Gold Compass Is Tarnished

Dear Editor: There is a new movie called "The Golden Compass" opening across America. Young people and everyone who attend will be exposed to a stranger, supposedly a friend, but actually a demon.

The trilogy behind this movie is called "His Dark Materials" and was written by Philip Pullman, a British author and atheist. "The Golden Compass" is the first of three books and the tamest of the three. The trilogy concentrates upon this theme: "I want to kill God in the minds of children.... I want them to decide against God and the Kingdom of Heaven," a quote from Pullman.

The movie portrays the Catholic Church (called the Magisterium in the film) as the enemy of children, of all human goodness, and happiness. Ultimately the movie wants to have children rebel against parents, teachers, the Church, and anyone in authority. And to worship his/her own demon. This is alarming.

The Servants of the Heart of the Father are sending out quality information (a flyer and a brochure) to all Catholic newspapers in the U.S. The servants will also be sending similar information to other mainline Christian denominations by fax to alert them of this deadly poison coming to the youth and people of this nation.

By the way, this movie is being translated into 32 other languages. The servants are asking for your support. We do not want to give this movie (and Pullman) free advertising, but in an understated way we need to get the message to parents and children that this is not something they should see.

Father Rodney Kneifl
Platte Center, NE

Editor's note: Father Kneifl is the founder of the Servants of the Heart of the Father, which is based in the Diocese of Omaha.

Dear Editor: "The Golden Compass" is a movie version of one of three books written by Mr. Pullman, an admitted atheist who said "I'm trying to undermine Christian belief" and "My books are about killing God."

Director Chris Wertz, admitted to using a "softer" movie version to lure young viewers to purchase the books. No surprise -God dies in the end!
I pray that all our bishops, priests and laity denounce and avoid this evil endeavor to corrupt our children and remember the words of another author of 2,000 years ago:

"It were better for him if a millstone were hung about his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little one to sin." -Luke 17:2.

Robert Quinn
Glendale

Dear Sir: I have followed the small controversy over centering prayer. If this is a special technique, it is probably not adequate for everybody. If it is a generic term for mental prayer, then it is necessary for everybody, to be able to live up to the universal call to holiness, which requires a plan of life, including mental and vocal prayer, Sacraments, spiritual reading and reading of Scripture, mainly New Testament, and several other things as will be revealed by the indispensable spiritual "coach," a spiritual director.

Back to prayer, there are numerous books on this subject, and some of the most popular are "The Soul of the Apostolate" by Dom Chautard (night table book of St. Pius X), "Difficulties in Mental Prayer," of Dom Eugene Boylan, and the recent and excellent "Time for God" by Jacques Philippe. I am sure that those of your readers who follow this advice will not feel disgruntled.

Raul Alessandri
Rockaway Park

Religious Disputes

Dear Editor: On a recent broadcast of "60 Minutes," it was reported that Christians in Iraq are being killed simply for being Christians, and our military can do nothing to stop it. One officer said our military is not allowed to get involved in religious disputes, even if it means ignoring the slaughter of Christians. 

It seems that we are sacrificing our principles and the lives of our young soldiers for oil.  Why on earth would we support people, a majority of whom want to eradicate Christianity?

Michael J. Gorman
Whitestone

Remember This Prayer?

Dear Editor: I wanted to ask your readers if they remember a little prayer "Just for a Minute." If so, please pass it on.

Mary Kilkeary
Rockaway Beach

Donate a Nativity Scene

Dear Editor: I read your column on Classrooms and I was just wondering if that is the case why don't the parent-teacher associations (some are Catholic or Christians) tell each school they represent they will donate a Nativity to display. If they spread the word, I am sure parents who are interested would help pay for the cost of it.

Sal Ciaccio
Astoria

Immaculate from Conception

Dear Editor: In your Dec. 8 editorial on "Mary, Our Patroness," you stated: "The dogma of the Immaculate Conception defined the Church's belief that Mary was born free of the stain of Original Sin." When you say "born free," that does not clarify the argument theologians had for many centuries before the 1850s as to whether Mary was free from sin from the moment of her conception in the womb of her mother Anne, or was she conceived with original sin but sanctified later in the gestational period, as was Jeremiah and John the Baptist. Under both of these situations, Mary would have been "born free" of sin. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is extremely important in clearing up the argument. It confirms she was free from sin from the moment of conception.

Since Catholics believe doctrines are revealed truths from God, then Mary was conceived immaculately, with no sin on her soul, since it is the soul that is marked with sin, not the body. Her soul was breathed into her at the moment of conception. She was fully human. It therefore follows, every human being receives an immortal soul at the moment of conception. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception not only cleared up the argument theologians had before the 1850s, but also clearly defined when an immortal soul is breathed into the new human in the womb.

In the U.S., we have aborted 48,000,000 souls in almost 35 years! You cannot be Catholic and believe or support abortion.

Patricia Macormack
Brooklyn

Holiday Culture Winning?

Dear Editor: My favorite season of the year is Advent. The richness of the liturgical readings, along with the heightened anticipation of Christ's coming among us, gives us a real chance to grow spiritually. The extra prayer and maybe even penance that we do lead up to the great celebration of Dec. 25th.

I was taught as a child that even nature cooperated in the celebration of Advent. The days grow ever shorter, reminding us of the darkness of the world without Jesus. Then, just as the days turn and start to become longer, the celebration of the birth of Christ, the Light of the World, takes place. Then, and only then, do we turn on the Christmas lights to celebrate this birth. Only then do the parties take place ¡V and last until the feast of the Epiphany.

But ¡V every year, The Tablet is covering stories ¡V in churches ¡V of Christmas tree lightings and events like Christmas in the Cathedral that take place in Advent or before Advent even begins. It seems that the culture has swallowed us whole. What a loss!

Mary Anne Muller
Brooklyn

Give Thanks, Don't Shop

Dear Editor: As we spent time with family and friends on Thanksgiving Day, it is very sad that some businesses chose to be open. Thanksgiving is a day to be with family and friends, to give thanks to God for all of the blessings He has given us, no matter what religion we are.

Thanksgiving is a universal and national holiday in the United States of America, and all of us deserve to be able to have the day off to spend it with our families. Of course, there are those who work in essential services ¡Xpolice, fire, hospital, and EMS who do have to work as well as those who run the city's subways, buses, and rail lines.

It would be nice if all nonesssential businesses would close for this day of giving thanks.

When I was a kid, everything was closed, except for bakeries, and even they closed no later than noon or 1 p.m. Shame on those money-hungry businesses who only know the value of the almighty dollar, and not the value of being with family and friends on holidays.

John Amato
Fresh Meadows