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As Catholics mark the beginning of Lent, Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien will celebrate two Ash Wednesday Masses on Feb. 17 in Baltimore – a 12:10 p.m. liturgy at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin and a 5:30 p.m. liturgy at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen.

Contrary to recent comments that question whether a health care public option can reduce or eliminate competition, the opposite is obvious fact. Who controls compensation for physicians? Carefirst Blueshield Bluecross and United Healthcare control 80 to 85 percent of the market. Their premium structure is forcing doctors out of Maryland. Small businesses are dropping or cutting back or increasing employees’ costs for health care.The public option by its nature is competition to the so-called competitive free enterprise system. When corporations impact the public, our only option is for government to act in our behalf.

Referring to “Wanted: 93,000 Bricks” (CR, Oct. 22, 2009) by Sister Mary Alice Chineworth, O.S.P., Dr. Ronald Valenti , archdiocesan schools chief, reminded students of the service and ministry of the Oblate Sisters of Providence for more than 180 years to the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The article described the Oblates’ need for a building in which to provide health care for sick and aging sisters. Caught in the national economic meltdown, the building had ground to a halt due to lack of resources.Catholic school presidents, principals, staffs and students throughout the archdiocese stepped up to the plate. The sisters received more than $13,000, or500 bricks, to lessen the need. The task remains daunting, to provide a facility to care for those who have given their all as catechists, educators, counselors-consecrated witnesses to the gospel, but hope is higher because of the generosity and compassion exhibited by Catholic school students and personnel of the archdiocese.

WASHINGTON – By refusing to allow residents of the District of Columbia to vote on same-sex marriage, a district board is undermining religious freedom and promoting “partisan paternalism under the guise of righteousness,” according to an analysis by the Archdiocese of Washington.

VATICAN CITY – Pope Pius XII wanted to speak out against Nazi atrocities, but was advised not to for fear of worsening the wartime situation, said the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano.

Many Americans are confused about the disaster in Haiti and where the millions of dollars being sent are going, in particular the vast sums of money contributed to Catholic Relief Services.

I have some problems with George Weigel’s (CR, Jan. 21) expressions of concern about the daily Prayer of the Faithful. If is he so attuned to the words that he sees the omissions and commissions, he is missing the spirit of the prayer. I don’t disagree with any of the prayers he proposes, but I don’t think they should be ritualized. Some are already covered in the Mass prayers; most get represented in the course of time; and we must remember that the Prayer of the Faithful should not be the same every day.

Father Joseph Breighner, you wrote (CR, Jan. 21) about your difficulty finding the unmarked Social Security office on West Street in Towson and then having to wait two hours in that office before being told that they couldn’t wait on you. You mentioned that a funeral home and two auto dealerships nearby had clearly visible signs out front. People inside those business establishments would have been eager to wait on you, possibly offering more service than you ever wanted. The difference is, those businesses have competition and Social Security, a government agency, does not. Competition does wonders. I’m not suggesting that we have two Catholic Reviews, but even nonprofits such as hospitals serve better because of competition. The point of this letter, which you couldn’t possibly have figured out, is the so-called public option in the proposed federal health care plan. A government-run program, if subsidized by tax dollars, can reduce or even eliminate competition. People are leery, not because they don’t want needy people to have access to health care, but because of the possible negative effect on their health care. They don’t want to replace the gentle fib, “The doctor will be with you shortly,” with “Congratulations on finding our office. Come back tomorrow.” The public option needs to be thought out and drafted carefully, probably more than this letter, to preserve competition.