I Thought Jesus Said "Go & Sin No More!" Not Use a Clean Needle

The last I looked, aiding & abetting someone in their drug habit was NOT in keeping with Catholic Teaching. This is a part of the same mindset that justifies giving out condoms as well. The last I looked, the Catholic Church's mission was to call people to repentance. Sr. Maureen, I have no idea where you got your theological training from, but Jesus never taught that it was Ok to help people to continue in their drug habit, even if it was to keep them from getting AIDS. May I remind you that Jesus told the man he healed "sin no more, lest some worse thing happen to thee." (John 5:14 Douay-Rheims) This IS NOT caring for your neighbor any way you cut it. Instead, as I already said, this IS condoning sin as well as formal cooperation in that sin.* (IMHO, to borrow a phrase from TH2, Sr. Maureen qualifies as a "habitless hussy" as the picture below confirms.)

Needle exhange program in upstate New York is first for Catholic Charities in U.S.

By Mary DeTurris Poust

Catholic Charities of the Capital Region in Albany, N.Y., is starting a controversial needle exchange program -- the first of its kind by Catholic Charities in this country -- in an effort to prevent IV drug users from contracting AIDS when they share needles.

In an article in the Times Union, Sister Maureen Joyce, R.S.M, (R) CEO of Albany Catholic Charities, said "I understand there will be questions, but this is common sense. I strongly believe in this. It will save lives."

The program will allow drug users to anonymously receive syringes and other medical supplies from a custom van that will be located in areas of Albany where injection drug use is known to be occurring.

Later in the same article, Sister Maureen is quoted as saying that the needle exchange is in keeping with "the stated mission of Catholic Charities" and with the larger mission of Christians to care for others."

From a theological standpoint, we're not being faithful to our mission if we don't reach out to people addicted to drugs, too," she told the Times Union.

For the full story, click HERE.

__________________

* (Added 2 Feb 2010 @ 8:28 pm) THIS JUST IN Apparently my comment about this being formal cooperation is correct. In his post "Arguments against Bp. Hubbard's authorization of "needle programs" ", Edward N. Peters, JD, JCD says the same thing & rightly calls it a scandal as well. (Source: More on Bishop Hubbard and syringes)