Monthly Archives: February 2011
The Death Penalty (Chapter VIII)
“Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor” (CCC 2267).
Capital punishment is probably the most misunderstood moral issue in the Catholic Church. This confusion stems from the change made in the Catechism in 1997 to bring the teaching into conformity with the encyclical Evangelium Vitae (1995). (more…)
For many years pro-life activists have prayed for a David to slay the pro-abortion Goliath, Planned Parenthood. Lisa Rose, a 22-year old California college student, has not felled the billion-dollar abortion provider with one blow, but the findings of her covert operations have provided the leverage leading to Planned Parenthood’s defunding in the House of Representatives. (more…)
The late Rev. Robert Drinan, S.J., (1920-2007) invented the modern pro-abortion Catholic politician. Father Drinan served as Dean of Boston College Law School for 14 years before serving 10 years in the House of Representatives, ending his career by teaching 26 years at Georgetown School of Law.
His was a distinguished career marred by the fact that, during his entire career, Father Drinan so fiercely advocated the right to abortion that he created the template for all the pro-abortion Catholic politicians to follow. (more…)
Population (Chapter VII)
“Thus the Church condemns as a grave offense against human dignity and justice all those activities of governments or other public authorities which attempt to limit in any way the freedom of couples in deciding about children” (Familiaris Consortio, 30). (more…)
Average Americans are probably scratching their heads this week over the talk of a “Continuing Resolution”, spending cuts, the President’s budget request, and the rest of the Washington-speak on the news about how your tax dollars are spent in Washington. (more…)
Former Bush White House speech writer, Michael Gerson, opined on the GOP and Catholic social teaching in last week’s Washington Post. Though not a Catholic, he is well versed in intersections of JPII-style Catholicism and public policy. Gerson begins by underscoring the infusion of Republican Catholics into the 112th Congress. (more…)
Bioethics (Chapter VI)
“[M]ethodical research in all branches of knowledge, provided it is carried out in a truly scientific manner and does not override moral laws, can never conflict with the faith, because the things of the world and the things of faith derive from the same God” (CCC 159).
Bioethics has moved onto center stage in the arena of public policy and morality. The past few years have witnessed highly visible debates on human embryonic stem cell research and cloning. Since the future of such research has a direct impact on the life and death of human persons, it’s a life issue for all Catholics. (more…)
Site Gives Grassroots Chance to Show Support for “Protect Life Act” to fix Abortion Funding & Conscience Protections in Health Care Reform Law
WASHINGTON – Catholic Advocate Voice today launched ProtectLifeAct.org to give Americans the opportunity to join together to demonstrate their support for H.R. 358 “The Protect Life Act.” “The Protect Life Act” is the topic of a hearing today in the House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health. (more…)
This coming November the Catholic bishops will approve a new version of their “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship” document.
The 36-page statement on political responsibility was hotly debated at the bishops’ meeting in 2007, though only four bishops voted against it. At the time, Archbishop Raymond Burke made an impassioned plea for his fellow bishops to reconsider problematic sections of “Faithful Citizenship” to no avail. (more…)
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