Readers respond to our print, web and social media posts
FAITH NOT FEAR
The January/February 2019 Spirit of Mission column, “Faith in time of turmoil,” by Father Joseph R. Veneroso was one of the best pieces of writing I have ever read in MARYKNOLL magazine. The story of the conversion of photographer and Holocaust survivor Robert Hubka from Judaism to Catholicism after photographing the Pietà was inspiring. Also, the idea that God suffers whenever people suffer needed to be stated. In light of all that is happening in the Church today, Father Veneroso’s editorial offers hope. He offers “faith not fear.”
Joseph P. Nolan
Waterbury, Connecticut
FOLLOW THE LAW
While I am a practicing Catholic and have compassion for migrants to this country, I also feel that laws should be followed. I just don’t see how the United States can support such a huge number of illegal immigrants when we cannot take care of our own people. I think people must try to come here legally.
JoAnn Hart
Baltimore, Maryland
GRUNT PADRE
I highly recommend the book, The Grunt Padre by Father Daniel L. Mode (CMJ Marian Publishers). It is about Maryknoll chaplain, Father Vincent Capodanno, who served several Marine battalions in Vietnam, 1966–1967. He reflected a Christ-like dedication, a personal sanctity, and a humility tempered with humor, that makes him a hero for all generations. The bravery he exemplified when going out to the battlefield to give spiritual assistance to the wounded and dying Marines is well documented. In his final mission, while giving the last rites to a dying Marine, he was shot 27 times and killed.
His legacy was the undying respect and tender compassion he freely gave to each and every Marine with whom he came into contact. In my opinion, Father Capodanno is a saint and I will never forget his story.
Ron Stack
Leland, North Carolina
Editor’s note: We concur. We featured a story about Father Vincent Capodanno written by Father Mode in our September/October 2017 issue of MARYKNOLL. It is online at Maryknollmagazine.org. Look under past issues or type Capodanno into the search box on the bottom of any page on the site.
AT THE SOURCE
Illegal immigration ought to be stopped at the source, not at the southern border. Had America continuously and steadfastly adopted the correct foreign policy starting at the end of the Korean War, this border and many other problems could have been prevented from growing to what it is now.
The right foreign aid for the most part should have been: vocational, agronomy and basic computer educational programs.
If people of Third World countries are taught to be mechanics, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and given basic computer instruction and farming techniques, they will be dissuaded from crossing the border.
If America had used a good part of its yearly military spending for educational programs, most likely the world would be more peaceful. Also, more funds could have been used for crafting reasonable universal health care, employing more people in upgrading infrastructure and providing free vocational education for the poor in the country.
America could have intensified diplomatic peace initiatives with warring nations and adversaries alike. Indeed, foreign military engagements—besides draining the nation’s dollars and killing our soldiers—do not advance world peace but instead exacerbate conflicts and make many people overseas hate America even more.
Irineo C. Amagsila
Houston, Texas
STILL STRONG
During the 1960s and 1970s I attended Mass at a small Portuguese church (Our Lady of Fatima, of course) in my neighborhood with my two young children. In the pew was a request from Maryknoll for donations, which the priest called to our attention. I took it home and sent a modest donation, which led to my ongoing membership. Little did I know that almost 50 years later I would still be Maryknoll strong.
Marie R. Iannucci
Stratford, Connecticut
OVERCONSUMPTION
I read Susan Gunn’s World Watch piece, “Catholics are still in for climate accord” in the September/October 2018 MARYKNOLL magazine. The United States has reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by about 12 percent over the last decade as a result of numerous governmental policies and industrial technological innovations. This has provided the United States with more electrical power generation from gas, thereby reducing our coal-power generation from 50 percent to 30 percent. However, it is still unknown what effect, if any, carbon dioxide reductions would have on climate change. Most scientists conclude that there is climate change, but the extent of human impact is widely open to scientific debate.
I believe that God wants us to be good stewards of the earth and use resources we need to sustain ourselves. It’s sad to say that in the United States and other developed countries excessive consumerism has taken over and God’s resources are exploited well beyond our needs and some people’s financial means. Reducing overconsumption in the world would lessen our energy use, pollution and waste. Then, the carbon dioxide issue would take care of itself instead of politically being front and center stage.
John Organiscak
Eighty Four, Pennsylvania
