Dear Catholic Exchange:
Thank you for the article on Condoms and the Spread of AIDS. During a recent visit to my husband's family in Holland (they were raised Catholic, but are non-practicing), they posed a question about the Church's position on contraception and the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Unfortunately, we didn't have David E. Utsler's article to help us explain the Church's teaching. We did our best, but thanks for the article. I forwarded this information to our relatives and asked them to mull over the facts and statistics.
Our relatives have many anti-Catholic views. One thing they believe is that marriage is nothing more than a contract, a piece of paper that means nothing. They were shocked to find out that if they come to visit us, they won't be allowed to stay in the same room together unless they're married! We got a lot of ribbing for that, but that's OK! I don't expect the article to change their hearts any time soon, but at least a seed has been planted. Maybe they'll look up other articles on Catholic Exchange (we love CE!) that will spark their interest in the Faith. And just maybe, by God's grace, they will someday come back to the Church and realize the truth they so arrogantly dismiss as archaic.
Peace in Christ,
Monica Crumley
Gold River, CA
Convert, Easter Vigil 2002!
NARAL Changes Names
Dear CE:
I am so encouraged by this article on NARAL! They know their opposition is getting stronger. Of course, we'll just have to work that much harder, but it's good news anyway.
God bless,
Kathy Carter
Pure Love
Dear Catholic Exchange:
My mom uses Catholic Exchange and told me about it. I love it! We got a book in the mail today by Jason Evert called Pure Love. One part is entitled: “How about pornography? I'm not hurting anyone.” I have always hated PORN. It makes me sick. This section of the book rocks. You should try to get it. One of the sentences reads: “Rapper's murderers all started off by looking at porn.”
I think you are a great website. I'm only thirteen, but I have all my friends using this site now. WE LOVE IT!!!!
Thanks, CE!
Jazmin
Dear Jazmin:
I am so happy to hear you enjoy Catholic Exchange. I agree with you about pornography. It's a shame there is bad stuff like that on the Internet. It's great that you've found CE to be your safe “home” on the Internet. If ever you or your friends have an idea about what you would like to see on Catholic Exchange to make the site even better, be sure to e-mail us about it. Maybe we can make Catholic Exchange even more fun for you.
God bless,
Tom Kyd
Catholic Exchange
Kids on Medication for ADHD
Dear Catholic Exchange:
The content of the article Kids Don't Need Good Drugs — They Need Good Parents is totally appalling. You might not realize it, but there are actual ADHD disorders.
My daughter, who was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of seven, has had a very positive experience with her medication. Actually, I think her meds are a gift from God. They help her to be able to concentrate for more than a second or two.
I am so tired of reading articles that say things like: “Kids do not need good drugs, they need good parents.” I am a very strict mother who stays at home with her children, and the title of the article you ran on ADHD insults me and all the other good mothers who have their kids on medication for ADHD.
I also have ADHD and was given medication at the age of seven. I was taken off of the meds at age twelve because the doctors believed my hyperactive phase had ended, but I had worse problems paying attention when I wasn't on the medication. Even as an adult, I now have terrible problems with
concentration. Articles like yours make me feel as if I'm being discriminated against.
I agree there are bad parents out there, but don't accuse all parents with children on medication for ADHD of being bad parents. You should always remember: “DO NOT JUDGE, LEST YE BE JUDGED!”
Sincerely, but upset,
Jill in Virginia
Dear Mrs. Fallin,
I appreciate your feedback. Please accept my apologies; we did not mean to offend those with authentic ADD. We have come to understand a good deal more about this condition from yours and other letters we received and will be posting a comprehensive article about the condition in the near future.
You and your daughter are in our prayers.
In JMJ,
Tom Allen
Editor, CE
****
Dear Catholic Exchange:
Your article about the explosion of hyperactive kids and the excessive prescribing of medication to these children of “bad parenting” reminds me of the plethora of similar articles and letters I read in the mass media on the same topic.
The gripers are usually “perfect parents” of “perfect children,” and they usually have no idea why the rest of the world's children aren't as perfect as theirs. They also usually have no idea what they're talking about when it comes to the prevalence of misdiagnoses and excessive prescribing.
I'm one of those imperfect parents with an imperfect child who is on medication. I pray to God everyday that I'm doing the right thing by medicating my son. I'm comforted by the knowledge that my so-called bad parenting is not causing his autism and mental retardation, which is greatly contributing to his ADHD. At least through medication he can attend school.
Are some kids needlessly given medicine to treat poor parenting? Perhaps. Maybe even probably. We know more kids are on meds today than in the past, but one shouldn't conclude by mere speculation that any particular number kids on those on meds are the result of bad parenting. Should we not, as followers of Christ, pray for these parents to receive the grace to deal their problems appropriately?
Jim Lavin
Overland Park, Kansas
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