Archive for October, 2015
Marriage is not a Prerequisite for Happiness
Justifications for same-sex marriage, from the most liberal to the most Christian proponents, often appeal to happiness: that marriage is required to be happy and to live a good human life. This idea made its way into the rationale of Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that made same-sex marriage legal in the United States. With same-sex marriage now a...
Christian Education: A Knowledge of the Ideal and the Art of the Possible
Noble ideals and the highest standards distinguish the moral teachings of Christ and the Catholic Church. The Christian life strives to imitate Christ in love of God and neighbor, in charity and humility, and in justice and mercy. It strives for sanctity and holiness. To follow Christ means to keep the Commandments, to follow the Beatitudes, to grow in faith, hope, and love, and to resist the temptations of the seven deadly sins. Although...
What Saint JPII Has To Say About Man and Community
In the first part of this article, we were looking into the nature of the person, including his subjective and objective experience of reality and his ability to interact with others. This idea of the person naturally leads to understanding his role in community. In this second part, we shall understand how the person is capable of what Wojtyła defines as the “I—thou relationship”, with marriage being the most fundamental kind of that...
Saint JPII’s Vision of the Person Within the Family
While it may seem obvious at first, understanding the family is intrinsically linked with understanding the person. If we have a false understanding of the person, viewing him as an end to our actions or even strictly as a cog in the machine, then we will likewise have an incorrect understanding of the family, for the person is the fundamental unit of the family. Therefore, as we celebrate the feast day of Pope St. John...
Burying the Dead as an Affirmation of Life
The growing tendency to resort to cremation is eroding the longstanding Christian tradition of burying the dead. One who considers both the sources of this tradition and Church teaching finds good reason for the Church’s belief that burial is strongly recommended over cremation. Regardless of what the supposed benefits of cremation may be, we would do well to consider both relevant Church teaching on the matter and possible unintended effects of the trend toward...
Dear Whoopi Goldberg: What the Bible Has to Say about Abortion
Recently, Whoopi Goldberg made the bold announcement that the Bible has nothing to say about the subject of abortion. An audacious statement, especially since Ms. Goldberg has no scholarly credentials in the field of theology. But it should be noted that Ms. Goldberg is not alone in this belief; other abortion advocates have made such pronouncements as well as made the claim that since the Bible is silent on the issue it...
Another Undiscovered Right Hidden in the Penumbra
A group of Progressives identifying themselves as “Sansculottes” have found the custom of wearing clothes restricts freedom of movement and expression. In their view, the norm of covering and adorning the body is not a reasonable custom, an expression of modesty, a form of propriety, or a sign of human dignity. It has no sound legal basis that justifies enforcement for the common good but amounts to no more than “an artificial construct”. It...
What’s Missing in the Apostles or Nicene Creed?
Nothing really? We should be grateful that we have these written instruments outlining the central doctrines of our faith. If someone were to attempt convincing me that Mary is the fourth person of the Blessed Trinity, or Jesus was only a male Jew, or that God did not create the universe and this is an evolution or an advance of the central dogmas of the Catholic Church, I would not have to write to...
