New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan came in for approval and opprobrium (the latter thanks to my own crotchety self) in this space last fall for what I (at least) considered an ill-conceived retort to The New York Times for not printing his lengthy and rather indiscriminate critique of his new hometown broadsheet's coverage of Catholicism.In today's edition, the archbishop takes what I think is a more effective route, penning a constructive yet pointed letter to the editor about what he says was an "excellent" Nicholas Kristof column but noting a couple of points on which Kristof was in error. I happen to agree with Archbishop Dolan both on Kristof's very good column (about how much evangelicals are doing in overseas aid work, especially WorldVision) and on what Kristof got wrong in his passing references to the Catholic Church. But I also think this was a much more effective rejoinder -- and I hope it means the Gray Lady and the American Pope are getting along, and we'll see more such communication.Here's the letter:

To the Editor:Bravo to Nicholas D. Kristof for his excellent Feb. 28 column, Learning From the Sin of Sodom.While Catholics have always believed energetic works of charity and justice to be an essential part of their mission, and while our international relief and development work through Catholic Relief Services is hardly new, now in its seventh decade doing the work that the column advocates, we collaborate closely with organizations like World Vision, deservedly extolled by Mr. Kristof.An otherwise perceptive column was somewhat scarred by two comments: recent work by experts like Dr. Edward Green of the Harvard School of Public Health, and experience in countries like Uganda, lead many to conclude that dependence upon only condoms to control H.I.V.-AIDS is dangerous policy, making Mr. Kristofs comments about the Vatican (whose hostility to condoms contributes to the AIDS epidemic) unjust.Two, rather than being obsessed with fetuses we prefer the word babies Catholics and evangelicals see reverence for all human life, from the baby in the womb to natural death, as a sacred ethic of life that inspires the very works Mr. Kristof praises.Timothy M. DolanNew York, March 1, 2010The writer, the archbishop of New York, is chairman of the board of Catholic Relief Services.