100 percent of Catholics have told a lie or are currently telling a lie so therefore the Church should just accept the sensus fidelum and approve of lying altogether. That’s the logic of “Catholics for Choice” President Jon O’Brien at the On Faith blog.
Check it out:Jon O’Brien writes:
First, they mentioned the “ sensus fidelium —the graced and experience-fed wisdom of the faithful that has always been one of the sources of truth in the Catholic tradition.” Since the overwhelming majority (98 percent) of sexually active Catholic women have used a form of modern contraception, it seems that Catholics in the pews might have something important to say to those in the pulpit. We should remember that it was only recently, in 1968, that a majority of the pope’s hand-picked advisors agreed that there was no moral, theological or pastoral reason to ban Catholics from using contraception. The bishops, however, would like us to forget that moment in Catholic history.
I don’t know where they get that 98% statistic from but even if it’s true, it’s not taking into account the many many people who have contracepted in the past don’t anymore and repented. Repentance, remember that? I guess they probably wouldn’t.
Update: O’Brien also attacked the Catholic University of America President John Garvey for his defense of religious liberty. Check it out here.
October 10, 2011 at 7:07 pm
That's the group that used to be Catholics for a Free Choice, right? AKA Catholics for Fetal Crucifixion.
October 10, 2011 at 8:40 pm
Hahaha I love your headline, genius =)
October 10, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Here's a fun point to make in this debate:
If "contraception is seen as integral component of women’s healthcare"
then the female body is intrinsically disordered.
Use those EXACT words, and watch the fur fly!
October 11, 2011 at 12:42 am
Anonymous @ 5:13 P.M. I agree. If God wanted it there God would have put it there.
October 11, 2011 at 1:54 am
Great way to tie it in!
October 11, 2011 at 9:15 am
We should remember that it was only recently, in 1968, that a majority of the pope’s hand-picked advisors agreed that there was no moral, theological or pastoral reason to ban Catholics from using contraception.
No documentation for this assertion, I see. Perhaps the reason contraception became an issue was its invention in the 60s. What a liar and opportunistic hack.
October 11, 2011 at 4:17 pm
The assertion is based on the committee that the Pope formed to advise him on the issue of the Pill. The committee did actually suggest that he should allow Catholics to use the pill. Instead we got the beautiful Humanae Vitae.
The punchline to this is that at the time the committee (and science) did not know that the pill could be abortifacient. Neither did the holy Father…but the Holy Spirit did and once again prevented the church from teaching error.
October 11, 2011 at 4:19 pm
@Amy
Not to quibble here, but contraception has been around probably since man and woman first figured out the connection between sex and birth. And there has been withdraw and even condoms since for forever. But I think you are right that he was drawing this parallel because of the pill's invention.
October 13, 2011 at 11:23 pm
I heard Fr. Joseph Fessio who I think is pretty well informed on Catholic matters tell Fr. Benedict Groeschel on EWTN that "more and more Catholic Couples are having large families" so they can have have vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. I thought I also hear about a year ago that about 50% of them may go against Church teaching on the moral issues, because of the CCC and better preacher from priests and bishops since 1968, but I do hear Paul VI as a prophet with the releasing of that document on Marriage and Love. As did Pius XI with his 1931 document as well. In the past we were misinformed by the Theologians who wanted all of these things in the name of "modernity" and "Changing Times"