From Our Readers
Mary
Your article on Mary, November 8, 1988, was, in my opinion, an attempt to portray Catholics as idolaters. It made several references to Catholics as Mary “worshipers.” Let me set the record straight. I have been a Catholic for 35 years, and I know of no Catholic that “worships” Mary. Many of us pray to God through Mary. None of us would begin to equate or compare her with God.
G. A. H., United States
“The Catholic Encyclopedia” (1912, Volume 15, page 463) states: “That popular devotion to the Blessed Virgin was often attended [in the middle ages] with extravagance and abuses, it is impossible to deny.” A visit to locations in many Catholic lands today would confirm to G. A. H. that such excesses continue.—ED.
Judge not that ye be not judged. If Catholics do worship Mary too much, let our Lord decide on judgment day. Remember, the truth will prevail. Write about the pros and cons of the situation and let the readers understand your concern.
R. W., United States
My family and I are Catholics and devotees of Mary but have, nevertheless, for many years found your magazines interesting and useful to read. The articles about Mary were, as always, objective and without disparagement. We should like to know, however, why you have so far not gone into detail on Lourdes and Fátima? Your sincerity when investigating subjects and reaching conclusions is well known. Could you be missing out on matters of Christian faith by refusing to attach credence to post-Biblical revelations?
P. O., Federal Republic of Germany
P. O. may already have seen our March 8, 1989, issue, which considers the Lourdes and Fátima phenomena in some detail.—ED.
Women’s Movement
I was born in 1920. To understand the trend of working women (July 22, 1988) you should listen, not to the feminists, but to a conservative, middle-of-the-road, although working, woman. There are basically two reasons why women work. The first is economic. If a man is not able to support a family, and the woman has to work full-time, in all fairness he should do half the work at home, and the problem of the overworked career woman would go away immediately.
The other reason why a woman chooses to work is underappreciation at home. I have time and again seen a father and daughter gang up on the wife, and she feels squeezed out of the family. Or he likes his beer and his television better than his wife. For this reason she seeks employment where she has the satisfaction of getting something in return for her efforts. I observed in my parents’ generation an attitude that does not exist anymore. Those men had not only love for their wives but also respect and consideration. I have found none of the three in this generation. Let men return to love, loyalty, and respect, and you’ll see women returning to the hearth.
F. K., Canada
F. K.’s comments about “this generation” bring to mind the “generation” prophesied about by Jesus and Paul that would experience a loss of “natural affection” in the family. (Matthew 24:3, 34; 2 Timothy 3:1-3)—ED.