May 3: Rudy's Communion, the Rev. Wright, LIPA, syringe case

May 3, 2008

Communion a teaching moment

Regarding the article "Egan scolds Rudy " [News, April 29], I absolutely agree that it is scandalous for us Catholics to believe in a right to abortion. I also believe it is scandalous to permit cardinals and bishops to cover up sexual abuse of children. Abortion is the death of the body, but sexual abuse is the murder of the soul.

Catholics believe in the utmost primacy of the soul. Why then is the death of the body, described by the pope as a "grave sin" that harms "the dignity of the human person," more of an offense to God than the murder of the soul?

How come the cardinals and bishops, the hierarchy of the church, the moral pontificates, turn a blind eye to the accountability of their own heinous actions or inactions in the abuse of children?

Penny Duggan

Massapequa

Rudolph Giuliani and other pro-choice politicians would not be in a position to support pro-abortion legislation if they had not been voted into office by Catholic lay people who themselves disregard the church's teachings on the sanctity of unborn life.

Therefore, if clergymen are going to try and stop the taking of Communion by Catholic officeholders at odds with church policy, perhaps they should also include in that prohibition the voters who helped elect these nonconformists to public office.

However, a more positive response might be greater emphasis (especially from the pulpit) on all church teachings to better educate Catholics on these important issues.

Jill Murman Payne

Editor's note: The writer is a member of Democrats for Life of New York.

Long Beach

A new rogue state approach

Columnist Charles Krauthammer outlines several ways of dealing with rogue states: possibly going nuclear; pre-emption; deterrence; missile defense, and regime change, each of military mind-set ["We must deal with nuclear probabilities," Opinion, April 21].

Here are two more: diplomacy and a major departure from our cowboy "bring 'em on" foreign policy. These are keys to ensuring long-term safety.

It is also astounding that Krauthammer still describes the 2003 Iraq invasion as an example of pre-emption that works.

Fred Barnett

Port Jefferson Station

Wright troubles for Obama

Regarding "Rev. Wright stirs political pot" [News, April 29], Rev. Jeremiah Wright's egocentric performance at the National Press Club leads me to one conclusion: Wright does not want Barack Obama to win the nomination.