LETTERS
2001 LETTERS
December
November
October
September
July/August
June
May
April
March
February
January
ARTICLES
NEWS
ROAMIN' CATHOLIC
Contents © 2001
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.
LETTERS
NOVEMBER 2001
THE CHANCERY SPEAKS
Tell me, Chuck [i.e. Charles Coulombe], in your self-proclaimed mission to "foster the restoration and spread of Catholic culture, and to evangelize non- and fallen away Catholics," where does "Fettucine Cardinal Mahony" fit? [October 2001 Mission.] Your church inspection columns continue to be the most unintentionally humorous part of the Mission. From the size of the church parking lot to the height of the candlesticks on the altar, your preoccupation with the trifles of Catholic worship is always worth a laugh. But your reporting on the dining habits of the cardinal is different. The story, which seemingly fits nowhere in your aforementioned "mission," sends the message that "we're watching you." You're not funny now, Chuck; you're spooky.
Tod M. Tamberg,
Office of Media Relations,
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
COULOMBE RESPONDS
My visit to Far Niente was sparked by the Elmer Dills television review of the place, in which he mentioned the cardinal's patronage prominently. Given that the archdiocesan response to any Mission reporter's request is met by some icy variation on "you are not a real paper; it is our policy not to talk to you" and given the range of archdiocesan concerns written about in the Mission, it is interesting that the first issue to evoke response from the chancery is food.
Charles A. Coulombe
DON'T BE LATE FOR MASS, CHARLES
In a couple of recent "Roamin' Catholic" columns the reporter wrote that he was late for Mass. Though the column tries to be non-judgmental, to just report the facts, there seems to be a theme: that there isn't enough reverence, rigor, or respect for the rules at Mass.
Is arriving late giving good example? Couldn't the reporter, if he arrives late for the 10.30 a.m. Mass, wait and attend the entire 12 o'clock Mass?
Joe O'Brien,
Panorama City
MEDICAL EL DORADO
Embryonic stem cells/fetal tissues have several things in common -- abject failures, no therapeutic value, compounded by the fact that they are genetically unstable -- a medical "Pandora's box." The New England Journal of Medicine (3-8-2001) reported the tragic results of treating Parkinson disease patients. This is not an isolated case! A May 1996 Neurology article disclosed an experiment in which fetal nerve cells and embryonic cells were transplanted into a human patient who suddenly died. The autopsy revealed the cause was growth of bone, skin, and hair in the patient's brain.
There are alternative cells that are morally, scientifically and medically more acceptable: adult stem cells, placental cells, and umbilical cord cells. This year a scientist working at Montreal, Canada's McGill University made the first discovery of human stem cells in the skin of adults. Prior to that time, adult stem cells were only found in brain and bone marrow. This profound discovery revealed that these adult stem cells have the ability to produce different types of stem cells. A medical El Dorado!
Why are human embryonic stem cells and fetal research via the media pushed so hard politically, while the media ignores promising alternative therapies? Unscrupulous scientists in collusion with wealthy investment moguls, hope to develop the present "cottage" embryonic stem cell/fetal tissue industry into a profit-making monolith like Microsoft. The bottom line is wealth and power at the expense of humanity!
Stephen J. Conway,
Banning
IMPRESSED
I was very impressed by your publication which came to me via our parish. Keep up the good work of telling it like it is regarding abortion and liturgical abuses. Thank you for the copy I received.
Dave Burton,
Costa Mesa
NO MORE MOPING
I saw a snippet of a story in the Los Angeles Times about a parish priest in Orange County who was kicked out because he'd had sex with several women. Bishop Tod Brown was quoted as saying that the parishioners needed time for grieving and healing.
I sigh. "Grieving and healing" falls like a sandbag. It's so typical of what you hear from priests nowadays. What exactly is the wound or disease that needs healing? Will it be clearly defined, will the term mortal sin be used? The bishop needs to point out that this was the sin of fornication, with all its awful consequences, and the sin of scandal, one of those stumbling blocks worse for him who causes it than to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck.
The Church doesn't need any more moping. It needs to snap to. It needs someone to turn over some tables, make a "whip" and "drive out" the morals-changers. Bishop Brown, someone in authority needs to do this. Someone like you.
Joe O'Brien,
Panorama City