Editorial

Domestic violence:
Bishops continue their efforts to break cycle

Revision of their norms dealing with clergy sexual abuse grabbed most of the media attention at the U.S. bishops' recent meeting in Washington, D.C.

Of course, the sexual abuse issue does dominate the headlines - and we can understand why. The Catholic Church must correct its past mistakes and move forward with courage and compassion in protecting children and assuring due process for all involved in any allegations.

I hope the bishops can regain their credibility with the Catholic faithful and society at large, because they play such a key role as moral leaders on so many important issues today. One issue they have addressed in the past - and reaffirmed at their most recent meeting - is domestic violence against women.

Violence against women. In 1992, the bishops had issued a statement called "When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women."

That statement described the nature of domestic violence, why men batter, and why women remain in abusive situations. It explained how abusers often wrongly use Scripture to support their behavior and offered practical suggestions on how to help abused women.

Updated statement. As the 10th anniversary of the statement approached, two committees of the USCCB (Women in Society and in the Church and Marriage and Family) decided to update it. The bishops approved the new statement.

Like the original, the revised statement will be issued in English and Spanish in pamphlet form. It incorporates new statistics, resources, and information about domestic violence.

But the essential message remains the same: Violence against women is never justified.

Breaking the cycle of violence. The bishops emphasize that the church can continue to play a critical role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence. "We expect that this revised edition of 'When I Call for Help' will help clergy and laity to respond even more effectively to the reality of abuse," they said.

The bishops stress, "Violence in any form - physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal - is sinful; often, it is a crime as well." They offer the church's resources to both the women who are battered and the men who abuse. "Both groups need Jesus' strength and healing."

For a complete text of the bishops' statement (and other documents issued at their recent meeting), visit their Web site at www.usccb.org.

We commend our bishops for providing leadership and guidance to Catholics and others in society on domestic violence and so many other vital issues. Read about the bishops' actions in several articles published in this week's Catholic Herald.

Mary C. Uhler, editor

Mailbag

To the editor:

	Mailbag policy We reserve the right to edit or reject letters. Limit letters to 200 words or less. All letters must be signed. Send letters to: Mailbag The Catholic Herald P.O. Box 44985 Madison, WI 53744-4985 Fax: 608-821-3071 E-mail: info@madisoncatholicherald.org

On Sunday, Oct. 27, we had the beautiful Gospel reading about what are the two greatest commandments. Then our homilist pointed out that in Old Testament times the priests and Pharisees took God's commands and elaborated to the extent that the Israelites were burdened with over 600 prescriptions held as law.

Then the following week The Catholic Herald comes out with 14 prescriptions for postures during Mass. In these trying times when some bishops have lost their credibility and our country is headed into probable war, one would think the U.S. bishops would spend their efforts on something important and not be subjecting the people of God to these petty concerns.

Besides, at the first Eucharistic meal, Leonardo da Vinci not withstanding, the participants did not stand, sit, or kneel; they reclined! Furthermore, these laws are hardly "wheelchair accessible." A large percentage of the church are older people who either cannot, or should not, be kneeling. Sitting for them is hardly an option if the persons behind them are kneeling. Many do not sit because it makes them feel conspicuous.

This is the one time we could have been left at peace to express our devotion as we have been accustomed and let us be comfortable, but devout Catholics.

Mary Francis Heimann, O.S.F., Natalie Krauss, O.S.F., Madison

Editor's note: The U.S. bishops' Committee on Liturgy said (as reported in the Catholic News Service article in The Catholic Herald) that Catholics are required to kneel unless they "are prevented on occasion from kneeling due to 'health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other good reason.'"

Applauds cardinal for statement

To the editor:

Cardinal Humberto Medeiros of Boston should be complimented and applauded for his recent statement on abortion. The cardinal stated, "Those who make abortions possible by law - such as legislators and those who elect those same legislators - cannot separate themselves from the guilt that accompanies this horrendous crime."

This succinct statement by Cardinal Medeiros is a model statement for members of the Catholic hierarchy, clergy, religious, and laity. He does not name a political party nor any individual legislator. He merely spells out the immorality of certain actions. As such, the statement does not violate any federal or state campaigning or voting restrictions.

Hopefully the words of Cardinal Medeiros were heard across our nation.

Charles J. Sippel, Waterloo

Discontinue political cartoons

To the editor:

It is too bad that The Herald can't find better use of the space in this Catholic newspaper than to continue to print political cartoons.

I found the most recent caricature of "our family's domestic security alert" to be at the very least misleading if not offensive.

This "cartoon" leads me to believe that The Herald thinks that all CEOs should be indicted. To me this "cartoon" says that all businessmen are corrupt and that the closer you get to the top, the more corrupt you are.

I hope that you can find some encouraging spiritual material to fill this space in "our" Catholic newspaper.

Jim Holden, Watertown