Dear Mr. Madrid:
I'm just looking at your Envoy web page, and I think you would have made a good Haitian dictator. If not Haiti, I think at least one of the smaller South American banana republics. Yours is a face that says, "I can pronounce 'junta' properly." Cheerio.

Dr. Philippa J. Martyr, Launceston, Australia

A sober analysis

You'll be happy to know that once again you were the source of great laughter at the Linder homestead. Last evening we had friends over, and we were all roaring at the lighter side in Envoy. Tears were coming down it was so funny! Especially "Hahnvoy" All Scott Hahn all the time. Congratulations on a great job.

Dr. Brian Linder, Custar, OH

Amalong for the ride

I received the first issue of Envoy, and I'm very impressed. I'll do all I can to promote it in my area and I'm sure it will be a great resource in my joyful living and defense of our Catholic Faith. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide you in your apostolate.

Phil Amalong, Cincinnati, OH

He's no angel

Tim Staples did an excellent job of walking through the different Scriptural proofs for Christ's divinity. However, there is one argument which he inadvertantly omitted, based on Zechariah 3:2 and Jude 1:9. Both indicate clearly that angels do not have the authority to rebuke Satan. This power is reserved to God alone. But notice that Christ rebukes demons in six different passages: Matt 17:17, Mark 1:25-27, Mark 9:26, Luke 4:33-36, Luke 4:40-41, and Luke 9:42. Jude 1:9 implies that the archangel Michael was specifically not empowered to do what Christ repeatedly did. The Jehovah Witnesses' argument that Christ is the archangel Michael is devilishly hard to maintain, given the Scriptural proofs.

Steve Kellmeyer, Champagne, IL

You might find it hard to press the Witnesses with this argument that Christ's rebuking of the Devil is proof of His divine nature. St. Paul rebuked a demon in Acts 16:16-18, and in Acts 19:13-15 the Devil even commented about St. Paul's ability to rebuke him, linking that authority with Christ. Also, the other Apostles and the disciples were given this authority and remarked in amazement, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name" (Luke 10:17).

The Editor

Can't he say anything nice?

The issue of Envoy received down here has been critically reviewed so far as "outstanding," "unbelievable presentation," and "phenomenal." Well done to all involved! I am glad there is a resurgence amongst professionals to use their great talents to such an end as Envoy. Hope you're smiling after such a success!

Kieran Woods, Melbourne, Australia

Thank ya, thank ya, thank ya

Just wanted to tell you, I love it, I love it, I love it!

Peggy Blaha, Columbus, OH

Manney happy returns

The magazine arrived and I spread it around the office. Congratulations! Envoy looks splendid. The design and graphics are outstanding. The writing is superior. It's a real pleasure to see something so professional and appealing.

Jim Manney, Huntington, IN

Matthew, Mark, and Hahn (no Luke?)

Congratulations! We saw the first Envoy magazine It is great! We are so excited and we thought the back page with Scott Hahn was wonderful. All seven of us are taking turns reading it, even our 11-year olds, Matthew and Mark. Congratulations and God bless!

The Reyburn Family, via e-mail

Why is she screaming?

Your first issue was a scream! Very glad to see that you are shying away from the ascerbic character of other magazines. My heartiest congratulations on the magazine. By the way, where can I get that Hahn tape series on the Book of Philemon? I am especially interested in the two tapes on verse 23.

MaryEllen K. Crocker, via e-mail

Good news from the hinterlands

Just got your magazine this week and it is awesome. I will order it for some friends or relatives soon. I love it!

Dan Mays, Hemet, CA

Paris, Tokyo, New York, London, and Wagga Wagga

You should be extremely pleased with the first issue of Envoy. I just saw it today and want to congratulate you on an excellent job. The aposolate to "Catholics" is so over-due. Your magazine will fill a real need. God bless your work. The web page looks great too!

Rod Letchford, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia

Alice doesn't work here anymore - We do

You know what my husband and I did tonight? On the way home from dinner at the in-laws, we searched for "Alice's Restaurant" on the radio. Since we couldn't find it, I decided to stick a tape in the tape player, the tape by Patrick Madrid called "Surprised by Truth: Why Are So Many Protestants Becoming Catholic?" I can't remember where I got it - maybe with my Envoy subscription. My car tape player has been broken for a while, so I never listened to it. Well, a few days ago my car tape player began playing again, so we stuck it in. It's great! My husband, who converted from Quakerism to Catholicism in 1989 (actually, his mind and heart converted earlier, but it took him a while to take the final steps), usually does not listen to these tapes or read Catholic magazines. But he is really enjoying this tape. He could relate to the "pulling the blinds and hoping the missionaries would go away" bit. He is a better witness than he realizes, but is usually very uncomfortable when confronted. He will speak up, and quite well (though I doubt he realizes it), which is better than many will do, but he does not like doing it. I also wanted to say BRAVO! on the first issue of Envoy! It's really, really good. I especially liked the back page and the best of the "ideas for a magazine we didn't use" was "Hahnvoy." When I saw the headline "New 36 set tape on Philemon!" I was rolling on the floor laughing!

Monica Sohler, Philadelphia, PA

So far so good

I greatly appreciate Envoy magazine and the copy of your book, Any Friend of God's Is a Friend of Mine, that you sent me. I've started reading them both, and I think they are fantastic.

Luis Siman, Miami FL

Hoot from the hip

I just read through the Envoy web site. It's a hoot! Very impressive and surprisingly hip, too. (Surprised by Hip?) By the way, I read Surprised by Truth this past February, loved it, lent it to a friend, and never saw it again (at which I am not surprised). Here in the Bible Belt, I frequently discuss Catholic vs. Evangelical issues with friends. One former colleague, a recent Bob Jones Univ. grad, was surprisingly open to my case, although he had a real blind spot regarding sola scriptura. But I lent him Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic, and he devoured it. I can see that Envoy will fit perfectly with my interests. I will try to talk my hubby into the subscription. I'll have to sweet-talk him a bit, but I'm sure I'll prevail. One last question regarding the web site: How in heaven's name did you get hold of my First Communion picture? Thanks & cheers & God bless.

Diane, via e-mail

Just what the doctor ordered

Wow! Just saw the premiere issue of your magazine. It is superb. The layout, artful use of pictures and graphics and, most importantly, the content, are all very well done. This is an exemplary magazine, one that signals a new and fresh way of fostering a better understanding of what Catholics are all about. I especially liked the book reviews, humor ("at ease"), and variety of articles. Keep up the good work and I'll keep you in my prayers.

Rick Sarkisian, Ph.D., via e-mail

Now we're really blushing

I just finished reading your first issue. Never have I seen anything Catholic so fantastic, so perfectly orthodox, so timely in its content, so well presented in an upbeat fashion, and so loving to those in error. But more than that, my heart was lifted to see Envoy's unity with other groups shine through and the great plugs you gave for other good Catholic groups. This kind of unity of purpose is sorely needed in the Church today. We all have to make the dollars work in order to keep going, but never let the dollars become the enemy of the love I see in you.

Rick Salbato, Del Mar, CA

Express yourself. Send your comments to: Editor, Envoy Magazine, P.O. Box 640, Granville, OH 43023. E-mail to editor@envoymagazine.com.