Broaden pro-life advocacy

Thanks to Terry Hawkins (“Care expansion necessary,” Letters, Aug. 25) for grasping my intentions in “Roe overturned, now what?” (July 28) I was not talking about pre-, peri- or even post-pregnancy. I was pointing out to readers very real situations that demand our involvement in the political realm, as Terry pointed out (“support for food stamps, school lunches and other government programs”). As Christians, we must help the less fortunate either with our own resources, or support programs which can give precious hope where there is none. In one somewhat jaded response, I brought up every conceivable bad situation that millions of children, youth and adults are faced with every day. Have you told your congressperson you want mental health services expanded? Parental leave? Universal health care? Disability barriers removed? Racial inequities seriously addressed? Assault rifles banned? Equal rights for every human being, regardless of sex, religion or race? Clean water and air? Why can’t pro-lifers see the value in these? No, I don’t advocate killing children. Have I done enough to help them all live long, rewarding lives? Not even close. But as a Christian, I must try.

Elizabeth Rosenwinkel
St. Albert the Great, Minneapolis

Touched by a ‘saint’

In September 2016, our family wanted to donate school supplies to Sharing and Caring Hands (Sept. 15, “The sharing continues”). Since I worked in Minneapolis’ North Loop, I decided to carry the 25-pound box one-third mile to the site. When I arrived, the dock door sign showed opens 9 a.m. Arggh! The website showed 8 a.m. As I turned to leave, a car pulled up and out stepped Mary Jo Copeland and her husband Dick. “Bless you for coming. I’ll get someone to help you,” she said. A minute later, the door opened and a smiling young man took the box. I thanked him and told Mary Jo, “You are God’s special servant.” She took my hand, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a laminated card that reads, “Do something beautiful for God and make a difference in the lives of others. Love, Mary Jo Copeland.” I still cherish that card.

Dan Scheller
Saint Thomas Becket, Eagan

What ‘study’?

Kudos to the Catholic Spirit for thoroughly explaining the attorney general’s recent attempt to malign pregnancy resource centers, often referred to as crisis pregnancy centers, by issuing a consumer alert against them. The so called “comprehensive study” of the centers, which was cited by Ellison’s office, was anything but truthful. In Minnesota a group called Gender Justice collaborated in this “study.” It was quite simple to verify that nobody from this group actually visited any of the 37 pregnancy resource centers affiliated with Elevate Life. No one ever walked into a center and said to the director, “Hey, I would love to know what you do here,” and thus giving the director the opportunity to explain their beautiful, compassionate mission. Instead, this “study” utilized statistics about pregnancy resource centers, misconstruing them to make inflammatory accusations. When these statistics are understood properly in context, the accusations are meaningless.

Mary Kay Becker
St. Peter, Forest Lake

Faith formation travel

In the Catholic Spirit issue of July 28, it showed a group of principals who were able to experience the Holy Land through donations from the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence. That is great news! And since the mission of The Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota includes the statement that they want to “impact the community through purposeful grantmaking,” I believe it would be beneficial for The Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota to sponsor working, degreed faith formation directors to go to the Holy Land, too. One might begin with those closest to retirement. It would be money well spent.

Jeanne Conant
St. John the Evangelist, Little Canada

Puzzled by Latin Mass shift

The movie “The King and I” stars Yul Brynner as the king of Siam. In his stellar performance ends his musical soliloquy, “it is a puzzlement.” So it is in these latter times, the Holy Father’s suppression of the centuries-old traditional Latin Mass. If the reasoning is liturgical uniformity, that ship has sailed centuries ago, with numerous rites: the most recent, and Anglican rite with its traditional married clergy. “It is a puzzlement.”

Everett C. Dehmer
Cathedral of St. Paul, St. Paul

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