Commentary inconsistent with pope’s views
As a Catholic resident of far Southwest Virginia, I write to protest the decision of your journal to publish the views of anti-vaxxer Dr. John Seeds (Catholic Virginian, Jan. 10). The things he says in that commentary are inconsistent with the views of Pope Francis as displayed on your website.
The most significant omission in Seeds’ column is his treatment of vaccination as a matter of individual choice. Nowhere in his commentary is there any awareness of the fact that vaccination is a way to protect others. I also can find no support for his bizarre claim that thousands of deaths in the U.S have resulted within 72 hours of injection.
I realize that your journal has a disclaimer, but I don’t think that lets your paper or the diocese off the hook. Southwest Virginia is currently a hotbed of persons believing the stuff which the doctor wrote. As a result of those beliefs, nearly all deaths from COVID are among the unvaccinated. The publication of Seeds’ column makes me ashamed and angry. It should never have happened. – Hugh F. O’Donnell, St. Paul
Take the Holy See’s advice on vaccines
“Thanks to God’s grace and to the work of many, we now have vaccines to protect us from COVID-19.” This is what Pope Francis said this past August. He called getting the vaccine “an act of love.” The Catholic Virginian published two letters (Jan. 24) questioning the derivation of the vaccine, its effectiveness, whether it inhibits our own body’s natural defenses and so forth.
I am not going to question why The Catholic Virginian published these letters because, fortunately, I know most educated Catholics are going to take the advice of both the CDC and our Holy See. – David Woodburn, North Chesterfield
Continue to publish both sides of debate
All the letters to the editor in the January 24 edition of The CV were declaring the commentary by Dr. Seeds as “misinformation.” I’d like to thank the editor for printing both Dr. Seeds’ thoughts as well as those of his critics.
It is critical that in situations like this that we can read both sides of an issue and judge for ourselves. This critical thinking has been mostly absent in the debates and policies around the COVID issues.
After two years of officials, medical professionals, government departments and news sources changing their minds, contradicting each other and themselves, and saying things that just don’t make any logical sense, I and many other reasonable, thinking people feel that we cannot simply take the words of the officials as gospel.
If masking and vaccinations work, why haven’t masking and vaccines worked? This is not a conspiracy theory; it’s a question. There are just too many questions that the officials have not answered.
Please continue to print both sides of these debates so we can judge for ourselves. – Laura Belchak, Hampton
Seek God’s truth amid information
I applaud The Catholic Virginian for allowing Dr. Seeds’ commentary (Jan. 10) regarding the COVID-19 injection. While unpopular, his statements conveyed truths which are not often reported by media or federal agencies.
His detractors have labeled his statements as “misinformation.” However, they themselves —along with like-minded individuals, e.g., politicians, medical professionals, celebrities — can also be sources of misinformation if they do not objectively consider both sides of available research and data.
The data to which Dr. Seeds refers can be found in the CDC’s VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (https://vaers.hhs. gov), which is difficult to navigate. The same data can be viewed more easily on OpenVAERS (https://openvaers.com), which has drop-downs for COVID Vaccine Data, all VAERS reports and FAQ. Long-term risks of COVID injections are not available, as long-term safety testing is not complete.
Providing information on adverse events and deaths associated with the COVID injections is not a scare tactic; it’s an ethical responsibility. Research and medical ethics require that individuals be informed of all risks/benefits and be allowed to voluntarily accept or reject a procedure or treatment.
Fear of illness, fear of death — exacerbated by political and profit-driven solutions and conflicting information — can drive people to abandon reason and critical thinking. We all should prayerfully look at the data, read the research and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and discernment to see God’s truth amid so much information and misinformation.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Tim 1:7). – Rosemarie Curley, Midlothian
One size does not fit all
I am responding to letters about Dr. Seeds’ commentary (Catholic Virginian, Jan. 10) and the article about vaccine misinformation (Jan. 24): My father-in-law used to say, “No matter how thin the pancake, there are always two sides.” Therefore, I felt it necessary to share some resources containing facts.
The Catholic Virginian is a forum we can use to present all sides. After all, what does it mean to be Catholic? “Open and receptive to all.” We must be willing to hear the pros and cons before making an informed decision. One of the wonderful things about being Catholic is our diversity and inclusion of all humankind.
Based on the CDC’s own website, the VAERS (COVID Vaccine Adverse Event Reports) (https://openvares.com/covid-data) dated Jan. 14, 2022, shows: 1,053,828 reports, 22,193 deaths, 27,674 myocarditis/ pericarditis, 39,150 permanently disabled among other adverse events. Since Nov. 26, 2021, the number of deaths from the vaccine has increased by 13.6%, myocarditis/pericarditis has increased by 79% and permanent disabilities by 24%.
One of our greatest freedoms is our medical freedom. No one should be mandated to put something into their body. It should always be their choice. In addition, doctors should be allowed to be doctors and treat patients individually with early treatments, vaccines or what they decide is best for the patient. One size does not fit all. – Neal Lineberry, Poquoson
Must have background for evaluating data
Recent letters to the editor were highly critical of Dr. John Seeds’ commentary and of The Catholic Virginian for publishing it. Those who want to know where to find the data he cites should search the CDC’s Vaccine Adverse Effects Reporting Systems (VAERS).
The COVID pandemic has produced many commentators who through their “research” have read and heard flawed, biased and exploitive information. They fail to realize that they may not have the background and education to evaluate what they are reading. Many seek out materials that reinforce their feelings or position regardless of the data.
I don’t believe Dr. Seeds is one of those people, and I thank The Catholic Virginian for allowing him to present his viewpoint. – Joan Craft, Riner
Understanding requires trust, discussion
Dr. James M. Cooper asks (Catholic Virginian, Jan. 24) where he can find the data Dr. Seeds referenced in his commentary describing CDC data showing thousands of deaths related to the COVID vaccines. That data can be found in the CDC’s voluntary reporting system called VAERS, which it uses as an early warning system to detect unexpected vaccine-related adverse events. This data can be readily accessed by anyone who familiarizes themselves with the CDC’s WONDER report system.
Since most folks don’t have the time to learn the workings of the WONDER system, several websites have generated reports directly from the CDC data that aggregates the adverse report data and produces the CDC’s information in a form readily useable by the public. One such facility, OpenVAERS, produces weekly reports from the CDC data in an easy-to-understand form.
Note that these reports are voluntary and so the number of events reported are likely underestimated, sometimes significantly so depending on the event reported. It takes about 20 minutes to complete a full VAERS report, so transient adverse events are less likely to be reported than serious life-threatening events, but underreporting impacts all adverse events reporting.
Since the CDC data clearly shows thousands of deaths within 72 hours of inoculation and tens of thousands of serious adverse events, the observations made by Dr. Seeds in his article seem both appropriate and revelatory to those who had not encountered this data before.
Perhaps a bit more trust, dispassionate discussion and less accusatory language would bring more light to our understanding of this terrible pandemic in which we find ourselves. – Bryan Walsh, Richmond
Putting faith in God, not vaccine
In reply to Amanda Keller’s letter concerning the COVID-19 vaccines (Catholic Virginian, Jan. 10):
They never were a vaccine because they never had a gene of the disease in them to make you immune, nor were they ever tested on a human being. That is why they had to change the definition of the word vaccine, so “no one” is liable for the harmful side effects and deaths resulting from them.
There were very inexpensive treatments available from day one, but they were banned from use so all the promoters of the vaccines could make billions of dollars. The reason for it being mandated was to see if everyone would be scared enough to obey big government. They were and still are!
Yes, God did give us the best immune system, and that is why I am putting my faith in him at age 90 rather than in a shot that could kill me. – Dot Hewitt, Dendron
Pope missed opportunity to teach about parenthood
I read with interest Pope Francis’ recent comments on parenthood and his chiding of people who choose to be childless. While I agree with him in principle, he missed an opportunity to teach about parenthood.
Pope Francis’ words come across as parenthood is somewhat obligatory. But parenthood is so much more than that! Parenthood is the most fulfilling vocation two people can have. The joy of having children is unsurpassable by any other human endeavor.
I cannot imagine life without my daughters. I now understand that their lives are the complete fulfillment of the promises my wife and I made on our wedding day. I understand now what I felt holding my daughters, moments after they were born, an energy flowing through me, that I recognize as my receipt of the transcendent grace of fatherhood directly from God.
Because I was open to having children in my life, I was able to recognize the receipt of this unique grace that has sustained me and enables me to love my daughters for my entire life. Having children has also allowed me to experience the deepest form of human existence — the giving and receiving of unconditional love — which is the same type of love God has for all people. It is through loving unconditionally that we become truly alive in the fullest sense.
I’ve often read news stories about the financial cost of raising children. Yes, it is substantial. But from my experience, I have only one reaction to that. What a bargain, what an absolute bargain! – Martin G. Mlynczak, Yorktown
Mural story evoked memories
Your article on the murals in St. Elizabeth Church (Catholic Virginian, Jan. 10) was very interesting. My wife, Frances, and I were married in this church Aug. 4, 1964.
My wife grew up in this area, so this was our choice. When we go back to this area, we still attend Mass there. Our wedding pictures have most of the murals in them. We look forward to coming back after they have finished. – Tom Watters, South Hill
Grateful Vatican II stimulated renaissance
As we discuss synodality and Catholic identity, I am writing to share some beautiful fruits of Vatican II.
The Eastern Catholic Churches are returning to their heritages, as they were instructed in Vatican II. Sunday, Jan. 23, it was glorious to be in a Byzantine parish, singing Divine Liturgy in English and Slavonic, according to traditional Carpathian chant.
Easterners are recovering and spreading the arts of chant and iconography. They are reading the Church fathers and mothers important both universally and for particular cultures. Seeing the Eastern Churches recover their patrimony – and being part of it – is to experience an energetic renaissance of worship, love, joy and culture.
We Roman Catholics are now slowly returning to our heritage. I am pleasantly surprised that in some Masses, we chant beautifully in Latin. I see more renovations of naves and sanctuaries with modest beauty so fitting for the Divine Mystery.
While the Byzantine charism of worship is to continuously sing with the myriads of angels, the Latin charism is silence … and our Latin contemplative silence is returning to Sunday Mass. We are reading the Church fathers and mothers with the excitement of finding lost treasure. I am noticing more rosaries and chapel veils, and more people are assuming our Latin custom of kneeling for holy Communion.
Our Catholic religious cultures were almost lost to the tyranny of modern mundane culture; I am grateful to Vatican II for its role in stimulating the renaissance I see, feel and experience. – Anthony Rago Jr., Newport News