LETTERS

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ROAMIN' CATHOLIC






Contents © 2001
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

LETTERS
NOVEMBER 2001

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MORE DONNER RESEARCH AVAILABLE

Once again a great issue [October 2001]. Thank you so much for what you are doing. I particularly enjoyed the article about the Breen family and the Donner party tragedy [see "Ordeal by History"]. A friend and former parishioner of St Joseph's in Auburn, and a retired sister of social service who now lives in Oregon is the granddaughter of C.F. McGlashan. He was the editor of The Truckee Republican newspaper and wrote the classic account of the tragedy in 1879. Her biography of her grandfather, Give Me a Mountain Meadow, by Nona McGlashan, Pioneer Publishing Co. gives a detailed account of his investigations into the ordeal. He preserved the site of the wintering of the party and was able to identify the Breens' cabin. It was he who instigated the building of the Pioneer monument at Donner Lake, which was dedicated in 1918. What is most edifying is the fact that the monument is actually built over the site of the Breen cabin. One of the reasons given for this by McGlashan was that "this cabin had been central to the theater of the tragedy." This is truly a monument to the indomitable spirit of a Catholic family who trusted in the God. God bless all your endeavors in bringing the truths of our holy faith to Catholics in Northern California.

Sincerely,

Penny Gowring
Auburn


MORE WEYRICH IN HUMAN EVENTS

I hope that Mr. Reslock will give more complete coverage of Paul Weyrich's arguments in favor of President Bush's decision on stem cell research in your next issue. His complete argument may be found in Human Events and of course from the Free Congress Foundation.

Anne Eich
Palo Alto


PROOF-READ!

You should proofread your articles. On page 4 of your October issue, column 3, it says "University of San Francisco." The stem cell article is about U.C. San Francisco, not USF, a Jesuit university. You should correct it in your next issue.

Thanks,

M.R. MacKerrow

Editor: Thanks to Mr. MacKerrow for pointing this out. We regret the error.


TIME FOR CHARITY

The tragedy of September 11 has resulted in an outpouring of generosity on the part of Americans who want to help those suffering from the disaster. This is certainly in keeping with the corporal works of mercy. Regarding the dead, we entrust their souls to the infinite mercy of God and pray that they were in a state of grace when they died: "Watch therefore, for you do not know at what hour your Lord is to come. But of this be assured, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would certainly have watched and not let his house be broken into (Matthew 24:42)."

St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, said before her death: "Lay this body wherever it may be. Let no care of it disturb you: this only I ask of you, that you should remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be (Confessions of St. Augustine, 9,11)." As Catholics we should also perform the spiritual works of mercy of praying for the living and the dead -- especially for those thousands, of whatever beliefs or ethnic backgrounds, who died tragically when "the thief" took their lives. I would urge all your readers to request of their pastors that the Holy Mass be offered for the souls of the victims of the attack on America. The sacrifice of the Mass is of infinite value, and the most important charitable benefit that any soul can receive. What better way can we Catholics help than to join with Christ's sacrifice in the Mass for the repose of their souls?

Sincerely,

Laurette Elsberry
Sacramento


TIME FOR WAR

The Sunday after the 9-11 attack on America I entered my church an angry man. My pastor spoke to the congregation of Matthew's Gospel. He was sensitive as he explained Matthew's message of forgiveness: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you and pray for those who persecute you." I thought, "Yes, Jesus forgave his executioners for they know not what they do." Therefore, [I thought] "as we strive toward the perfection of Christ we should do like-wise and do good to those who hate and persecute us." As a Catholic I understand that. I thought how much I love my dog. If that beautiful animal created by God should go mad and hurt others, I would show my love for it and "do good" to my dog. I would destroy it. In fact, I would have a moral obligation to destroy it to protect others from its madness. And by destroying it I would be forgiving the poor creature for its madness.

I left church convinced that there is an appointed time for everything. This is the time for moral clarity, not moral confusion. Now is the time for "overturning the tables" in the temple of the terrorists. Now is the time for "the terrible swift sword."

9-11 was not a crime as some are saying. The carnage in lower Manhattan is not a crime scene. We cannot read Bin Ladin his Miranda rights then have a dream team defend him in a circus trial. 9-11 was an act of war and must be dealt with as war.

Mike DeNunzio
San Francisco

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