The church and emergency contraception

In reading through stories and background on proposed Senate Bill 60, which would require hospitals to inform victims of sexual assault of the availibility of emergency contraception (also known as Plan B or the "morning-after pill"), I was eventually led to an interesting ethics directive approved by the USCCB in 2001:

36. Compassionate and understanding care should be given to a person who is the victim of sexual assault. Health care providers should cooperate with law enforcement officials and offer the person psychological and spiritual support as well as accurate medical information. A female who has been raped should be able to defend herself against a potential conception from the sexual assault. If, after appropriate testing, there is no evidence that conception has occurred already, she may be treated with medications that would prevent ovulation, sperm capacitation, or fertilization. It is not permissible, however, to initiate or to recommend treatments that have as their purpose or direct effect the removal, destruction, or interference with the implantation of a fertilized ovum.19

This directive implies that, if it can be proven that conception has not occured, then the pill would not act as an abortifacient and a Catholic hospital could administer it in that small window of time. Maybe I missed something, but I am surprised that I did not hear a huge cry about this directive. Was there one? I imagine that there are many hardcore, dedicated pro-lifers who are against the use of any and all forms of contraception and have a major problem with this. Anyone care to share thoughts about this directive?

Anglican church creates "U2-charist" service

Makes me even prouder to be a Roman Catholic... I'm as big a fan of U2 and their Christian spirituality as you'll find, but this is ridiculous.

Movie gathering

When we talked about "Apocalypto," poster "jswranch" suggested that the next time a movie comes out that could be discussion-worthy, we should try to gather some folks here for a screening.

Well, Christopher West's next column (Feb. 9 issue) is on the film "Children of Men," and he provides some interesting insights into the film. Here is the opening to his column:

Movies, like all forms of art, reveal something of the human soul. They can be a kind of confession. Our sins, our fears, our inner contradictions, our worst nightmares – all the kinds of things that people don’t talk about in “polite” conversation – often find an outlet, consciously or unconsciously, on the big screen.

A new movie called “Children of Men” seems to offer just such a confession. It taps into the inevitable psychological disturbance that stems from our culture’s widespread disregard for new life and the seemingly omnipresent preference for sterilized sex: “Having sex: nothing better. Having babies: nothing worse.” Doesn’t this pretty much sum up the way the world thinks? The schizophrenia inherent in such a blatant bucking of reality is bound to cause major brain spasms. And these major brains spasms can turn into a major motion picture like this one.

I'll be honest... I didn't have a desire to see this, as the story just seemed too preposterous. I can suspend disbelief to some degree at films, but this one seemed to offer too many unanswered questions. However, after reading Christopher's column, I am interested. I am up for trying to get a small group together to watch it sometime in the next week or so. If you are up for it, e-mail me at editor@coloradocatholicherald.com with days and times that work for you. It may be hard to pull this off with everyone's schedules, but we'll give it a shot. I would like to do a screening followed by discussion over lunch/dinner, depending on when people would like to go. I live closest to Cinemark Tinseltown near World Arena.

If this works out, I would be interested in starting a Catholic moviewatching club that picks one current film release a month for a screening and dialogue.

Compassion gone awry

There's a story on the Web about a nun in England who endorsed a disabled boy at her hospice soliciting a prostitute so that he could experience sexual intercourse before he died. Of course, the boy says that experience was not emotionally gratifying. The nun defends her decision to support him:

"I know that some people will say 'You are a Christian foundation. What are you thinking about?'. But we are here for all faiths and none," she said.

"It is not our job to make moral decisions for our guests. We came to the conclusion that it was our duty of care to support Nick emotionally and to help ensure his physical safety."

So if she doesn't feel she can be a moral influence on anyone, why is she a nun? Why doesn't she just leave her order and become a secular social worker? Does she truly think that this is what Jesus would do?

This is a simple case of compassion gone awry. It is easy when spending time among the poor and disabled to become so sympathetic to their crosses that one's conscience deems it acceptable to bend Catholic Church teaching to "help" them. This often falls under issues regarding sex, particularly where social workers bend on the church's prohibition of contraception and the church's disapproval of homosexual sex. I have been among the poorest of the poor in several countries and have a family member who is physically disabled (paraplegic), so I know how strong the tempation to bend can be. I also thank God for those priests, nuns and deacons who are in those same fields and are willing to pay the price for staying strong to the faith.

When does a movie go too far to make its point?

Barbara Nicolosi, founder and chairman of the board for Act One, Inc., an outstanding Catholic/Christian screenwriting program, gives an awesome answer to those who feel that films and television shows have to keep pushing the envelope of sex, violence, drugs, etc... in order to make what may ultimately be a good moral point.

They have something good to say, but they violate your innocence and defile you so much on the way that it just isn’t worth it. It is like if you told me you have a headache, and I said, “Oh, well I know where there is an aspirin for you! You just have to walk through a putrid sewer for a few miles to get it.” So, on the way to curing your headache, you pick up diptheria and typhoid. Peachy. Thanks for that.

I consider myself a pretty open moviewatcher. I'm not scandalized easily by many films (I wasn't offended by the violence in "Apocalypto"), but there are some films I just can't bring myself to see. Nicolosi notes "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Little Children" among her examples of recent films.

This is always a hot topic and a frequent source of tension in couples, dating or married... "Will he/she be offended?"

More on Chaput-Ritter

There was a bit of controversy up in Denver recently when one of its most traditional and largest parishes (and my favorite), Holy Ghost, hosted a private Mass for Bill Ritter after he was elected governor. Some Catholics were angry that a parish known for tradition and orthodoxy would host a Mass for a politician who "personally opposes" abortion rights and yet wants to fund Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider.

The pastor wrote a letter in their bulletin yesterday explaining why he allowed the Mass. He quoted 1 Tim 2:1-4 and said "it was in this spirit that the holy sacrifice of the Mass was offered here at Holy Ghost Church on Tuesday, Jan. 9, for Governor Ritter and a group of his family friends."

The governor's Colorado Promise policy book repeats a staement from his campaign concerning his personal opposition to abortion, and his pledge to promote adoption as an alternative to the tragic choice of abortion. I hope that he remains faithful to that word. But he also states that in order to reduce the number of abortions, he intends to restore funding to Planned Parenthood and increase access to emergency contraception. This is a word I earnestly hope he does not keep.

and later...

Pray for the Governor and all in authority. Pray for the healing of those hearts and lives wounded by abortion. Pray for respect for the inviolable dignity of every human life, born and unborn. And pray that the right to life of every person again be protected and preserved in the laws of our nation.

Well... OK. I understand where Father Tom is coming from. It was not a public Mass or held in "tribute" to Ritter. And we need to reach out and minister to politicans who say they are Catholic but bend on key church teachings (usually on sex-related issues), but the church needs to be very careful about coming across as approving the mentality of "I personally oppose (x) but everyone can do what they want" philosophy. It's weak and, to be honest, shameful. It's this relativism that Pope Benedict is desperately trying to battle, and it's this relativism that is gripping and stealing the souls of many good people.

Well, I've said my piece. What are your thoughts? Do you support Father Tom in his desire to minister to Catholic politicians in this way?

Prayers needed for Seeley kidney transplant

We just received an e-mail that Bob Seeley, who we profiled in our Nov. 10 issue, is at a hospital in Denver on the verge of receiving a much-hoped for kidney transplant. Please pray that Bob is not bumped and that, if the surgery does happen, that it is a success.

We will post an update on his situation as soon as we hear from the family.

UPDATE (11:30 a.m.): Bob did indeed go in for kidney transplant surgery and, according the family, it went well. Due to his age (70) and a previous heart condition, Bob will be kept in the surgical ICU overnight.

More on Chaput-Ritter

Denver Post...

"The archbishop and the governor agree on certain aspects of this issue," (Ritter spokesman Evan) Dreyer said. "The governor believes strongly it is good public policy to attempt to reduce unintended pregnancies, and that is his goal."

Calling out Ritter is in keeping with Chaput's belief that Catholic politicians must adhere to church teachings in their public life in order to remain true to the faith. The Denver prelate has gained a national reputation for his willingness to speak out.

Rocky Mountain News...

(Archbishop Chaput's) remarks suggested that a potential showdown looms between an archbishop known nationally for challenging Catholics to bring their faith into public life, and a new Catholic governor who has stated he wouldn't work to change abortion rights and who favored a referendum to create same-sex unions, both issues contrary to Catholic teaching.

Chaput takes on Ritter

In the latest issue of the Denver Catholic Register, Archbishop Chaput fires a shot across the bow of Gov. Ritter, challenging the newly installed leader on his stance on abortion and Planned Parenthood.

The column acknowledges that Gov. Ritter. . .

. . . has been engaged and active in his Catholic faith for many years, and remains so.

Nonetheless, it’s very hard to reconcile anyone who is “pro-life” with any support for Planned Parenthood and its destructive record.

Gov. Ritter said he would fund Planned Parenthood so long as it can prove that it is not using state money to fund abortions. During Gov. Owens' tenure, PP failed to prove that, causing him to pull funding. I would be shocked to learn that PP has changed in that regard, so will Gov. Ritter also have the guts to yank funding?

Wrote Archbishop Chaput:

In the opening weeks of his first term, Governor Ritter has a right to be taken at his word. He also has a responsibility to show Coloradans what he means. What his words do actually mean will become clear in the demands he places on Planned Parenthood for proof that state funds truly are segregated from abortion services and don’t materially support the killing of unborn children. As Vincent Carroll implied in his Jan. 12 Rocky Mountain News column, that will be a difficult task, if not impossible.

Whew...

Well... I was wondering if my South Jersey/Philly heritage was fading, but after taking this quiz, I see I'm still normal.

And for the record, it says I have a Philly accent, but if I do, it's not that noticeable. People are always surprised to learn I'm a Jersey boy. Whatever accent I have is definitely not like the Subway cheesesteak commercial.

What American accent do you have? Your Result: Philadelphia Your accent is as Philadelphian as a cheesesteak! If you're not from Philadelphia, then you're from someplace near there like south Jersey, Baltimore, or Wilmington. if you've ever journeyed to some far off place where people don't know that Philly has an accent, someone may have thought you talked a little weird even though they didn't have a clue what accent it was they heard.
The Midland
The Northeast
The South
The Inland North
Boston
The West
North Central
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Relativism

In a recent interview for Esquire, CBS news anchor Katie Couric revealed her thoughts on her job and personal life. What struck me as sad was this quote:

When you're raised Presbyterian, you're supposed to become a member of the church in seventh grade. I had a tough time when our minister showed me a diagram of Jesus on a throne surrounded by my family. I had a tough time with the idea that Jesus was more important than them. I didn't become a member.

That's relativism for you in a nutshell. God is no more important than we are.

Happy New Year/Contest

Again, we had a little break in the action with the Christmas/New Year's holidays, so sorry for the lack of action here. In an effort to gauge just if and how many readers/lurkers we've lost by our lack of posting, I'm going to offer some cool Catholic prizes to the first five people to share their thoughts on the following question:

How would you rate the Catholic Church's work to end poverty?

We are looking to do more stories this year on poverty issues and this will help us in determining our story topics.

Among the prizes will be a copy of the official Vatican 2007 Benedict XVI calendar and cool "pilgrim packs" -- includes Mass program, a sweet souvenir bandanna, a thin plastic raincoat and a couple of other items related to his visit to Munich. I collected these pilgrim packs at Pope Benedict's outdoor Mass there in September so I vouch for their authenticity. I will take the five winners, put their names in a hat and draw the prizes.

(Fine print: Herald staffers are prohibited.)