). Even as a tactical measure, I think this is unethical since to some extent the invested money will benefit the objectionable behavior. Also, playing games with investment money is not productive and does not help the economy however “noble” the motives.

Reading further into the article, I see this firm is playing the affirmative action game as well. I have to ask myself the question, what does the nonsense of affirmative action have to do with Catholic teaching? The Aquinas Fund was able to get five women promoted to senior management level at one particular company. So what! Maybe some of these women were unfairly promoted over men who were the sole support of their families. Discrimination in employment is wrong, yes, but so are attempts to remedy discrimination by using the injustice of affirmative action.

Paul Trouve

Montague, New Jersey

Winning&Miracles

I enjoyed the editorial musings on God vis-‡-vis athletic contests (“Post Super Bowl Musings,” Feb. 22-28).

There is, I believe, a logical answer to the alleged conundrum. An athletic event is a human contest with human ability—and sometimes chance—deciding the winner. Were God to take sides, there would no longer be a contest, and the loser would have just cause to complain about God. There will be no such complaints, at least not just ones, for he will not make our contests unfair. The same principle applies to any sort of human competition and games of chance.

Does God care which team wins the Super Bowl? No, but he does care how each participant conducts himself. Does he care whether Notre Dame wins? No, and despite Mr. Holtz, his mother would never ask him to stack the deck to please her.

Just a thought on Mother Angelica's alleged cure. If God cured her, why did she only “gradually” get better? One of the marks of a genuine miracle from God is its instantaneity. When Christ cured the man lame from birth, he got up without hesitation, fully able to walk and run. So if Mother is indeed cured, there is a human explanation for what happened.

Leo Kelly

Pearland, Texas

Editor's note: Sometimes God chooses to heal instantly and at other times progressively. See the account of Jesus healing the blind man in Mk 8:24.

Fighting Irish

It was heartening to read the article by William Murray on the University of Notre Dame making a spiritual comeback (“For Tradition-minded Catholics, Notre Dame is Making a Comeback,” Feb. 8-14, 1998). As a wife and mother of Notre Dame graduates I find this news very encouraging. It also shows what a difference a few holy individuals can make to change the atmosphere around them. Mary Kloska is certainly to be commended for promoting eucharistic adoration on campus. Where Jesus is adored in the Blessed Sacrament you will always find holiness.

Jim Gallagher's article for the Catholic Traveler (“An Afternoon with the Martyrs of Tyburn”) was also most interesting. My husband and I travel to London quite frequently and will certainly stop by the Tyburn Convent on our next visit to pray at that hallowed place where the English Martyrs shed their blood.

Thank you for publishing such a fine Catholic newspaper. We look forward to our copy each week.

Martha Condit

Birmingham, Michigan

Gov. Voinovich

The “U.S. Notes and Quotes” (Register, March 1) features excerpts from a Columbus Dispatch article about how his Catholic faith guides the daily policy-making life of Ohio Gov. George Voinovich.

“He doesn't check his faith at the door,” begins the article cited. Quotes from the governor include: “I do not think that one can separate who they are or what they do from their basic religious faith…” and “A lot of this stuff that we do is tough. It's redemptive.”

In the interests of filling in the thumbnail sketch of Voinovich, let me add just two facts that may be of interest to his fellow Catholics. First of all, as governor, he has long supported abortion rights in cases of rape and incest—a policy that potentially condemns to death (without benefit of baptism) the innocent offspring of those heinous sins. Secondly, in running for reelection in 1994, he eagerly chose abortion rights supporter Nancy Hollister as his running mate.

I hope Register readers take this information into account as they evaluate Governor Voinovich's public and political life.

Columbus Ohio Mark Higdon,

Corrections:

The telephone number published for the Mercy Foundation in the video review “Three Giants From Poland” (Feb. 22) was incorrect. The correct number is 888-286-3729.

In the article “Light from a Holy Man” (Feb. 8), the word “not” was omitted twice due to a transcription error.

“Gandhi was ignorant of Christianity” should read “Gandhi was not ignorant of Christianity.”

“As man has been given the power to create…” should read “As man has not been given the power to create…”

The Register regrets the errors.