| January 12, 2009 | Volume 84, Number 6 | |
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Letter reminds reader of St. Paul’s teachingI don’t usually write to editors, but Julie Mullins’ letter to the editor (“Divisions in Church sadden this reader,” CV, 12/29/08) hit a spot in my heart. Hooray for Ms. Mullins! It was a brilliant reminder of St. Paul’s instruction analogyzing the People of God to the Body of Christ. Each one of us has a special gift, each one different but just as important as the other. “An eye cannot say to the ear ‘I do not need you.’ Nor can a hand say to the foot, ‘I do not need you.’” Again, kudos to Ms. Mullins.
No guilt trip for Obama votersFirst, let me state that I am firmly pro-life. The level of ignorance of Americans regarding their own governmental processes never ceases to amaze me. Pro-life supporters continue to vote for a president based upon their stand on abortion. While the President can influence such matters based upon whom he appoints to the Supreme Court, his influence is indirect. He cannot change the current abortion laws.
The attempts of some people to make others feel guilty for having voted for Barack Obama are truly ridiculous. He is the only candidate who offered hope of change, and some real compassion and concern for the average American. People certainly did not vote for him simply because he is black. Barack Obama is a hybrid — as are most Americans. He represents our melting pot, as no other president-elect ever has. His personal opinion about a woman’s right to abortion is irrelevant. That is not why he was elected, and anyone who thinks otherwise is just downright foolish. Changing peoples’ minds about abortion is a societal issue, not a government issue.
Anti-FOCA campaign is ‘Vote Our Faith’Thanks to Bishops DiLorenzo and Loverde for urging Catholics in Virginia to request our Congressional representatives to vote against the Freedom of Choice Act. I interpret that as suggesting we “Vote Our Faith.” It is the opinion of the writer that had they made the same “Vote Your Faith” suggestion in the last election rather than their “Vote Your Conscience” suggestion, that the man who made a commitment in a speech to Planned Parenthood that one of the first things he would do as president would be to sign The Freedom of Choice Act, may not have been elected.
Reader defends his statementsSince I’ve been soundly thrashed in the replies to my letter, I hope I can say a few brief words in my defense. I said many voted for Obama because he is black, NOT that his race was the ONLY reason anybody voted for him, as one respondent suggested. What the CV edited out, which I tried to convey, was that many judged Obama by the color of his skin (albeit favorably) and NOT by the content of his character. These voters did NOT fulfill Martin Luther King’s dream. As for the implications that I think blacks are chattel and that only white men should be president, or the accusation that my letter was racist, the careful reader can ascertain that I made no racist statements. For the record, my children’s bedtime stories include tales of Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King, and I voted for Alan Keyes in the 2000 South Carolina presidential primary. How blessed this country would be if the people of Illinois had done likewise in 2004. I’m tired of Catholics who think if a candidate promotes convenient goods, such as super highways and innovative and affordable cars, he should be given carte blanche on inconvenient moral issues.
(With Mr. Evans’ letter, The Catholic Virginian will cease publishing letters from readers who rehash the results of the 2008 Presidential election.)
‘No Room in the Inn’ article appreciatedThank you so much for the wonderful photo spread on the “No Room in the Inn” project at Church of the Redeemer in Mechanicsville (Dec. 15, 2008 issue). It was a wonderful event and raised a good amount of money for Hanover Safe Place, CARITAS, and to rebuild homes ravaged by hurricanes in Haiti. Church of the Redeemer also had its wonderful, annual Choir Concert on December 14. Music ministers Cindy Jennings and Jeanine Ellis do a fabulous job of directing this presentation. The children’s choir, dressed in Nativity costumes, the junior choir, adult choirs, instrumentalists and bell ringers all made this a true inspiration to the standing-room-only crowd in attendance. I am proud to say that donations given at this event were shared with Redeemer’s twin parish in Haiti and for autism research. The donations to autism research are very much appreciated by several families who have family members with autism or similar disabilities.
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This should be obvious by the results of localities’ attempts to legislate against abortion. Those attempts were deemed unconstitutional by the Court.