As Received - Our Readers

Readers share their opinions.

Take ourselves seriously? Us?

Until I was recently given a gift subscription to Envoy, the only religious periodicals I read regularly were the Jehovah's Witnesses' Awake! and Watchtower, and anything from the Church of Scientology. I read the JW material to try to understand why they believe some of the far-out things they do, and I read the Scientology things for amusement.

What I like about your magazine is you don't take yourselves too seriously. It's not all fire and brimstone. I can see it's definitely orthodox, and there's no compromising, and you deal with very serious subjects, but at the same time, you're not so full of self importance that your faith is a miserable, uninviting thing. I can tell that every word is calculated to bring people into the Catholic Church, but I don't mind, because it has such a smile to it. I'm happy to add it to my agnostic media mix.
Spencer Dunbar, Irvine, CA

I really enjoyed your article on Jehovah's Witnesses. Very enlightening. I also enjoy your reviews [by David Palm] of Catholic sites on the World Wide Web. Keep up the good work. I look forward to each issue!
Scoop, via e-mail

Clowns to the left of us, jokers to the right, here we are, stuck in the middle with you

I just read some of Fr. Hugh Barbour's work in the online edition of Envoy, and I was very favorably impressed (although not surprised) at the ease, grace and humor he displayed while offering very precise and complete information. He must work very hard at getting the answers just so, and it shows.

The magazine itself appears to be quite well done. It seems to counter the common wisdom that to be orthodox, a publication must be amateurish, and it is refreshing for such a magazine to allow humor! More and more it seems to me that a sense of humor is a safeguard against extremism on either side of the spectrum — so colorless, intolerant and humorless. The center seems to be much more fun.
Eric Stoltz, Los Angeles

Of course, not everyone thinks we're funny

I was very shocked at the cover of a supposedly Catholic magazine ridiculing religious sisters who wear a religious habit (May/June 1997). You even carry this a step further by having the sister appear to resemble the Hollywood stereotype of sisters: silly, half-witted, lacking intelligence and good sense, etc. The old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words is certainly appropriate in this case. Just which article in your Catholic (?) magazine justifies the use of such a picture? As a religious who wears a religious habit, I want to tell you how sad it is that you have chosen to join the ranks of those who choose to denigrate religious women who openly demonstrate their love for the Church, the Holy Father, and the people they serve by wearing a religious habit. The religious habit is a symbol of the sacred, and is blessed by the Church as a holy sign.

You publish a magazine that purports to teach all things truly Catholic. Well, you did teach by this cover. At a minimum, the message is ridicule, disrespect and prejudice. Please do not tell me that I lack a sense of humor. I have a good, balanced sense of humor. Humor expresses what is genuinely amusing or funny, but not at the expense of people. Humor does not ridicule, disparage or insult. And I certainly will not support a magazine that does. Please see to it that I do not receive another issue of Envoy magazine. It will only come back to you marked "Refused."
Sr. Ruth Marian Hanekamp, Mt. St. Joseph, OH

Preach it, sister

I came across your magazine, which another sister had received from a friend. Would you please send me two copies of the May/June 1997 issue [with the nun on the cover]? It is an excellent magazine and may it continue to spread Christ's Kingdom and love. Pray that Catholics like those who write for Envoy would take over the airwaves and talk shows. God bless your great staff and may you all continue to spread His Kingdom. May our Lord give you the grace and courage to overcome much opposition in our materialistic world.
Sr. Jo Mary, R.S.M., Chicago, IL

Well done, good and faithful art department

Thank you again for the copy of Envoy you gave me in Steubenville. It is very well done and the style is refreshing. Praise God for all the good work He is doing through you! God bless you and the Envoy family.
Sr. Marla Marie, P.V.M.I.

Dotcom this, guys

Regarding Fr. Ron Tacelli's article ["He's An Only Child" May/June 1997], dotcom this: When I quit smoking, I said I would never again smoke another cigarette until the day I die. And I meant it. Up until — heos hou — I die, I plan not to smoke another cigarette. Nor do I plan to smoke any beyond that date. Fr. Tacelli's article should extinguish all "buts."
Fred G. Harvey, Fort Worth, TX

Does matter matter?

I am shocked that you would call the Lord a liar! Tim Staples' article on baptism reveals his flawed thinking. Apparently outward signs are all that concern him, not the heart, where God looks. Baptism is the afterward symbol of the "born again" experience, which happens in the twinkling of an eye. I know, I've experienced it. My baptism came much later in the Jordan River in Israel. So when Jesus told the Thief on the Cross, "Today you will be with me in Paradise," knowing the Thief could not be baptized, was He lying? Maybe "Bill" [in Tim Staples' article] is shaken, but I am not! And by the way, Steven Ray's book about the "flood tide of Evangelical converts surging into the Church" [Personal Picks, May/June 1997] flies in the face of the article in First Things, wherein it states that the fastest-growing churches are the Evangelical and Catholic, not the mainline churches, who have lost thousands in recent years. Many people enjoy ritual-like entertainment, but today people want the unvarnished truth as stated in the Bible for the most part.

P.S. Half the members of my Nondenominational Church are former Catholics.
Janice Judd, Honolulu, HI

A good idea for a good article

Just a note to suggest you make available reprints of articles (a la Reader's Digest). I have in mind the article on abortion in the May/June issue ["Baby Talk"]. I'm happy to hear that Envoy is taking off.
Margaret Smith, Lansdale, PA

Get back to where you once belonged

Thanks for the great magazine. Also, Patrick Madrid's book Surprised By Truth directly contributed to helping bring a Protestant family back into the Church. Jim had left the Church years ago, went to seminary and became a youth pastor. I met him several years later when he and his wife took an NFP class that my wife and I taught. He invited me to a Bible study at his campus center. I went and was asked to share a bit on my views on salvation. Jim had personally convinced several of his siblings to leave the Catholic Church, and there were bad feelings in the family because of it.

We found out they were going to move, so I put a copy of Surprised by Truth on his porch at 6 a.m. (Pretty crude, but the Lord does reward even the humblest of steps taken in His name.) We heard nothing. Then, about a year ago, I met him on campus and he broke the news that he and his family had rejoined the Catholic Church. We became godparents for one of their children when he was baptized. Jim has a Lutheran pastor friend who also came into the Church, and another friend who was affected by Surprised by Truth. He reverted, and is thinking of going to the seminary. The book was the seed. Thanks. They are a wonderful and precious family and the Church can rejoice. 
Ed Stuart, via e-mail

There's plenty more meat where that came from

Last Envoy was wonderful . . . but I'm a bit worried that at this pace of meaty and articulate articles and great topics, you'll run dry soon. Please don't. We need you.

Actually the reason for this note is to ask your kind indulgence on one of the interesting quotes offered by Tim Staples in his great "My Flesh Is Real Food" article [March/April 1997]. Specifically, he quoted Martin Luther in favor of the Real Presence. I would really like to know the source on this, since I would dearly like to include it in an apologetics pamphlet I have been working on.
Michael Grumbine, Whittier, CA

Look up "refresher," and you'll find a picture of Envoy

I am a seminarian studying for the diocese of Lansing, Michigan. On November 15 of this year, I will be ordained a deacon.

I read your magazine for the first time today under an unusual set of circumstances. Someone had left two periodicals at a reading area; one was a newspaper type of publication, and the other was yours. Picking up the first, I was appalled. I found myself laboring through this diatribe of calumnies and venom, all in the name of orthodoxy. This struck me as completely the opposite of what Holy Mother Church asks of us. I could not believe that such rage would be put forward as a Catholic publication.

Nervously, I picked up Envoy. WOW! What a refresher! (Is that a word?) In an exciting, positive and inviting way, you spoke the Truth of Christ.

Thank you, Jesus. It called to mind for me a time when I feared surrendering to the Truth of Christ as revealed through the Church because I was scared of becoming like the people who professed to be orthodox. I mean, hey, if I wanted to be angry and bitter, I might as well have gotten that way through the accumulation of wealth or something. But seriously, thank you from the bottom of my heart. After ordination (God willing), I will be able to subscribe to your magazine. In the meantime, please be aware of my prayerful support. You are doing the work of Christ. May the peace of the Lord be in your hearts and minds.
Joseph J. Krupp, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, MI

Parish the thought of not getting Envoy

A friend gave me the March/April issue of Envoy, and I'm very impressed. My discovery of Envoy comes at an extremely opportune time, since I have been involved with my parish evangelization committee for the past six months, and many of the topics you've covered are the same topics we've made a priority for our parish evangelization project. I can't wait to show my fellow committee members your articles on the Eucharist and the Holy Mass (for example). We've derived the following three objectives as our parish's priorities for evangelization: 1) Better appreciation of and instruction in the Faith, especially the Eucharist and the other sacraments 2) reaching out to fallen away Catholics and non-Catholics and 3) stressing the importance of the family. Thanks for your good work!
Bob Miffuci, via e-mail

He's high on hilarity

I just received my first issue of Envoy and it is simply outstanding — and hilarious. It's a great boost to bring a little hilarity to apologetics. Keep up the great work!
John Maria, West Lawn, PA

Only 15? Writing like that? Keep in touch

Many thanks to whoever at your organization enrolled me in a free subscription (albeit at my humble request). I am constantly astounded and challenged by your publication — something that I will be eternally grateful for (I am now seriously considering a vocation, and I have not even entered the Church yet.) I also want to thank that individual again for sending me Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic, as well. I have been truly edified by this book, more so than I can possibly express. This 15-year-old will be eternally grateful to your organization.
Christopher Bennet, via e-mail