Readers Speak Out: September 23, 2021

Act of love

Re: Best, worst of times for abortion debate (Peter Stockland, Sept. 12):

Mr. Stockland’s observations are, as usual, insightful, thoughtful and poignant. I am however perplexed by his concluding paragraph. While I acknowledge that the Church discerns that vaccination is “a matter of individual conscience,” also note that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith dismisses the objections some individual Christians have regarding the morality of using some of the COVID-19 vaccines. More recently, Pope Francis has stated: “Being vaccinated with vaccines authorized by the competent authorities is an act of love. And contributing to ensure the majority of people are vaccinated is an act of love.”

While cultural commentators, like Bishop Robert Barron, warn of a drift into a new type of totalitarianism, the necessary mandating of rigorous public health measures to combat a world-wide pandemic cannot be construed as the harbinger of an insidious plot to “cancel”  and negate all religion, especially Christianity, from the public debate. Ironically, those who oppose such mandates only nurture and extend the contagion of unbridled individualism that is the root of any post-modern totalitarian culture. I think the real question posed by this election is who, if anybody, can a Catholic vote for? It really does seem to be a choice between various evils. But perhaps that is the reality of our present democracy. 

Michael Chard,

Toronto

Unborn protection

Some times ago “conservative” Prime Minister Kim Campbell stated that “an election is no time to discuss serious issues.” She lost her election chance miserably. Now I hear from Peter Stockland, “for pro-lifer Catholics labouring in political trenches, it must seem a blessing in disguise that abortion has so far failed to get off the ground as a federal election issue.”

As a Canadian pro-lifer of Polish background, Campbell’s lesson is precious. Abortion is always debated in a Polish election and because of that children’s rights in a mother’s womb are protected by the Polish constitution. But for my Polish compatriots it is not enough. The Supreme Court in Warsaw showed courage in eliminating even the small exception for abortion when the child in the womb has serious health problem. As the national anthem says: Poland has not yet died, so long as we (including unborn) still live.

Miroslaw Matuszewski,

Toronto

Miracle victory

Re: Profiles in courage and faith (Michael Trolio and Savio Kocherry, Sept. 12):

As a Canadian of Polish background, I read with great pride the two articles regarding the beatifications of Mother Róża Czacka and Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński. 

These beatifications and the election of a Polish Pope, who later would become St. John Paul II, would probably never have come to pass were it not for a miracle that took place on Aug. 15, 1920. 

On the Feast of the Assumption, Polish Armed Forces, led by Marshal Józef Piłsudski, stood firm, repelled and eventually routed the oncoming Bolshevik Red Army on the banks of the Vistula River. This would come to be known as the “Miracle on the Vistula” (Polish: Cud nad Wisłą). The defeat crippled the Red Army.  

This event is seen as one of the most important battles in history, since the Polish victory halted the spread of communism westwards into Europe. This is but just one incident where Mother Mary has watched over the Polish nation. 

José Semrau, 

Ottawa, Ont.