Philippine Bishops Endorse Our Work
The presence of Fundamentalist groups and other sects in the Philippines has caused so much confusion among the Catholic faithful. In fact, many Catholics have already left the fold and have joined these groups of so-called “born-again” Christians. The students, particularly in the greater Manila area, are among the common prey.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines is endorsing the services and publications of Catholic Answers in its effort to equip the Catholic communities of the Philippines to combat the advance of Fundamentalism here. The writings and publications of your group will be very useful to us in dealing with the problem of Fundamentalism and sects in our time.
Most Rev. Vincente G. Salgado
Bishop of Romblon
Philippines
Ugandan Bishop Says Ditto
I have read your circular letter explaining the kind of work you do and have perused the apologetical materials you enclosed. I find it wonderful and really the kind of material I have been seeking in order to help my people here.
We have been invaded by many Fundamentalist sects which are causing a lot of confusion. In my own diocese we have the Seventh-Day Adventists, who seem to be preaching more about Catholics (negatively) than about their own doctrine.
I am looking forward to hearing from you and wishing you the Spirit’s enlightenment in your work.
Most Rev. Egidio Nkaijanabwo
Bishop of Kasese
Uganda
Aussie Laymen: Ditto Again
We and three of our teenage children had the pleasure of attending a series of seminars given by Patrick Madrid in Melbourne. He gave us an excellent presentation and clear explanation of how we, as Catholics, can–and should–learn to read and use the Bible to enrich our understanding of the Church’s teachings. He showed us how to explain and defend our faith to non-Catholics by using the Bible and Church history. He encouraged us to have confidence in referring to Scripture when speaking to Fundamentalist and Evangelical Christians.
Our family gained a great deal of confidence and strength from Patrick’s talks and a greater understanding of how to develop our faith and pass it on to others. It was heartening to see so many young people also enjoying the seminars.
Michael and Moira O’Callaghan
Melbourne, Australia
Handkerchiefs and Aprons
In the May/June “Quick Questions” you defend the use of relics with examples from the New Testament. You missed the best example, Acts 19:11-12: “So remarkable were the miracles worked by God at Paul’s hands that handkerchiefs or aprons which had touched him were taken to the sick, and they were cured of their illnesses, and the evil spirits came out of them.”
Note that Paul was not present during these miracles, nor does the text suggest that Paul specifically prayed for the person. The only difference between relics and the use of the handkerchiefs and aprons is that Paul was still alive.
Richard Bruce
Davis,California
Caught by JP2’s Key Ring
I am a recent “convert” to Catholicism. My conversion was brought about by those darn keys that were so hard to lose. I hid them, I threw them away, I even had my friends take and destroy them, but they kept coming back. I could not ignore them any longer, picked them up, took a close look, and found something peculiar. They had some printing on them which was a little different from that on the set I discarded in 1978. They still opened the same door and fit my key ring just fine, but the printing now was in Polish. The printing spelled papiestwo, which means papacy.
God did not want me to suspect reason in searching for truth. For so long I turned my back to the truths of the Bible, the truths that pointed to the Catholic Church.
What does the Catholic Church have that can keep us from error? It has Jesus Christ’s vicar, the pope working with the bishops to provide sound doctrine. Although a Catholic from infancy, I can say I am a convert because I have submitted to the authority of Jesus Christ and his Church. The key is to follow the keys!
David R. Hess
Escondido, California
Guidance Appreciated
I just wanted you to know that I enjoy the selections from Antonio Fuentes’ Guide to the Bible. I am slowly growing in my ability and desire to intelligently discuss the Catholic faith with those who desire to “save” me. Keep up the great work.
Christina M. Hasterok
San Diego, California
Surprise a Fundamentalist
I think it is a great idea to idea to distribute Catholic Answers materials in Denver when the Pope is there. I won’t be able to go to Denver, but I would be willing to make small donations for the printing costs. I have had many Fundamentalists hand me one of their tracts. You should see the look on their faces when they are handed a Catholic Answers tract. This is something they don’t expect from a Catholic.
Tom Marabella
Baltimore, Maryland
I am renewing for one year, hoping and praying to retain good vision in my right eye so I can continue to read your fine magazine. I have just suffered the loss of sight in my left eye. God has spared me, at nearly 72, one eye.
My son has enjoyed your lectures and books so much. I have too.
Mildred Harrigan
Alhambra, California
Editor’s reply: Please know that at our weekly corporate Mass, celebrated for us in our offices by our chaplain, we specially remember you and our other friends and thank you for your prayers for us. We’ll offer our next Mass for the special intention that you will be able to be a reader of This Rock for many more years. Thank you for your loyalty.
Turning the Tables
I have read Catholicism and Fundamentalism three times since I bought it eight months ago. It has answered all my questions or, should I say, all my Fundamentalists friends’ questions. These questions have been bothering me for some years. Like most cradle Catholics, I have been hammered by questions for most of my life, questions about my Catholic faith. And like most cradle Catholics my answers had always been, “I don’t know why, but that can’t be right!”
I’ve searched for answers in the Bible, through prayer, and in a lot of books. The good Lord has really answered my prayers for wisdom and through books like yours has shown me that the Catholic Church is Christ’s true Church on earth. Now it is the Fundamentalists who don’t have the answers.
Mark Jackson
Vancouver, Washington
Friendly Suggestions
In response to Mr. Keating’s “Up Front” column in the July issue, please take under advisement the following suggestions:
1. The magazine’s mission should be to present the toughest matters in the most pellucid language. (C. S. Lewis was the great master of that.) It is not a matter of [articles being] “introductory . . . middling . . . advanced,” but of them being “intelligent, literate, gripping.”
2. Movies and TV are far more a shaping force nowadays, especially on young people, than books, so confronting the assumptions embedded in such relentlessly secularist productions as Star Trekand Beverly Hills 90210, to cite only two particularly witless examples, may do real good, as can book reviews.
3. Why such expensive paper and two-inch wide margins for major articles? Why such lavish top margins? Black and white line drawings and cartoons would reproduce just as well smaller. Don’t give them so much space.
4. In the “Dragnet” and “Letters” sections, perhaps you should resist the tendency to irony or to silence by way of reply to the wackos whose doings you print. I fear that catechesis has become so bad nowadays that some (many?) of your readers don’t know why these people err. Editor’s replies can do just those things.
5. Can the cover be redesigned? The idea of getting postal workers’ attention by printing the start of the article right on the cover may be okay, if optimistic, but the graphics and color schemes don’t help. Maybe a provocative title question as the title and a first paragraph that startles or engages the idle browser would be a better formula?
Please don’t get downcast by these remarks. (I critique things for a living, and sometimes it’s hard to stop.) You’re doing a good work, and I hope it continues and grows. But you did ask for suggestions.
P. M. Aliazzi
Cleveland, Ohio
Editor’s reply:
1. One of our problems is that we don’t have two magazines, one for beginners and one for experienced apologists. We’re trying to maintain a balance by trying to publish things which appeal both to Peter and to Paul, neither of whom we wish to rob of the truths of the faith.
2.We hadn’t thought much about doing reviews of TV shows. Maybe we’re spending too much time worrying whether Captain Picard is going to beam up Brandon and Brenda.
3. Actually, we use this paper because it’s the cheapest we can find, other than straight newsprint. (Some higher-grade newsprint stocks actually cost more than this paper.) We hope someday to afford coated stock, which will allow better ink retention and therefore easier reading. We have eliminated the wide outer margins you complain about because we have eliminated two-column pages, but we don’t plan on getting rid of all the white space. A publication that is too “grey” is a publication that isn’t read by many people who should read it. That may seem unreasonable to people who care mainly about the words and aren’t too concerned about the packaging, but many who read the words won’t read them if the pages seem offputting.
4. If I commented on everything in “Dragnet” and “Letters,” there would be little room for anything but my remarks. (Come to think of it…) We think most of our readers “get” most of the squibs or letters.
5. The cover wasn’t intended for the salvation of postal workers, but, if it helps them come closer to God, so much the better. We wanted This Rock to look different from other Catholic publications (most of which just list topics on the cover-we do that too, to the left of the opening paragraphs of the cover story, but we didn’t think that was enough). We know the background graphics don’t always jibe with the theme of the cover story, but they work better than no graphics at all. We tried using just a background tint with our first few issues and decided graphics were better, and these graphics cost us next to nothing. We’re looking into other (cheap) ways to produce a cover.
6. Don’t worry. We’re not downcast by your critical remarks. We welcome suggestions. We really do. (But keep in mind that your name and address have been sent to Vatican authorities, who will take appropriate action.)