THE NATIONAL CATHOLIC WEEKLY APRIL 26, 2010 $3.50 A Persistent Presence El Salvador’s Oscar Romero RICHARD AMESBURY ANDREW KIRSCHMAN Thomas J. Reese on the sexual abuse crisis in Europe Spring Books OF MANY THINGS PUBLISHED BY JESUITS OF THE UNITED STATES s a young child, I desperately uncle’s bedroom, the dog’s sixth sense EDITOR IN CHIEF wanted a puppy dog. I pleaded kicked in. He gingerly climbed step by Drew Christiansen, S.J. A with my parents over and over step and eventually slithered to the bed- again in the hope that continued pester- side, putting one paw gently on the pil- EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT ing might move my father (my mother low. That is far from uncommon behav- MANAGING EDITOR was neutral) to say yes. But he never did: ior. Dogs have strong instincts. In fact, Robert C. Collins, S.J. “There will be no Hund in my home.” the mere presence of dogs and other EDITORIAL DIRECTOR That was that; the lawyer had spoken. domestic animals, experience bears out, Karen Sue Smith Crestfallen but undeterred, I has a calming effect not only on the sick ONLINE EDITOR brought up the matter again in a couple but the well, too. Maurice Timothy Reidy of years. This time my father was out- Prince went off to heaven one day, CULTURE EDITOR side our house speaking with a friend. and I was heartbroken. Only a pet James Martin, S.J. When I rushed over to make my plea owner can imagine the strong bond LITERARY EDITOR for the nth time, he said something to forged between humans and their best Patricia A. Kossmann his friend in German and then friends and the profound sense of grief POETRY EDITOR promised me I could have a dog if I and loss that follows death or separation. James S. Torrens, S.J. attained at least a 98 percent grade More than companions, many dogs ASSOCIATE EDITORS average on my next report card. Did I (often strays) are specially trained as George M. Anderson, S.J. leap for joy when my next grade average detection dogs to track wildlife poach- Peter Schineller, S.J. was 99.6 percent! ers, for search and rescue, for drug- Kevin Clarke So the following weekend my oblig- sniffing, for leading the blind and for ART DIRECTOR ing parents took a drive to get me “a general service. Stephanie Ratcliffe pet.” Not the canine I had expected, it The appeal of such memoirs as ASSISTANT EDITORS was a parakeet! Resigned to fate, I Marley and Me, by John Grogan; Vinnie Francis W. Turnbull, S.J. named him Dusty because of his light Here: Fanciful Conversations Between a Kerry Weber markings. To my surprise I quickly fell Pastor and His Dog, by the Rev. Joseph ASSISTANT LITERARY EDITOR in love with my feathered friend. Even Kraker; and Dewey: The Small-Town Regina Nigro more surprising, so did my father. Cat Who Touched the World, by Vicki Whenever he did paperwork at the din- Myron, and many other such books BUSINESS DEPARTMENT ing room table after dinner, Dusty was attest to the unique relationship we PUBLISHER by his side. Dusty also loved to perch have with pets. Jan Attridge on the rim of his eyeglasses. My avian Sad to say, not all relationships with CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER friend also learned to talk and acquired animals are like this. Instances of animal Lisa Pope a pretty good vocabulary. And his hoarding and abuse increasingly make ADVERTISING “voice” sounded identical to the person’s the headlines. Happily, state lawmakers Julia Sosa from whom he learned a particular are growing tougher on offenders and word or phrase. I never realized how imposing stricter penalties for convicted 106 West 56th Street New York, NY 10019-3803 much fun, joy and comfort a pet brings abusers. In fact California lawmakers, into a household. according to another report, are consid- Ph: 212-581-4640; Fax: 212-399-3596 Years later, after both Dusty and my ering creating an online registry for ani- E-mail: [email protected]; father had passed away, I did get a dog mal abusers. Fuller recognition of ani- [email protected] Web site: www.americamagazine.org. (pace Dad). Owning a dog, of course, is mal abuse and stronger responses to it Customer Service: 1-800-627-9533 a greater responsibility, but the rewards are long overdue. © 2010 America Press, Inc. are countless. Prince brightened the Well, dear reader, since the mid-90s lives of adults and children alike (one I’ve become a bird mother again (two little girl thought that his full name was cockatiels who enjoy chewing my red Principal and always called him such). pen when I’m home proofreading). No Cover: Memorial Mass on the eve of Once, when my uncle was home recov- problem—except for our managing edi- the 22nd anniversary of the assassi- ering from surgery, we thought a visit tor sometimes. The main thing is, we’re nation of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero on 3/23/02, outside the by Prince might lighten his spirit. a happy family of three: Alice, Frankie Cathedral of San Salvador. Photo Before ascending the staircase to my and me. PATRICIA A. KOSSMANN courtesy of David Gonzalez. CONTENTS www.americamagazine.org VOL. 202 NO. 13, WHOLE NO. 4891 APRIL 26, 2010 ARTICLES 11 SALVADOR’S SAINT Archbishop Oscar Romero remains a guiding presence in his native country. Richard Amesbury and Andrew Kirschman 17 TAKING RESPONSIBILITY What can European bishops learn from the U.S. sexual abuse crisis? Thomas J. Reese 20 FAR FROM THE MAINLAND A pastor assesses the spiritual journey of Chinese immigrants. George M. Anderson 26 IS GOD MAD AT US? 11 Helping children cope with global tragedy Pat Fosarelli COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS 4 Current Comment 5 Editorial The Sisters’ Witness 6 Signs of the Times 9 Column Farewell to Arms Maryann Cusimano Love 32 Poem Fisher Eagle Ellen Calmus 44 Letters 46 The Word Love Commanded Barbara E. Reid 26 BOOKS & CULTURE 31 SPRING BOOKS Prayers of the Faithful; The Good and Evil Serpent; The Infinities; The Rising; Imperfect Birds FILM How movies help us encounter the transcendent ON THE WEB ON THE WEB A preview of the documentary “Monseñor: The Last Days of Oscar Romero,” and an archive of articles on the sexual abuse crisis. Plus, Greg Boyle, S.J., right, discusses gang life in Los Angeles, and Jake Martin, S.J., reviews “The Tudors.” All at americamagazine.org. 3135 CURRENT COMMENT Half Steps than the number that has been fixed.” The virtual fence is part of the Bush administration’s Last week President Obama began to draw a couple of 2005 Secure Borders Initiative to combat smuggling and steps closer to the dream of a nuclear-free world. illegal immigration. It called for radar and other high-tech Unhappily, they were just baby steps. In Prague, with devices to help Border Patrol agents spot and quickly appre- Russia’s President Dmitri Medvedev, he signed a new hend undocumented men and women attempting to cross Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. The agreement cuts back into the United States. The fence has already cost the gov- the number of bombs each side can hold by only a third. It ernment over $1 billion, and the G.A.O. notes that it would does nothing to abolish arsenals of tactical weapons. take several more years to cover the entire 2,000-mile border Because their small size makes it easier for terrorists to steal between the two countries. The fence’s malfunctioning and deploy these field-grade weapons against civilian tar- underscores the need for the comprehensive immigration gets, they may actually be a greater threat in a time of ter- reform that advocates long for. But it also suggests the need rorism than the larger, strategic weapons. for more foreign aid to Mexico to create jobs there with a Also last week, the administration released its Nuclear living wage that could encourage Mexicans to stay home. Posture Review, pledging not to mount a nuclear attack against non-nuclear states that are in compliance with the Haz-Mat Alert Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, a formulation targeted to A too-casual approach to the commercial deployment of make Iran and North Korea exceptions to the rule. chemical compounds is creating a significant health risk. Missing, however, was a no-first-use pledge, which is a sine Only a relative handful of the 80,000 to 100,000 com- qua non for a morally justifiable deterrent. pounds widely used in manufacturing have been tested for With the Nonproliferation Review scheduled for May at carcinogenic or other effects on humans. Among those not the United Nations, further commitments to deeper cuts in yet properly vetted are phenols, phthalates and phytoestro- nuclear arsenals are necessary to motivate aspiring nuclear gens, classes of chemicals widely used in food storage, cos- states not to enter a new nuclear arms race. Furthermore, the metics and fragrances, and in children’s plastic toys, sham- N.P.T. itself must extend to countries like India and poos and soaps. Pakistan, which stand outside the pact. Through the net- A new study conducted by researchers from New York’s work of the physicist A. Q. Khan, the father of the Pakistani Mount Sinai School of Medicine reports that these chemi- bomb, that country has been the world’s major proliferater. cals are likely disrupters of pubertal development in young Moreover, as a de facto center of global jihadism, Pakistan is girls, which puts them at risk for health complications later at risk of losing its weapons to terrorists.