Letters to the Editor

I appreciated Elise Italiano Ureneck’s astute and respectful analysis in “Here come the Tradwives” in the May 19 issue.  I agree with her suggestion that tradwives are genuinely seeking the kind of meaning and purpose that modernity has tried to separate from family life. But she is also right that “conservatism steeped in nostalgia is as problematic as a rigid progressivism that pursues future justice at all costs.” I would add that tradwives’ craving for community and affirmation on social media complicates this paradox even more: Tradwives and “mommy bloggers” make their names by broadcasting an idealized version of their own motherhood through their smartphones. Raising kids, we should remember, calls for a little more maturity. — Fatima Hernandez, Boston, Massachusetts

In “On a song and a prayer” in the April 21 issue, Heather King wrote that “priests, monks, and nuns are pledged to pray the Office at several set ‘hours’ of the day.” It is my understanding that the Code of Canon Law specifies the obligation of clerics to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, and that permanent deacons are required to include as part of their daily prayer those parts of the Liturgy of the Hours known as Morning and Evening Prayer. While ordained ministers are required to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, some religious communities are required to pray the Liturgy of the Hours as part of their constitutions or rule of life. — Deacon Jerry Cellner, West Hills

As a modern Catholic poet, I really appreciated Nick Ripatrazone’s review “Searching for Jesus' footsteps — through poetry” in the April 21 issue. While studying Catholic poetry, I have discovered that nearly one-third of the Bible contains some sort of poetry, from songs and prose to sermons and letters. I especially like Ripatrazone’s quoting this passage from Angela Alaimo O’Donnell’s book “Holy Land”: “Ultimately, the souls “do what they always do, / stay here with us.’ ” Those who have passed from this world “know they are loved, / seen and acknowledged by their flesh & blood,” he adds. These words are a powerful reminder how the art of poetry connects humans throughout history. — Clarissa Cervantes, Los Angeles

I was deeply moved by Jennifer Hubbard’s revelations and thoughts about her daughter in “The Currency of the Heart” in the April 21 issue. She shared it so honestly and the journey that she went through since the Sandy Hook shooting. Certainly, it was horrendous. She certainly, with God’s help and her belief in God, has risen above all expectations, I think, of people who have suffered such a terrible loss. I'm sure it will be an inspiration to others. I’ll remember her in my prayers. — Dr. Ashleigh Molloy, Toronto, Canada

The cover of the April 21 Easter issue was described in these words: “Christ pulls Adam out of ‘limbo’ while surrounded by other biblical figures in a late 13th-century painting (artist unknown).” Actually, this is not a “painting” but rather an icon. The “artist” is meant to be unknown: iconographers traditionally do not sign their work, thus rendering total homage to the biblical scene depicted. The name of this icon is “The Descent into Hades,” not “limbo.” Christ is shown descending into the realms of the dead, bearing in his left hand the life-giving cross, the symbol of the victory over death achieved by his death. Beneath his feet are instruments of imprisonment — keys and nails. Christ grasps the wrist of Adam and raises him up from the tomb: this subtle detail of the way Christ holds Adam’s wrist indicates that it is Christ’s work of redemption that raises Adam and the whole of fallen humanity into the new life of the resurrection. Behind Adam is Eve, and on either side of Christ stand kings and prophets of the Old Testament whose vocation it was to prepare the way for the coming of the Savior. — Rt. Rev. Alexei Smith, pastor, Saint Andrew Russian Greek Catholic Church, El Segundo

The cover story in the April 7 issue of Angelus by Elise Italiano Ureneck, “God Can Redeem the Broken Stuff,” touches on many important points. The author captures both the devastation to self and relationships, as well as the hope there is to heal, both greatly misunderstood within and outside of the Catholic Church. The porn industry years ago realized they were missing out by only producing content to appeal to men, so it shifted gears. Taking advantage of one of our most blessed human gifts, our curiosity for what God has made, porn hijacks and turns curiosity toxic. In an age of falling birth rates, easy divorce, and gender confusion, we are witnessing the unprecedented toll of 24/7 hardcore porn on relationships and marriages. According to 2022 search analytics from the world’s most popular porn provider, the most popular search by women is lesbian content. Where do we expect that to take us? Porn is now the go-to place for not only men but also women to learn about sex. Tragically, it normalizes going outside of marriage in search of what appears to be missing. It is time to raise the alarm and create informed spaces for healing. As Annie Heyen pointed out in the article, “Satan loves darkness and isolation.” — Patrick Erlandson of Rancho Palos Verdes is the founder of “Father-Con” and the “See It End It Film & Arts Festival and Global Platform” for the prevention of human trafficking.