To the Editor:

Regarding your editorial of December 15, "Menino's Christmas message was poignant, welcome": Since Mayor Menino chose at the Catholic Charities dinner to "make the link between my private faith and my public duty" and then proceeded to reflect on the Corporal Works of Mercy from Matthew 25, it is proper to note a glaring omission in the Mayor's concern for the "least of my brethren," namely, the innocent unborn child.

Catholics whom you label "narrow-minded" and other Catholics who could not be considered narrow-minded by any reasonable standard object to the Catholic Charities award to Mayor Menino primarily because of the Mayor's support for abortion, a position which a Catholic cannot hold in good conscience.

Mayor Menino mentioned never being far from what "the nuns" taught him. There were not a million-plus abortions a year taking place in our country when the nuns were teaching Mayor Menino the Corporal Works of Mercy, but one can certainly envision those faithful, holy Religious including the protection of vulnerable and innocent life in their teaching. The best known "nun" of the 20th century, Blessed Mother Teresa, gave great witness to the Corporal Works of Mercy and, yet, with absolute consistency she was uncompromising in her opposition to abortion. This coherent logic is missing from your editorial and from Mayor Menino's remarks to Catholic Charities.

Very Reverend Thomas S. Foley

Reverend Thomas C. Corcoran

Reverend Ronald C. Lawson

St. Ann Parish, Dorchester