Page 1530 – Archdiocese of Baltimore

OTTAWA – A delegation of Congolese Catholic leaders appealed to Canada to help stop the war in their central African country.

Keep focus on FOCA

The letter “Don’t be fooled by venomous writers” (CR, Nov. 27) attacked four of the five letters published in the Nov. 20 issue, which expressed anger and concern over legalized abortion. Three of those four letters addressed the Freedom of Choice Act. The letter falsely claimed one of the letter writers was praying for the president elect’s personal failure, when she actually called for prayer so that pro-abortion initiatives would fail. Does the venom letter expect Catholics to pray for the success of “initiatives” such as FOCA? The partisan attack in the last paragraph of the letter, claiming “nothing is done” on pro-life, ignored the strong stand on embryonic stem cell experiments and Supreme Court appointments.

Political agenda doesn’t reflect faith

Anne R. Brusca’s letter (CR, Nov. 27) is the perfect example of a Catholic who is ready, willing and able to throw the church under the bus to promote her own political agenda. She states, in part: “The right to life doesn’t stop with birth.” Maybe, but by supporting the people and political policies that promote the slaughter of the innocent, Ms. Brusca is not reflecting what I assume to be her Catholic faith, and what that faith has taught her in the past and does so until this day.

St. Agnes opens new parish center

Father Carl F. Cummings and Susan Banks couldn’t contain their glee. The pastor of St. Agnes, Catonsville, and its elementary school principal watched as the eighth grade girls’ basketball team became the first group to use the new $4 million parish center.

Polochick keeps ‘Messiah’ true to Baroque era

Edward Polochick has been conducting Handel’s “Messiah” in Baltimore since 1982, but he never grows tired of it.

Catholic Charities USA warns against fraudulent e-mails on Internet

WASHINGTON – Catholic Charities USA officials have demanded that groups using the Catholic Charities name to solicit funds on the Internet discontinue using the trademark and urged potential donors to research the authenticity of an organization before making a contribution.

U.S. bishops’ pro-life official, other pro-life leaders honored

NATICK, Mass. – Richard P. Doerflinger, associate director of the U.S. bishops’ Office of Pro-Life Activities in Washington, was named one of six winners of the inaugural Life Prizes awarded by the Gerard Health Foundation in Natick.

Pope begins Advent by asking Christians to be signs of hope

VATICAN CITY – In their prayers and through their actions in Advent, Christians are called to be signs of hope for a world marked by holiness and justice, Pope Benedict XVI said.

Charities, parishes struggle to keep pace in slow economy

Not so long ago, Oredolapo Roberts lived in a four-bedroom house, owned a successful business and drove her kids around in a new Chevy Tahoe.

No instructions needed on how to exercise vote

I am a Catholic who proudly voted for Barack Obama and the slots referendum, which will allow the Preakness to stay at Pimlico. The slots referendum passed in Allegany County, in spite of a letter in my church bulletin suggesting parishioners vote against it. I don’t need instructions from the church or the pulpit on how to exercise my right to vote.

Weigel column distorted by ideological bias

George Weigel’s recent review of the presidential election (CR, Nov. 20) was most disappointing. Without examining the reasons why 54 percent of Catholics voted for Senator Obama or these voters’ views on abortion, Mr. Weigel nevertheless describes these voters as “stupid” and “mindless.” Mr. Weigel’s view of the facts is distorted by his ideological biases.

Vatican confirms tentative plans for papal visit to Holy Land in 2009