Your Public Square

This past week a collection of dissident Catholic groups took out an ad in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera seeking once more to have the Holy Father and the Church rescind its teaching that contraception of any form is intrinsically evil and to be avoided by Catholics.

In 1968 Pope Paul VI’s encyclical letter Humanae Vitae definitely codified what the Church had taught for two millennia: that sexual relations in a marriage must be both unitive (husband and wife giving themselves completely to each other) and procreative (being open to possibility of children). In the 40 years since 1968, the Mystical Body of Christ has been involved in a theological civil war over the issue with casualties throughout the Church and the world.

Many of the so-called “Catholic groups” who signed onto the ad, beat the familiar drum of same sex marriage, women’s ordination, support of abortion and the promotion of birth control. It’s worth noting that Catholics, who knowingly dissent from the Church on these issues, threaten to separate themselves from communion with Rome.

At the heart of this dissent seems to be a peculiar ignorance among Catholics about whom the Pope is and how he shepherds the faithful. In the Book of Matthew we learn that Jesus singled out St. Peter for a special mission in his new Church: “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall no prevent against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matthew, 16:18).”

We clearly see that Jesus established a Church with St. Peter at the helm; we also learn that he has the authority to forgive men for their sins here on earth. Before he was crucified in Rome, we know that St. Peter’s office was the Bishop of Rome; although Joseph Ratzinger is called Pope Benedict XVI or the Holy Father, the name of his office remains the Bishop of Rome. And for 2,000 years it has been the Bishop of Rome who has settled disputes and ruled on controversies in the universal Church. We see in the current implosion of the Anglican Communion, how vital it is for Christians to have an authority to settle difficult issues.

And once we recognize who the Pope is, we must appreciate what his function is. Regarding questions of faith (scripture) and morals, the Pope is guided by the Holy Spirit and is infallible (cannot pronounce error in the narrow filed of faith and morals). Infallibility should not be confused with impeccability, which means free from sin. The Pope is a man, and therefore a sinner like all men, yet when teachings on issues of faith and morals, Catholics can take it to the bank that this is the will of Jesus Christ for His people. One of the great joys of being Catholic is know that when you faithfully live out the Chruch’s teaching, you are pleasing our Lord – to trust the Holy Father is to trust our Lord who is the head of the Church.

For non-Catholics who might be puzzled by this row about birth control, it’s worth reading Pope Paul VI’s encyclical and learning just how prophetic he was in asserting that acceptance of birth control would lead to abortion, divorce, promiscuity, decline of the family and the degradation of women.

We see in Africa today that one of the only countries that has made progress in reducing HIV/AIDS is Uganda, which has focused on abstinence, marital fidelity and traditional Christian morality. Elsewhere in Africa, secular westerners swoop in and shower the population with condoms – making no attempt to address the issue of sexual promiscuity. A recent article in the Washington Post by a Ugandan minister exposes the pressure African nations receive from U.N.-type agencies to not “restrict people’s sexual freedom.”

This year New York City began a marketing campaign to raise awareness about condom use; the campaign included free condoms and flashy ads encouraging sexual license. Not long after, a study appeared documenting that STDs in the city were at an all-time high. Little wonder that secular, progressive types have little to offer Africa in the way of health advice.

Catholics are blessed to have Jesus’ representative among them guiding them back to the father in heaven – it’s time the members of the Mystical Body of Christ began acting accordingly.

Labels: Catholic Church