Mental Illness Vs. Evil

Dear Editor: As a psychological scientist and therapist, I have the utmost respect for Therese J. Borchard and her sharing of her own struggle with mental illness in her article. However, her piece (May 5) is reflective of the lack of understanding of psychology (as well as critical thinking) in the population at large that is staggering in the year 2007.

The very title of Ms. Borchard’s article highlights the main obstacle we have as a society to understanding what exactly happened that fateful day at Virginia Tech.

Asking the question of whether Seung-Hui Cho was “evil” as opposed to mentally ill is, quite frankly, the wrong question. His actions were certainly destructive, hurtful, murderous, etc. (ergo evil). In addition, he was also almost certainly mentally ill, though I will refrain from any armchair diagnosis. But debating an omnibus label on his being evil or, instead, suffering from mental illness does no help in elucidating the causes of that tragedy as well as preventing it from happening in the future.

Borchard cites Joe Incandela in her article as saying “...if evil (or at least what we call evil) is the result of misfiring neurons, then why can’t we say that good is the result of a more fortunate combination of biological heritage and luck?” This statement assumes implicitly in its tone the existence of some other mechanism for human behavior, as well as a misunderstanding of biological mechanisms. All human behavior and thought is the result of neurological activity. This includes “good” as well as “bad” behavior, in addition to behavior and thought that is beyond conscious control (e.g., breathing, coughing, digestion, vision, etc.). To posit that evil acts are the result of “misfiring” neurons is misleading. The “misfiring” is a shorthand way of referring to our judgment of the decision on the part of the individual (i.e., Cho) to engage in destructive activities.

Instead of focusing on “evil,” “misfiring neurons,” or other nonsense, we can only begin to understand the cause of the Virginia Tech tragedy by analyzing the environmental, psychological, and social factors contributing to Cho’s behavior.

While I don’t know enough about Cho to offer an hypothesis regarding what pushed him to take arms and kill more than 30 people, I suspect that all three of his basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) were thwarted. (For an excellent review, see “Why We Do What We Do” by Edward Deci.) That is, Cho was likely in a dire state for him to decide that killing 30 people was a reasonable, if not adaptive, course of action for him to take. Indeed, if there had been a greater level of concern and awareness on the part of peers, professors, and family, such a tragedy may have been avoided.

Finally, I believe the stigma of mental illness is nowhere near being overcome in this country. Likely for every person who seeks psychological services, there are three or four more that could benefit from them. Perhaps Cho was one of those who out of embarrassment, fear, or ignorance didn’t do so? Part of the problem is evil – not the existence of it, but our using it as an explanation. Just maybe Cho thought, as many people do, that evil and mental illness do lie on the same continuum? What a shame if, due to the unreasonable discourse regarding the two, he became convinced of being inherently evil as opposed to temporarily ill.

Maybe he would have chosen help if he had known his condition in life was not permanent.

James N. Masciale, M.A.
Ridgewood

Vocation Recruiter to World

Dear Editor: When I went to Brazil to see the Holy Father, I was excited. I wanted to hear what message Pope Benedict XVI would bring to the Brazilian people. When the Brazilian people saw the Holy Father, they expressed great joy and emotion toward him. Even though this country was poor, the faith there is truly rich toward the Church and the Holy Father. When the pope gave the homily about the rosary in the national Sanctuary, he focused a lot about vocations to the priesthood and religious life. He told the seminarians that there were a lot of challenges to face on the road to the priesthood but they could overcome them with their faith and prayers. When the Holy Father mentioned this, he sparked in me the idea of a vocation to enter the priesthood. He told the young people to respond to their call to a vocation, whether it may be to the priesthood or to the religious life.

I feel that many young men in Brazil and even myself will answer the call to priesthood because they heard these words from the Holy Father. By hearing these words of encouragement and seeing him live out his call every day to the priesthood, they will receive strength and courage to pursue a vocation in the priesthood. By keeping these words of encouragement with me every day of my life, I know that I can make it. I am thinking about joining the Legionaries of Christ. I love that they can deal with young people and help out in poor countries.

I know that, by hearing the pope’s words, I can make it through the seminary and become an excellent priest.

When the pope celebrated Mass on Sunday, May 13, outside the National Sanctuary, there were a lot of people in attendance. His homily was excellent. He mentioned that the family is the most important place where religion should be taught. He said the family should try to pray together. It is the parents’ responsibility to teach their children how to pray properly. I agree with the Holy Father 100%. If parents do not teach their children how to pray, who will teach them? It is the parents’ responsibility to teach their children about their faith.

John Castaldo
Brooklyn

Confirmation and Anniversary

Dear Editor: This was an interesting week for this believer. Two religious celebrations refreshed my faith.

The first event was a confirmation in Madison, Conn., where a granddaughter, a quarter Jewish, Italian, German and Irish, was one of 105 teenagers to receive the sacrament from an appealing bishop, who was quietly eloquent and ever so reverent in the most personal way speaking to each recipient before administering the gentle tap. A couple of congregants were heard to remark that we need more men like that bishop. The old assembly line speed was gone. In its place was a slow but impressive ceremony, personal to each candidate.

The second event was the 50th anniversary of Father Frank Lynch at Douglaston. Over 200 people of all ages attended his Mass that was concelebrated by 15 priests including Msgr. George Deas, former college-seminary professor, now retired, who read the Gospel. An African sister sang. She came all the way from her continent to honor her friend. She is a medical doctor as well as a nun and an accomplished singer. The lectors were a beautiful Dominican nun from Amityville, Sister Lenore Toscano, and Dr. Nancy Shevelle, wife of Father Lynch’s Regis classmate, Dr. Bill Sciales.

Father Lynch, a favorite eulogist in the diocese, was his usually humorous self in a brief homily thanking God and his friends for sharing a vocation in which he reminded his audience that we all are ministers to one another. A dinner followed at which a live band of five musicians played accompanying a female vocalist. Besides the Dominicans, the Carmelite Sisters from Ozanam Hall and Mary Manning Walsh were in attendance in their traditional brown habit. The Church, old and new, was comfortable with one another. The reverence in both celebrations was palpable and there was a welcome note of touching humanity shared by the priests, religious and lay people. Poetess Sister Madeleva’s relaxed grasp of the faith was clearly evident.

Jim O’Donnell
Flushing

Msgr. Varvaro’s Legacy

Dear Editor: While Father Barozzi and some Italian community members rightly congratulated Father Steven Aguggia as the new pastor of St. Margaret’s, Middle Village, they neglected to praise the late Msgr. William Varvaro, former pastor, for his inspiring 12 years of leadership. Among his many accomplishments, there were the blending of the Italian and non-Italian communities, the growth of religious and social programs, and his priestly gentleness and kindness to the parishioners and to the assigned priests.

Father Aguggia will build on the solid foundation Msgr. Varvaro left. His new breath of fresh air to the parish will enhance the established refreshing air Msgr. Varvaro left.

St. Margaret’s parish is very fortunate to get Father Aguggia’s leadership. Also, it thanks God for Msgr. Varvaro’s brilliant insights and visions.

Msgr. Leonard Badia
Middle Village

Editor’s Note: Some people thought Father Barozzi’s letter contained negative undertones about Msgr. Varvaro. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Tablet had great respect for Msgr. Varvaro, as did Father Barozzi.