Grief actually has 10 stages
Re: “Retired hospice doctor: It’s not unhealthy to think about death,” Oct. 22: While I am happy to see my mother’s legacy (Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross) frequently mentioned, I am always curious that no one ever notes that she actually mentions 10 stages in her seminal book, “On Death and Dying.”
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Web comment, Oct. 22
Blessed are the persecuted
Thank you for the article on interfaith issues (“UST symposium: 50 years after Vatican II, interfaith learning, relationship building still a work in progress,” Oct. 22). We have indeed become entrenched in our own traditions. Every time we sing the third verse of “Be Not Afraid” and get to the words “and if wicked tongues insult or hate you all because of me, blessed, blessed are you,” I weep, not for the Catholics or other Christians, but for the Muslims and all the “others” we belittle, berate, condemn and kill in Jesus’ name.
Elizabeth Rosenwinkel
St. Albert, Minneapolis
Remember Jesus’ mercy
In “Praying for the dead” (Oct. 22), I found the quote of Father Gallas to be unfortunate and reflective of only one side of ancient tradition when he said, “Never presume a person is in heaven, unless that person is a baptized infant.” There is another side that speaks of the power of Christ to sanctify. For the past 32 years of my priesthood I have heard way too many beautiful and faithful Catholics fear that they might not be good enough to get to heaven. This denies the promise of Christ in the Eucharist that those who eat his body and drink his blood have eternal life. Father Gallas in his teaching continues to raise the specter of an unmerciful God who is overwhelmed by the demands of justice so that even he cannot extend mercy to those most in need of it. This sort of flies in the face of Jesus’ death on the cross, doesn’t it?
Father Mike Anderson
Pastor, St. Joseph, Lino Lakes
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