The Journal News from White Plains, New York • Page 64

on the go THE JOURNAL-NEWS, SUNDAY, JULY, 3, 1983 riest says, you can start over ART BUCHWALD ANN LANDERS Dear Ann: I have a very dear friend who was reared a Catholic. When she was a young woman, she had an abortion, which, as she says, automatically excommunicated her from the church. She does not practice any religion now says, "If the church doesn't want me, then I don't want the church." I really believe she wants to belong to the church again, and I feel that somehow she could. How does one resolve an excommunication? Does the Pope have to give his blessing before a person can get back? I would not suggest anything to her because she might tell me to MYOB. Will you print some information on the subject? I know she reads your column every day.

Please help her. Lost Sheep Dear Lost Sheep: I asked Father Theodore Hesburgh, president of the University of Notre Dame, to answer this one. Here is his response: "It is true that there is an excommunication penalty attached to procuring an abortion. However, the person who has the abortion must be aware that this penalty exists and go ahead and have it anyway. The question of prime importance: Did the young woman know about this church law? "In the event that she did know and had the Dear Ann Landers: Your readers never pass up a chance to tell you when you are wrong.

For a change I'm writing to tell you when you were right. I do this not only for the pleasure it brings me, but also because I'll bet you caught a lot of hell from the lawyers after you wrote: "The legal system in the United States is a disgrace." Enclosed is a clipping from a page one story of the New York Times, quoting Derek Bok, president of Harvard University. Dr. Bok said: "The legal system in this country is among the most expensive and the least efficient in the world. As a result, we get a spurious form of justice that places the interests of the privileged ahead of justice for the poor and middle-class citizens." How do you like those apples? Applauding From The Sidelines In Maine Dear Maine: I like those apples just fine, but I fear you have given me too much credit.

While I am in complete agreement with Dr. Bok, the system I knocked was the PENAL system. Check the clipping, chum, and thanks for writing anyway. abortion anyway, she can be absolved of the sin by confessing it to any priest. I believe most bishops delegate to all their priests the power to absolve from this excommunication, even though it is technically known as a 'reserved "I would advise the woman to make a good confession, put this matter behind her and start anew.

It certainly is not a question of the church not wanting her. The church exists to help everyone who needs it." Again, Father Hesburgh has proven that he is a compassionate, caring priest, seeking always to heal and help. What a splendid example for all the clergy! Nothing 'easier' about teenagers driving ERMA BOMBECK A father once figured out what it cost to send his son out for a half gallon of skim milk. When he averaged the insurance, the license, the gas, the cost of the dumpster which the son backed into, the towing charges and the court costs, he could have bought his own dairy farm in Wisconsin. I'm willing to admit there are some pluses with teenage drivers, but only if they're girls who are honor students, don't smoke, drive a station wagon, have no social life, are trained mechanics, have a hit record, and won a car in a lottery.

It might work. We didn't know how to tell her that her son was the crazy-out-of-control weirdo at the wheel that every other mother feared. Every once in awhile you'll meet a mother who says, "I can hardly wait until Michael learns how to drive. I know I'm being selfish but it will be easier for me." Usually, a mother says this when she is mellowed out on Mother's Day and two Valiums. Trust me, the "perks" just aren't there.

There are a lot of myths surrounding the teenage driver. One is that all boys love to tinker with cars and can save you a lot of bucks by tuning up your engine and changing the oil. I had a son who solved the problem of a radiator boiling over by pouring a can of Orange Crush into it. I was shocked. I would have been willing to bet he didn't know where the radiator was.

He certainly never found the gas tank. Another myth is that they save you time and energy by running errands for you. Would that it were true. I once had dry cleaning that rode around in the back seat for so long waiting to be dropped off it went out of style. Besides, for the first few years after your child learns how to drive your car is a blur.

It never actually stops, but is only a relay vehicle circling slowly around the drive or cruising in front of the house, but never really coming to a complete stop. More importantly, there is no such thing as a teenager without his or her own wheels. You may think it's going to be a "sharing experience," but you are wrong. You are not saying hello to a new driver, but goodbye to your car. One innocent mother once said, "Now that my son drives I have peace of mind just knowing he isn't driving around with some crazy-out-of-control weirdo at the wheel.

Pope shook committee's solidarity The Polish Central Committee had an emergency meeting as soon as the pope's plane took off from Krakow to return to Rome. "All right," one of the high officials said. "Who came up with the smart idea to have the pope visit Poland?" Someone pointed his finger at Panowski. Panowski threw up his hands. "I thought it would be good for tourism.

You have to admit we got great press all over the world." "Especially in Moscow," one of the members said. "Do you realize what you've done, Panowski? You brought all the Solidarity people back together again; you allowed them to have demonstrations in the street, and we may have to lift martial law." "How did I know there were that many Catholics in the country?" "You could have asked us, Panowski. Would you mind telling us exactly how you got us in this mess?" "Well, last winter I got a call from the Vatican and the man said the pope would like to visit his homeland. I thought he wanted to go to the village where he was born and have a few days rest at a monastery. I didn't know he was going to use the trip to bring a message to the Polish people." "You think the pope just goes around the world looking for a place to take a vacation?" "I expected him to say Mass, but I didn't realize anybody would show up for it." "Only 10 million people showed up, Panowski." "But they all didn't take communion." "I think you're missing the point, Panowski.

Until the pope's visit, we had the unions under control; the people were dispirited and had lost their will to fight us, and we looked like we were in control. Now everything is changed, and we're back where we started. The pope gave everyone a shot in the arm, which is something we didn't need at this time." "So I underestimated his appeal as a spiritual leader. We all make mistakes." "Is that what you want us to tell Moscow?" "Why do we have to tell Moscow anything? We're an independent country." "No reason except they have six million troops on our border. You better come up with a good story when the Kremlin calls us, which should be any minute now." "Why don't we say he came here on a trade mission to buy Polish hams, in exchange for Vatican wheat?" "I'm not sure the Soviets will buy that one, not after the speeches he made from the pulpit." "We could say the Western press exaggerated the visit and made it into a political spectacle to further their warlike intentions towards the Warsaw Pact nations." "That's better, but it's still not good enough.

The Soviets are going to ask why we let him come in the first place." "Because we needed the hard currency to buy oil from the Russians?" "It won't fly, Panowski." The phone started ringing. "It's them Panowski. Why don't you answer it?" "Hello, yes, comrade. This is the Central Committee. Before you say anything, he's gone.

We kicked him out of the country before he could do any damage No, no. Everything's quiet in Poland. Do you think one priest could be a threat to the great Polish Communist Party? Who told you the whole country turned out to hear him? That's disinformation put out by the CIA. The man didn't even fill up one small church. A few old ladies turned out to see him.

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