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18 Thursday, February 9, 1969 Editorial & Opinion Courier-Journal Essay ignores causes of crisis To the editor: Steve Schott, in \Speaking Out\ (C-J Jan. 26) sought to clarify personal views expressed by students in an earlier article. He expounds on many of the sad ramifications of teen pregnan- cies, and is correct in decrying the availability of abortion as an \out\ for the consequences of teen sex. His article focuses on arguments for \safe sex,\ as if that is the only, consideration in- volved in facing the realities of sexual activity. Deeper thought, and honest confrontation with one's own limits, rights, and self-control are de- finitely called for. Even secular studies and state health depart- ment reports speak increasingly of efforts to say, \Save Sex\ rather than attempt to rely on the false security of \safe sex.\ It's interesting that those \latest findings and recom- mendations\ are just now catching up with the church's time-held position. (Schott) ridicules the \Just Say No\ message as a viable means to stop teen pregnancies, not- ing that \health class is a joke;\ wiui only two possible side-effects considered: pregnancy and disease. I would point out that his arguments list many more \side-effects ones which impact involved individuals and society at large, to an immense degree. Arguing for the availability of birth control, Schott states, \If the only thing keeping two teens from having, sex is a lack of birth control, they should be able to obtain it,\ even though it is \definitely not the best answer to teen preg- nancy and abortion.\ He still deals only with the possible result of an act participated in, and makes no mention of the right to engage in such activity. The ultimate privilege of sex is the creation of new life — a soul-infused, God-creation. Sex then, becomes the domain and responsibility of those in a position to best guarantee the finest possibilities for the fullest and richest — not ma- terial — upbringing of a child: the circumstan- ces and situation called for by the church for the sacrament of matrimony. That is the ideal which the church holds forth and offers — which ends up benefiting the individuals and so- ciety at large. Should the people of God call for less? Consequences flow from causes. The prob- lems Schott speaks of are rooted in a trend in some societies, and some individuals, to ignore, and ridicule as \old fashioned,\ teachings and beliefs rooted in both divine revelation, and 2,000 years of th6 people of God's experiences with the vital questions of life. The arguments of being \today'siworld \Everybody's doing h,\ \The church has no right to dictate my pri- vate, personal behavior,\ \My conscience says it's OK,\ \I got carried away in the passion of the moment\ do nothing to eliminate or dimin- ish die consequences of actions taken. The church's rejection of pre- and extra- marital sex makes more logical sense now than at any other time in history. The most advanced achievements of today's medical, psychologi- cal, and social service strides still cannot effec- tively deal with the myriad consequences of those who choosei to have sex outside the bonds of marital commitment which the church calls us to — whether pregnancy is a concern or not. Bottom line is, we find ourselves held to be- ing solely responsible for our actions — social- ly, but most critically, morally. To beg for means of \easing\ responsibility for the possi- ble consequences > of our actions cannot stand up as viable reasons! for changing the teachings of the church. Christ's church would be a fraud if it changed its teachings based on the latest cur- rent opinion poll of any given age group, in any given society, of any particular era. This is not a criticism of Steve Schott and those who expressed opinions earlier. Too often, we look to our own extremely limited life-years' experience, or that of what we hear from our parents, and make judgments based on those alone, without looking to the time-tested wealth of what history itself, and our faith espe- cially, holds out to us. In the meantime, holding out for \new\ and \modern\ solutions to ever-recurring problems will not replace die church's offering of \ab- stinence\ as the only solution to unwanted moral and social consequences of sex before marriage; her teachings of faithfulness within marriage, and adherence to non-violation of the natural sex cycle in marriage — a consistent position which supports and projects the dignity and sacredness of human life. Steve Schott says, concerning birth control, \But it's been tried, and it's worked.\ Really? Look at society tjoday! Many things are \avai- lable,\ which, even when needed or called for, are often ignored. \The passion of the mo- ment,\ especially, calls for a re-examination of what self-control {and honest acceptance of what one has a right to are all about! David G.Mulvey Castle Street Geneva Theologian's failure to offer birth-control argument undermines his case To the editor: *0 j ,_ Reading the article \Theologian urges pope to rethink birth control\ (C-J Jan. 26) reminds me once again of the thought that the church has more to fear from the \enemy\ within than all ptiiersL Father Bernard Haring, the subject of the ar- ticle, never musters a theological argument for his position on birth control. Is that because there is none? If a \theologian\ cannot or will not use his science to defend his position, what are we to think? Instead of theological vindication, he moves to sociological justification-for his advocacy of birth control. Citing polarization in the church, and evjen abandonment of the church by Catho- lics, he reasons there is sufficient cause for re- considering the church's anti-birth control stance. Such a condition as Father Haring's is bad in a layman, but when it occurs in the clergy and even worse in a theologian, it is an abomina- tion. Now Father Haring is trumpeted in this arti- cle as recently retired from the Alphonsianum Academy which is connected with Lateran Uni- versity. As a counterpoint to Father Haring, let me present some data about Father Ermengildo Lio, OFM, a professor of moral dieology at die Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. He has been teaching moral theology since 1951 and played an important role in the drafting of the passages in Vatican II's Gaudium et Spes which deal with conjugal morality. He is also a close adviser of recent popes. Farther Lio recendy autiiored a book \Hu- manss yltae and Infallibility: The Council, Paul VI andj John Paul U\ in which he establishes \that Humanae Vitae is an infallible pronounce- ment. This is done in a very scientific way. His methodology in brief is as follows, ex- cerpted j and paraphrased from Fidelity maga- zinev November 1987: Vatican U, in Lumen Gentium 25, concurs wim Vatican I that the church's infallibility is not limited to what is di- vinely revealed, but extends to doctrine — a general term which covers bom dogmas and the .secondary related truths. These truths are closely linked to divine revelation and cannot be denied witirout endangering the deposit of revealed tnrth in some way.' Examples of these clbsely revealed truths would be principles of me natural law — many of which are in any case revealed in Scripture as well. -Father Lio's study of Humanae Vitae in con- junction wim Gaudium et Spes and various pa- pal allocutions, leads him to conclude that the 1968 encyclical clearly manifests all the neces- sary conditions for an infallible —though not a dogmatic — definition of the absolute and in- trinsic unlawfulness of every contraceptive act To Father Lio Humanae Vitae is an exercise of papal infallibility as solemnly defined by Vat- ican Council I, in me constitution Pater Aeter- nus. therefore, to summarize, since the church's infallibility which is enjoyed and exercised by the pope alone under certain conditions is not limited to me field, of dogma but also covers other trams — faith and morals — per the teach- ing of Vatican I and Vatican U and since Father Lib's referenced book also details how Hu- manae Vitae complies wim the many require- ments of infallibility even to the point of Pope Paul VI invoking the power of Our Lord Him- self based on a \participation in the divine poWer\ given by Christ to Peter and me Apos- de$ — art. 4 of Humanae V\tae — I fail to see how Famer Haring can mount a case against Humanae Vitae without questioning the founda- tion of the church. Let me quote the comments of the Rev. Brian W.) Harrison, the reviewer in Fidelity maga- zine. \If... the pope had been wrong in his de- cision about contraception, what credibility would be left to the Catholic Church's claim that the Vicar of Christ enjoys a special and unique guidance to teach on these matters? For Father Lio, such a contingency would amount to a justification for the old Protestant claim that the pope is Antichrist, or the spokesman of Sa- tan! After all, would it not be a Satanic delusion — even a form of blasphemy — for a mortal man to declare falsehood or error whilst solem- nly invoking the authority of Christ and the Holy Spirit for such declarations? Indeed it seems hard to gainsay Famer Lio, if we con- sider me question from diat angle.'' One furtper observation — if Father Haring's theology or lack of it is an abomination, can the dieology of the reporting service (National Catholic News Service, an arm of the U.S. Catholic Conference — Ed.) or for mat matter Read warning of the psalms To the editor: Although much has been written, and much more has been said, on all sides of the issues of abortion, infanticide and euthanasia, mere still remains another side, concerning jffiese issues that has indeed been written about, but not heard. And I urge all American citizens who want Almighty God's fellowship with and His protec- tion for, the national peace, safety, and security of this great democracy to read where it is writ- ten this message, \Will you permit a corrupt government to] rule under your protection ... a government permitting wrong to defeat right? \Do you approve of those who condemn the] innocent to deam? ! 'WO \(Psalms 94:20-22). \ 1 Ban abortion, infanticide and eutiianasia. JeanMaruiko Westmount Street Rochester of die Rochester Diocese be much different when they can countenance the publication of such an ill-conceived, ill-considered, and ill- disposed work? William T. Hammill Clardale Drive Rochester PEACE • •••',£ 6 f * i \' , >k: <* ma*/. fisysifi? r^^Q M^® Courier-Journal Letters Policy The Courier-Journal wishes to provide space for readers throughout the diocese to express opinions on all sides of the issues. We welcome all signed, original letters about current issues affecting church life Although we cannot publish every letter we receive, we seek, insofar as possible, to provide a balanced representation of expressed opinions and a variety of reflections on life in the church. We will choose letters for publication based on likely reader interest, timeliness and a sense of fair play. Our discerning readers may determine whether to agtee or disagree with the opinions of the letter writers. We reserve the right to edit all letters. 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