Editorial

Just open the daily newspaper or tune in the news on the radio, television, or the Internet and what do we find? Every day we hear about a world filled with hatred, violence, conflict, and war.

And it's not just in foreign countries. There is plenty of crime and violent behavior in our own country. It has even entered our homes with an increasing amount of domestic violence and sexual abuse among family members.

We are tempted to throw up our hands and say, "What can we do? How can we stop all the violence in our society? It's hopeless!"

Eucharist as school of peace. Pope John Paul II would disagree. He issued a 31-page letter at the Vatican on Oct. 8 to launch the Year of the Eucharist running from October 2004 to October 2005. The letter is entitled Stay with Us, Lord, taken from the words of the apostles to the risen Christ.

So what does a letter on the Eucharist have to do with violence in the world? The Holy Father says it has much to do with counteracting this violence.

The pope says the Eucharist gives Christians spiritual energy and a plan for living. Through the Eucharist people identify with Christ's message and his saving sacrifice. This in turn should have an impact on peace and justice issues in society, it was reported in an article published by the Catholic News Service.

"The lacerated image of this world, which has begun the new millennium with the specter of terrorism and the tragedy of war, calls on Christians more than ever to live the Eucharist as a great school of peace," the Pope said.

He believes the Eucharist will help form men and women as architects of dialogue and communion at every level of social and political life.

Service replaces domination. The Eucharist should also bring Catholics closer to the world's poor because it manifests Christ's "extreme form of love" - one that replaced domination with service as the governing principle in human affairs.

So besides attending Mass, receiving Communion, and participating in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Pope John Paul II is asking Catholic parishes and individuals to choose concrete expressions of solidarity and charity for the poor during the eucharistic year. He especially mentioned the issues of hunger, disease, loneliness of the elderly, needs of the unemployed, and misfortunes of immigrants.

Eucharist and love. The Holy Father is telling us that there is a link between our celebration of the Eucharist and the love we show to others. Indeed, when we receive Communion we are having a real encounter with Christ and must take his message of compassion out into the world.

We committed Catholics, therefore, should carry our faith from church into our homes, neighborhoods, offices, the grocery store - wherever we live, work, and play. That means showing love and respect for everyone we meet. It means being Christ to the poor, the sick, the lonely, the stranger.

Can you imagine what would happen if every one of us truly brought Christ to the world? I think there would be less violence and more peace. As the song says, "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me." Perhaps this is a good anthem for this Year of the Eucharist as we encounter Christ and bring his message to the world.

Mary C. Uhler, editor

Mailbag

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Catholics urged to vote

To the editor:

Faithful Catholics awake! If the early Christians were willing to die for their faith, you should be willing to stand up and vote for your beliefs.

What good is a seamless garment of social justice programs if there is nobody to put it in? Why build houses, schools, shopping malls if there are fewer people?

Wake up, Catholic America. God blessed you with abundance and grace. Will he keep blessing you if we keep on killing over one million babies per year?

Prayer cannot be used as an excuse for no action. Get out and vote. Call family, friends, and neighbors. Talk at meetings. Offer rides. Urge absentee ballot voting.

God bless and protect our country. To whom is given much, much is expected.

Mira Kazmer, Jefferson

Abortion issue takes priority

To the editor:

I wish to respond to a recent letter in the Catholic Herald by Patricia La Cross and James Penczykowski of Madison concerning the upcoming election and the Catholic vote. They argue that issues like poverty, education, and the environment are on equal ground with protecting human life. They attempt to rationalize voting pro-choice and try to validate their reasoning so that you too can feel okay or even moral about voting with them.

Issues such as poverty, education, and health care are very important yet in no way equate to the issue of abortion. Our country has given us many examples of individuals who have overcome obstacles such as poverty and lack of education to become leaders who have helped shape this nation. As long as you are alive, you have the opportunity to overcome any hurdle. What opportunities are available if you are dead?

Kerry has often been criticized for taking multiple sides of an issue. Calling yourself Catholic, yet taking an active and influential stance in favor of abortion, is hypocritical! Kerry wants to "use" the Catholic name to garner support yet votes against fundamental beliefs of the church in solicitation of the pro-choice vote.

Pope John Paul II is very clear on Catholics' moral obligations to protect human life, from conception to death. As Catholics, we have the opportunity to lead the Christian community as an example of what is right and just by voting pro-life in November.

Dan Oleson, Dodgeville

Priest not acceptable speaker

To the editor:

Edgewood College invited Fr. Robert Drinan to speak on their campus. Father Drinan should be applauded for his many humanitarian efforts. Unfortunately, Father Drinan is also well known for his strong support for a woman's right to abortion.

Father Drinan was a legislator from Massachusetts from 1971 to 1981. Catholic writer James Hitchcock has said that "Drinan's actions as a politician were the origin of the now infamous "personally opposed but . . . " rhetoric so favored by abortion-supporting "Catholic" politicians. He gained more notoriety in the 1990s when he wrote a series of articles supporting President Clinton's opposition to the "partial birth abortion ban."

Inviting Father Drinan to speak at a secular institution about his so-called humanitarian efforts would be acceptable. However, it is not acceptable for a Catholic institution to bring in a speaker who has for years shown his disdain for the truths, traditions, and teachings of the Catholic Church. Shame on Edgewood College for giving a black eye to the faith community of the Diocese of Madison.

Greg Wagner, Middleton

Need education on Communion

To the editor:

It seems to me that with the recent discussions/battles over the public lives of Catholic politicians that this would present an excellent teaching opportunity to address the practice of receiving Holy Communion by Catholics in general.

I have lived long enough to witness the change: refraining from reception if one's conscience dictated to everyone goes to Communion at every Mass no matter what. Our bishops (and priests) need to come forward and teach what it means to receive Communion only if one is in the state of grace and is rightly disposed spiritually. Oh my! What a box this would open!

We modern day Catholics just might start returning to the Sacrament of Reconciliation as we learn (again or, perhaps, for the first time) what it means to be truly a member of the Catholic Church.

Question: When will the education start in earnest?

Diane Judson, Monona