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Contents © 2002
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

LETTERS
APRIL 2002

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'BRUNSMAN'S WORLD' A WASTE OF SPACE

It was fortunate that today was my day to volunteer for the society of St. Vincent de Paul, as it was a good friend and fellow Christian that pointed out you so-called "editorial" comment. Your opinion was such a waste of perfectly good, usually newsworthy space. Father Barry Brunsman is a man of spirituality and true Christian love. My husband and I are regular attendees of the 7:30 a.m. Mass at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, and we are delighted when Father Barry honors us with his beautiful translation of the Christian Roman Catholic mass. When Father Barry makes the sign of the cross in the name of the Lover -- yes, that is our God -- the Beloved, Jesus, Who died on the cross for all humankind -- and of Love, the Holy Spirit, that should fill all of us.

If the Holy Spirit did fill all of us with the love that Father Barry preaches, then perhaps I wouldn't feel that your words were so ignorant or that they made you seem so very, very ugly to me. Father Barry knows the Gospel word for word, or very close to it, and he does not need to read from the sacramentary. There was one thing in your article that pleased me, you took your children and left the Church. Some day love will over-power the evil one and your path will return to understanding that love in Christianity and indeed Christianity is Father Barry Brunsman.

Karen Whitson
Fremont


READER STILL THINKS MALTHUS WAS RIGHT

This is a response to Royce Dunn's characterization of couples' decisions to remain childfree as being motivated by the materialistic pursuit of pleasure ["Life Chain Founder Takes on Contraception," January Faith]. My husband and I are deliberately childfree, and Mr. Dunn's simplistic characterization insults and demeans our deeply-held convictions.

God has placed humans on this earth to be its responsible stewards. Examples within Nature clearly demonstrate that when any species allows its numbers to exceed its available resources, that species perishes.

Mankind is no exception to the harsh rule of Nature -- as much as we would like to think we are -- and by electing to remain childfree, my husband and I are doing our part to stem mankind's rapid slide towards overpopulation. Setting aside Mr. Dunn's presumption at claiming knowledge of God's wishes concerning his reproductive practices, I find it curious that when Mr. Reslock describes his remorse "at not having all the children God wanted him to have," no mention is made of what Mrs. Dunn thinks about the matter. Is this an omission by the author of the article, or its subject? Regardless of which man perpetuated it, the omission is a significant one considering that women -- not men -- are the ones who must first bear children and then, in most cases, be their primary care givers.

In conclusion, I would like to suggest that Mr. Dunn's sense of guilt, while no doubt heartfelt, is misplaced. His "sin" was not using contraception -- that matter is between him, his wife, and God. Rather, it was his simultaneously writing public diatribes against the practice while enjoying its benefits in private.

Cynthia Donihue
Middletown

Editor responds: In the article, it was Dunn expressing remorse at not having all the children God wanted him to have.


CALLING ALL BISHOPS

Davis and Pelosi are just two of an extensive list of notorious politicians that promote, encourage, and advocate abortion, including partial birth abortion, and yet profess to be members in good standing in the Roman Catholic Church. Pelosi [see News, December 2001 Faith] claims that anyone can promote abortion while still being a "good Catholic." Pelosi is a politician. Here she illicitly usurps the expertise of a moralist. Perhaps your readership can tell us the name of any American bishop who has threatened excommunication, let alone followed through with those in high places who repeatedly and notoriously advocate mortal sin, thereby causing grave scandal. Permitting continued scandal is tantamount and commensurate to repeatedly giving it -- maybe worse! Pelosi does not just advocate serious sin, she compounds the outrageous offense by claiming she can do so as a good Catholic. Perhaps the good American bishops would finally take a stand if Pelosi were to advocate stealing from the collection plate.

Gerald O'Halloran
Littleton, CO


FRIEND OF AFGHAN PEOPLE NOT HAPPY USA EXPORTS ABORTION

The following was sent to the Faith.

Dear Father Pavelis:

I am a Catholic and an old associate of the Afghan people. Since 1979 my family has been trying to support them as they bleed for us again and again. Now I have the supreme shame of presenting this article [Planned Parenthood Priest, January Faith] to them, to show how you, our religious leader, [are defending those killing innocent Afghans in the womb].

Shame on you for your arrogant words to Miss Giglio! You are a toady of the moneyed powers, [who are] killers of the weak and innocent, bringers of despair to the poor. Fall on your faces and repent, because almighty God remembers each wretched refugee you deceive.

Lawrence Dickson
La Jolla

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