Correspondence:
CORRESPONDENCE that a Catholic Christian publication would death that leaves out transcendence (an un- No doubt...
...and to what have we given ourselves...
...No doubt Auden's personal rea- Right Choice"] is followed by a signed col- Without death, our lives would be banal, sons for choosing the name are deep and umn ["Overcome Evil by Good"] con- forcing us into nothing serious, deep, imshrouded with poetic mystery, but the cerning this alternative of nonviolence...
...16, 26, Paul Valerry...
...and be sent to the Bosnian Muslims so that they to the economic sanctions and an arms em- at additional offices...
...CORRESPONDENCE that a Catholic Christian publication would death that leaves out transcendence (an unNo doubt about'Didymus' accept the principle of expedience rather derstanding Callahan does not yet accept) Salem, Oreg...
...That is why we honor the martyr dividual autonomy and independence as Commonweal 24 September 1993: 29...
...munity...
...example, in his review of John Rawls's death alone that makes human life seriPolitical Liberalism (The New York Review ous, makes living worthwhile...
...Both health professionals and the to achieve a substantive social consensus...
...also to consider the argument that the (Continued on page 29) level of violence has reached such barbaric Commonweal is indexed in Reader's Guide to levels in Bosnia-Herzegovina precisely be- Periodical Literature, Catholic Periodical Index, Choose nonviolence cause its citizens (Muslims, Croats, and Index of American Periodical Verse, Book Review Columbus, Ohio Serbs) never had a credible defense, first Digest and Book Review Index...
...Au- Christians must believe is viable, and that take up his challenge to seek a cultural rapden's brief tenure as "Didymus" at alternative is nonviolence...
...bank...
...Even though an understanding of 2: 24 September 1993 Commonweal gument the authors might find themselves of conscience, the soldier who dies to de- the most important values of personhood, in the same arena and forced to undertake fend country or comrades, the just judge, it views death as utter defeat...
...Canada, $41...
...stand Auden's words as you reprinted might have taken notice of them and at least And more...
...At one The enterprise the brothers Himes set Hand," July 16] reports, unfortunately, a point you say you are "convinced that there themselves can only be welcomed, and I typical experience in American hospitals is more to be said about requiring all of hope that they will be able to see in my today...
...ROBERT 1. ELDER ing that the arms embargo be lifted for the choose in freedom to live out of conThe writer is pastor of the First Pres- Bosnian government...
...We are saddened ful...
...June 15-25,1994 cynicism...
...Canada, $71...
...What it all means, I can safe- MICHAEL MANLEY ferent...
...Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y...
...prochement with death, since there are Commonweal maintains that "the per- It is interesting that in your issue of today fewer believers in religious transonal origins and meaning of Auden's March 26, the editorial recommending scendence...
...Single Copy, $2...
...But he was acutely aware of the (Saint Francis spoke of, and to, "Sister burdens of treatment...
...The writer is secretary of the Pax Christi What causes have we served...
...p. 28, tory and inconsistent with Christ's ac- Finals," July 16] are on target and help- Punch Rothco...
...All Canadian and foreign subscriptions must be paid in U.S...
...dollars by recommend that the Bosnian Muslims International Money Order or by check on a U.S...
...p. 6, Bacall, Rothco...
...than arguing for the alternative that will always be human tragedy, we should To the Editors: Your piece on W.H...
...To whom If Thomas was the disciple with whom branch in Columbus...
...I do not be- and wife, the caring doctor, the dedicat- densomeness, passivity, loss of physical lieve that Murray was as ignorant or un- ed teacher, the holy preacher...
...It calls us to choose, while we as an ending to be hoped for rather than porary discussions...
...tients and families often disregard the gest...
...but only procedural...
...While there are a bargo...
...cle on her father's death ["My Father's Left ed in any health reform package...
...beauty-all of them disvalued in the prescaring about the properly doctrinal bases Death is a terrible event in our lives, an ent social context-we see death itself as of his own position as the authors, fol- awesome, feared unknown whose mystery inherently undignified...
...The policy in question is called de- Foundation...
...what is fundamentally wrong with the sometimes it has encouraged nonviolent Surcharge for air mail delivery to Europe, North Africa, carnage in Bosnia is the violence itself, resolutions to potentially violent con- Central or South America, $35 per year...
...To the Editors: Daniel Callahan's obser5, 11, 22, 25, Ross, Rothco...
...It's no wonderpalowing several other commentators, sug- can be fully penetrated only by faith...
...For too long, modem medicine has Holy Week GATE March 24-April2, 1994 The making of these choices and the treated death as only a medical or techni- MEXICO doing of these acts not only make life mean- cal problem, shunting aside its religious November 17-27, 1993 June 17-27,1994 ingful, but in a sense they transcend even and philosophical meanings...
...should be enabled to respond to violence Death benefits Illustrations: Cover art, Bas, Rothco...
...p. 10, Nick, Rothco...
...ly leave to the theologians...
...Death gives an edge to our Recalling this may help us better under- Bosnia, and we wish that your editorial lives...
...for other the use of human beings as means, and to frontations...
...Because our society stresses in- Global Awareness Through Experience tence...
...It too has its drawbacks, but U.S., $39...
...RALPH A. CAPONE, M.D...
...Stuart Hampshire, for still can, to become what we will be...
...argument lies behind our editorials urg- out of those peak moments when we (REV...
...particularly responsive to the situation in sponsibility...
...p. 13, Baloo, We find this position to be contradic- vations on death ["Cramming for Your Rothco...
...CORRESPONDENCE EASTERN EUROPE Every treatment must be evaluated in May 19 - June 4, 1994 (Continued from page 2) light of its costs and risks as well as its EL SALVADOR presumed benefit...
...parts of the world, $44 per year...
...design, Emil Antonucci...
...foreign, $44...
...Taxes & conscience of Books, August 12, 1993), argues that PETER J. RIGA the necessary consensus is not substantive Kansas City, Mo...
...standing even Auden's personal reasons Just-war thinking in the Catholic tradition Lastly, the mere prolongation of physfor presenting himself to Commonweal leaves ample room for self-defense, which ical life gives it no meaning...
...case for excluding abortion from the packinterested to know how they might engage To the Editors: Geraldine Gorman's arti- age of tax-financed benefits to be includthe question effectively...
...The story reflects the existence substantive and methodological questions both in the medical profession and in the an appropriate response to their call for larger society of a bias toward prolong- GATE otfers a properly theological debate that is at once ing life without consideration of the costs, broad range of adequate to the faith and pertinent to our either in economic terms or in terms of learning a perlences through Immersion society...
...and not as ends in themselves...
...Manley ought science in the face of great adversity, to byterian Church in Salem...
...free concrete actions, good, bad, indifevery Sunday...
...foreign, $77...
...What values have we lived by...
...Special twoyear rate: U.S...
...the not-yet-dying, thereby robbing gen- GATE For the values embodied in these acts, we erations of any opportunity to struggle 912 Market St., La Crosse, WI 54601-8800 are willing to die, if need be, because they through the meaning of illness, suffering, Phone: (608) 784-6500 are worth more than mere physical exis- and death...
...cover with violence is to recommend that they, too, should use human beings as means Houston, Tex...
...Copyright ©1993 Commonweal can defend themselves...
...As doubting modem (as opposed to "post- Daniel Callahan suggests, what we have modem") people could best identify, we done with our lives receives its perfection The editors reply: could be well on our way toward under- and finality in death...
...from birth to death, and that death gives public should once more come to see Whether such a consensus is possible or meaning to the in-between, to this inter- dying "a gentle death in one's own home" even desirable is at the heart of contem- val page...
...11 human suffering, quality of life, the loss In the culture, of dignity in dying a "high-tech death," the faith, the struggle and the effects on relationships and com- and dreams of a people...
...Microfilm from Vol...
...Death is the seal that solidthem, especially his determination not to considered this alternative rather than rel- ifies what we have become in life by our be a Christian who says, "I go to church egating it to a separate article...
...Yearly subscriptions, number of wrongs and injustices involved, terrence...
...The medical November 5-20,1993 to do justice to the powerful and the weak, profession has to do a better job of in- GUATEMALA to continue to love and to do good in a forming patients and families about these December 10-20,1993 April 4-14,1994 world of dishonesty, self-interest, and potential burdens...
...p. 8, Ray, Rothco...
...I suspect that the au- To the Editors: Your editorial "Health Dying a high-tech death thors on this point are much closer to Reform at Risk" [July 16] makes a cogent Murray than to Hampshire and I would be Pittsburgh, Pa...
...There, Eileen Egan and Alain Richard's instead be able to grant ourselves an init is the koine Greek equivalent to the name observations and recommendations were terminable postponing of freedom and re"Thomas," as in "doubting Thomas...
...1, 1924, to current issues available through University To the Editors: We are deeply disturbed against Serbia (which inherited the Yugo- Microfilm, 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 by your repeated editorial position that, if slav army and its weapons), and now and on Microfiche from Bell & Howell, Wooster, Ohio no alternative is viable, then arms should against Croatia, which was never subject 44691...
...Yet, as Callahan has shown, re- The time has come for patients and arena that can follow from appeals to dis- flection can bring light to this darkness...
...I would add these considerause of Didymus as a pen name remain ob- that arms might be sent as a last resort ["No tions: scure...
...Meaning rises readers as "Didymus...
...Our health- July 1-11, 1994 death itself, opening up another dimension care system "hides" the sick and elderly July 26-August 5,1994 of reality, hidden and mysterious, that is in hospitals and other facilities away from for more information contact: greater than life and swallows up death...
...Serials Data program No.: ISSN 0010-3330...
...tions and his teachings...
...Because the a project much more similar to Murray's the honest politician, the faithful husband dying process involves dependency, burthan they seem to imagine...
...portant, requiring commitment...
...Yet families and patients November 25-December 5, 1993 be responsible even if it costs, even if no usually choose to "do everything" to pro- November 24-December 4, 1994 one else knows, to be compassionate and long life, without considering the bur- GUATEMALA-EL SALVADOR kind even to those who cannot reward us, dens that may follow...
...It is shunned...
...we would plain meaning of "Didymus" is "the twin...
...doctors to deal with death as a natural part tinctively religious warrants and of the need We can see that our being is bound by time of life...
...danger of the Balkanization of the public Death...
Vol. 120 • September 1993 • No. 16
