COVID-19 Vaccination and Bitter Partisanship
Dear Editor: Why the delay in delivering enough vaccines to all New Yorkers? In 1949, one sick traveler brought deadly smallpox to our city. The city Health Department responded in record time and vaccinated over six million residents in one month!
Of course, that was a different time in our history. The people and our leaders were on the same page when addressing the nation’s priorities. There was not the bitter partisanship that exists today.
This is a national emergency. The federal, state, and local governments, as well as the private industry, should be working in unison to accomplish this goal! Our country cannot go forward until the coronavirus is eradicated.
Thomas and Constance Dowd
Oakland Gardens
Mortal Sin of Catholics
Dear Editor: With the current unprecedented vitriol taking place in our country, George Weigel’s January 30th column (“The Holy See and Thug Regimes”) is on the mark: “appeasement never works.”
Our Church should not become a form of “liberal Protestantism.” Weigel was writing about a situation
that is occurring within the Church in Germany but is applicable at this time in our country. Have we not embraced the secular culture of lifestyle libertinism rather than trying to convert it?
Our Church is blessed with sources for instruction: the Catechism, the Canon Law, writings of the Church
Fathers, and theologians. Members of the Apostolic Church cannot go their own way. Our actions must be regulated by these sources.
These writings are clear; there are certain things we must not do. There is sin that may be forgiven because of our frail human nature, which is not perfect no matter how we try. There are things that we should never do because they are unforgivable because they give offense to the Holy Spirit.
We may not support or permit by our actions things that are intrinsically evil: murder, kidnapping, and any action that does grievous harm to another. If one persists in doing such things and resists the truth and presumes forgiveness, that act becomes fatal to the soul.
The faithful cannot support, encourage, or permit — by our actions and decisions — persons or organizations that engage in destroying the fruit of the womb. The baptized members of the Catholic Church who do so are anathema to their faith.
Robert J. Tillman
Richmond Hill
Mayor de Blasio, You Must Do Something Now!
Dear Editor: The alleged suspect Rigoberto Lopez was arrested for the stabbings on the subway last weekend and is being held without bail. Rigoberto is alleged to have stabbed four victims and two had died.
Rigoberto has mental health problems and is homeless. Now my question is, who is monitoring his medication?
There are many homeless in our subway system who are mentally ill and a danger to themselves as well as others. I fully understand what is happening with the homeless because in the 1970s I myself was homeless after my discharge from the U.S. Navy, after the Vietnam War. But I got help and yet these people are not being helped.
It has recently been reported that the subway ridership is down by 70 percent and the crime rate in the subway is up by 20 percent. Mayor de Blasio, you must do something now!
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
Bellerose
Rest Now, in Peace, Father Paul
Dear Editor: On the morning of February 15, the beautiful soul of Father Paul Palmiotto found its resting place in the arms of his loving God whom he served so faithfully for almost 40 years (Obituary, page 11).
Parishioners in Brooklyn and Queens can attest to his loyalty long after he was assigned to other parishes.
One could find him repairing fences, shoveling snow, building benches for the school gym, and various other tasks around the parish, so much so that one might take him for the custodian — which he felt he was!
A gentle counselor and confessor, he led his flock by example; generous to a fault he sought out those in need and provided for them out of his own pocket.
What Do We Stand For?
Dear Editor: I am confused about social issues that the Catholic church deems important to the practice of the faith.
If opposition to abortion is optional (Cardinal Wilton Gregory expressed willingness to give communion to
Biden) and opposition to human and drug trafficking is optional (which cooperation with illegal immigration is tantamount to), and cooperation with a godless, genocidal regime like China is okayed by the Pope, what do we stand for?
Cynthia Gonzalez
Fresh Meadows
I would like to compliment Robert Tillman and Cynthia Gonzalez on their prescient comments about today’s Catholics. There is confusion caused by the great reluctance on the part of too many bishops in the US and around the world to take the politicians in their dioceses and countries to task for their refusal to live up to their responsibilities to teach and lead the faithful in accordance with the teachings of the Church. As Pope St. Paul VI said in a homily in Jun 1972, “from some fissure the smoke of Satan has entered the temple of God.” Thus we have 11 “Catholic” senators who couldn’t bring themselves to vote to protect the lives of children who survived abortion. We have an apostate “Catholic” for our president. And many are at a loss as to what we, as faithful Catholics are to do. We have to be faithful to the truth that is contained within the Catechism and, through the magisterium, has provided the foundation and guidance for the Church for two Millenia. Unfortunately, this means we have to weigh whatever comes from our ecclesial leaders against the “standards” of the Catechism and the Magisterium rather than trust it just because bishop/cardinal so and so said it. And, when they are leading us astray, we need to .
I would like to compliment Robert Tillman and Cynthia Gonzalez on their prescient comments about today’s Catholics. There is confusion caused by the great reluctance on the part of too many bishops in the US and around the world to take the politicians in their dioceses and countries to task for their refusal to live up to their responsibilities to teach and lead the faithful in accordance with the teachings of the Church. As Pope St. Paul VI said in a homily in Jun 1972, “from some fissure the smoke of Satan has entered the temple of God.” Thus we have 11 “Catholic” senators who couldn’t bring themselves to vote to protect the lives of children who survived abortion. We have an apostate “Catholic” for our president. And many are at a loss as to what we, as faithful Catholics are to do. We have to be faithful to the truth that is contained within the Catechism and, through the magisterium, has provided the foundation and guidance for the Church for two Millenia. Unfortunately, this means we have to weigh whatever comes from our ecclesial leaders against the “standards” of the Catechism and the Magisterium rather than trust it just because bishop/cardinal so and so said it. And, when they are leading us astray, we need to call them on it.