Sad Day for the NYPD
Dear Editor: I This is a very sad day for the NYPD and all of us in the New York City area.
As reported a NYPD police officer was killed by a career criminal at a traffic stop in Far Rockway.
The officer, Jonathan Diller, 31, and married with a 9-month-old son.
This is so very sad and should not have happen. Officer Diller and his partner are out there patrolling our neighborhoods trying to make us all safe and secure from the criminal element.
Our police officers are out there trying to serve and protect our communities.
They do what they do and do it to the best of their abilities. As such my heartfelt prayers goes out to the Diller family, friends, neighbors and fellow officers that are missing officer Diller who meant so much to them.
May God bless you, officer Jonathan Diller for you have made a difference.
Frederick Robert Bedell Jr.
Bellerose
I’m With the Deacon
Dear Editor: Recently in Letters to the Editor there has been a question discussed whether eulogies should be allowed at funeral masses.
Deacon Gleason believes that such remarks should be done at the wake or grave site, while, Maria F. Mastromarino holds that if done with respect, the eulogy can bring comfort to the family.
While I understand Maria’s argument, the Mass is not the place for it.
People should be thanking God and praying for the soul of the deceased at the funeral and ever afterwards.
The comfort should not come from the remembrance of the deceased, but from the mercy of the one on the cross.
It is our prayers, supplications, and Masses offered for that soul that hopefully gains them heaven.
Joseph Puntino
Flushing
Re: As The Tablet Sees It: Alabama Ruling on In Vitro Fertilization
Dear Editor: The author of this piece (“Alabama’s IVF Ruling Causes a Pause,” Feb. 24) speaks to the early rulings of the Church, “Donum Vitae,” a 1987 document by the Congregation for the Faith. That document stated that in vitro fertilization is never acceptable.
Again, toward the end of this piece, the author notes that Joseph Meaney, president of the Catholic Bioethics Center, told The New York Times that the marital act of sex must be performed for conception. He was confirming that the document “Donum Vitae” is still enforced.
The confusion on my part is the comments quoted by Donald Trump, who is currently running for president of the United States. He indicated that in his administration he would protect the right to in vitro fertilization. This is not what our Church is teaching and is directly the opposite. Can I take this to mean that Catholic families can do in vitro fertilization because the state says it’s OK and ignore the Church teachings. Is this a sin, mortal, venial?
Or was the author attempting to make a political statement? Should Catholic families vote to elect Trump because he is in favor of the family, ie., in vitro fertilization or against since he is going to approve in vitro fertilization and opposing our Church doctrine? Whose shoulder is the devil on? Why was Trump even in this discussion of Church teachings?
Valerie Pekar
Sunnyside
Bigger Problems Than Climate Change
Dear Editor: For all those worried about climate change causing our demise, we’d like to point out that China couldn’t care less as it continues to pollute the atmosphere with its many coal mines and is determined to do so until 2030 with no one from the international community or the U.S. condemning their behavior, not even John Kerry.
And as long as we have Joe Biden in charge with no coherent plan to address the war in the Middle East causing the situation to escalate into a wider conflict and putting the lives of our soldiers on the line every day they are deployed there, we are in big trouble! My God, our soldiers are sitting ducks, severely compromised, to what end?
What should be our biggest concern is that our Commander-in-Chief, Joe Biden, is not mentally or physically up to the job, no matter what the media, Jill Biden, or his advisers say. Our nation is in peril, and climate change is the least of our worries.
My fellow Americans, speak up!
Thomas and Constance Dowd
Oakland Gardens
Statue of Blessed Carlo Acutis
Dear Editor: In The Tablet (Blessing Carlo Acutis And Our Lady, March 23) an article stated that Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Williamsburg houses the only statue of Blessed Carlo Acutis in the diocese.
St. Gregory the Great Parish, Bellerose, placed a statue of Blessed Carlo Acutis in the church and made a shrine area in his honor, which was blessed by Bishop Raymond Chappetto in 2022.
May Blessed Carlo Acutis continue to inspire and bless our young people across our Diocese and around the world!
Father Edward M. Kachurka
Bellerose