4
The Message -- for Catholics of Southwestern Indiana
A temptation of age, and related
By PAUL R. LEINGANG
Editor
It was a common temptation, one I'd forgotten
since my children had grown. I saw it happen, though,
as my wife and I waited in line at the multi-screen
movie theater.
In front of us, waiting to buy their tickets too, were
a woman and a young girl,, mother and daughter no
doubt. They were trying to decide if the girl looked her
age, 12 years old. If she looked younger, she would be
able to get into the movies with a cheaper ticket.
Movie prices are too high, some might say, and a
family ought to get way with paying for a child instead
of an adult for as long as possible. Others would dis-
agree with that conclusion, saying that lying about age
to get a lower price is morally wrong.
For some reason, it seems, people seem more will-
ing to see what they can get away with when they are
dealing with a large business. At least that's what I
have observed. A woman would be less likely to lie
about the age of her daughter if they knew the owners
of the business.
But large or small, it seems, that a lesson was being
taught to the young girl. And that lesson was that Morn
believes it is o.k. for you to fudge a little on the truth.
Morn approves of a little creative fraud, as long as no
harm is done.
Or is there?
Some would say that the multi-screen movie com-
pany does not deserve any more money from the girl,
just because she is a day older than 12, or whatever the
arbitrary age may be in some particular case. She still
only takes one seat, she uses no more space than any
one else, and she may even be smaller than someone
younger than she.
Others would say that a theater has, the right to set
some limits, to offer lower prices to some and not to oth-
ers, in order to encourage more people to buy tickets.
And maybe some others would wonder if Morn
might not be setting an example the girl would follow
when she "looked old enough" to buy cigarettes or
alcohol.
And would it be o.k. to take something from a
store especially a large chain store -- if the Cashier
made a mistake and rang up a lower price?
And would it be o.k. to switch a price tag, as long
as nobody noticed it, and "nobody was really hurt,
anyway" by the switch?
Or are such questions going too far?
Take the time today to reflect on the questions
raised by the story about the woman and her daughter.
If there are children in your home, ask them to talk
about situations where their age makes a difference. Is
there any difference between stretching to be tall
enough to get on a roller coaster and t
younger to save a little money? Is
between acting younger
ing older to get a prohibited purchase?
What would Jesus say?
render to the cinema what belongs
in the case of the steward who re-wrote
bills in order to gain favor with them,
the shrewdness of mother and
Violence visits the Vatican: Residents, employees s
By JOHN THAVIS
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) --
Violence visited the Vatican in
May, a rare reminder that even
the headquarters of the univer-
sal church is not immune to out-
bursts of tragedy and evil.
After a young Swiss Guard
shot and killed his commander,
the commander's wife and then
himself in a Vatican apartment
house, many Vatican City resi-
dents and employees were left
emotionally numb, shocked that
the seemingly senseless vio-
lence of the modern world
could so easily cross the border
into their 108-acre enclave of rel-
ative tranquillity.
"This could have happened
anywhere. The fact that it hap-
pened here Shows there is no
absolute guarantee against an
act of madness the human
mind is always unpredictable,"
said one Vatican official.
Letter tothe edRor
Cardinal Carlo Furno, who
lives in the Vatican, said the
episode was a tangible "sign of
evil in the world," against
which the Vatican walls offered
no protection.
By historical standards in the
Vatican, the recent killings were
exceptional. No one, in fact,
could remember a single case of
murder inside the Vatican's Leo-
nine Walls, at least since the
popes made it their residence in
the 14th century.
But veteran Vatican observers
pointed to a chilling near-prece-
dent 39 years ago, an episode
that had a more fortunate out-
come. In 1959, a mentally unbal-
anced Swiss Guard, Adolf
Rucker, went to the residence of
his commanding officer, Robert
Take the time to examine your
ketplace, and compare them to the
as a Christian.
If there is conflict between what
what you do, take the time to
justice.
Examine the story lines of
message s in advertising. Do
ble consumption? If so, ex
pies to others in your home, and to
you in their audience.
Give the price of a movie to
tion serving families who
ment.
Take the time to make a difference, i '
Comments about this column are
prleing@cfin.org or the Christian ....
Box 272, Ames, Iowa 50010.
a
his throat on
Apostolic
piece
about
Before then,
to
VI I
given high
ican at
tury.
son. of Pope i
thought to
Nunlist, and shot him. Nunlist
escaped with a slight injury --
a bullet in the hip. Two days
later, Rucker tried to shoot him-
self, but suffered only facial
wounds.
In 1848, at a time of political
tension over the church role in
Italy, Count Pellegrino Rossi,
Pope Pius IX's prime minister,
was assassinated by members of
brc
Proud to have been a student of Mr. Hupfer
In
good-natured, and always will-
ing to provide advice: For these
reasons, he served also as a role
model to me.
Through no conscious effort
of his own, Mr. Hupfer con-
vinced me to study mathemat-
ics in college. I haven't quit yet.
This year I'll receive my Mas-
ter's degree in math, and I plan
to earn a Ph.D. in two more
years. Ultimately,. I hope to
become a college math teacher,
and this goal is something I no
doubt owe to Mr. Hupfer.
Though my high school years"
recede into the past, the things I
learned from Mr. Hupfer
remain. Some of these things are
mathematical. But the most
To the Editor:.
I was very happy to hear
that Mr. Randy Hupfer was
chosen as the 1998 diocesan
Teacher of the Year. I whole-
heartedly agree with the Dio-
cese in their choice.
The classes I had with Mr.
Hupfer were the most enjoyable
hours I spent in my four years
at Memorial High School. It was
clear to me that he really liked
• mathematics, so much that he
wanted everyone else to like
mathematics too. That ability to
transfer the love of learning to
his students is what makes Mr.
Hupfer an excellent teac.he But
even beyond that, I found him °
fair and honest, extremely
In praise of the NFP series
More people need to know
of the valuable service NFP
renders to healthier family
life. The reasoned promise of
the NFP attitude would do
,much to remedy the disorders
in many families. NFP offers
a clear-headed approach, and
a better way of looking at
things.
Edward Becker
Evansville
valuable lessons he taught me
are the ones that have inspired
me to be a teacher, too, and for
these I cannot thank him
enough. I am proud, to have
been his student.
Matthew Leingang
Harvard University
ican W ere
assassination
4200 N. Kentucky Ave.
Evansville, IN 47711
.jja_ Weekly newspaper
_-, of the Diocese of
Eva.sv,,e
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Pr0Oucl Tectici .............. [¢,
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To the editor:.
Glad you've run the series of
artides on Natural Family Plan-
ning. It's heartening to see ben-
eficial actions taken in support
of sound families and a sensible
morality.
The wholesome approach of
NFP to procreation does much
to counter the horrors of the
abortuaries and the injurious
effects of "the Pill."
survived
captured. •
In 1986, art
robbery
Scout Family Jamboree, Holiday ,
at 5 p.m., Saturday, May 16.
Confirmation at St. Bernard,
9:30 a.m.
Girl Scout Mass, St.
Catholic Charities Annual Dinner,
May 18, 6 p.m.
Finance Council Meeting
19, 4 p.m.
Confirmation at SL Agnes,
p.m.
Deans' Meeting, bishop's house,
p.m.
Confirmation at Mary, Help of
Wednesday, May 20, 7 p.m.
Ascension Thursday, Mass with
High School, Evansville
Ascension Thursday, Mass at Nativ
Thursday, May 21, 6:30 p.m.
Depart for Rome, Region VII
Pope John Paul II, Friday, May 22.
