Authentic Catholic Teaching or Muddying the Waters?

In a couple of articles I recently read I saw the difference between the clear teaching of Papa Benedetto & some "Catholyc" theologians who have set themselves as a counter magisterium attempting to undermine the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church.

1st here is what Papa Benedetto said to a group of Brazilian Bishops there for the ad limina visit. According to LifeSiteNews Papa Benedetto stated that "in defending life we should not fear opposition and unpopularity, refusing any compromise and ambiguity that conforms us to the mentality of this world." He called abortion "an intrinsically evil act" & went on to say that it is "morally unacceptable and incompatible with the dignity of people." The pope added that "when political projects contemplate, openly or in veiled fashion, the decriminalization of abortion or euthanasia, the democratic ideal -- which is only truly such when it recognizes and safeguards the dignity of every human person -- is betrayed at its foundation."

"Any defense of political, economic, and social human rights that does not include the energetic defense of the right to life from conception to natural death is totally false and illusory." He adding that "regarding efforts on behalf of the weakest and the most defenseless, who is more helpless than an unborn child or a sick person in a vegetative or terminal state?" (emphasis mine)

Now compare this to what M. Cathleen Kaveny said in an essay in America magazine "We cannot simply set 1.5 million annual abortions on the negative side of the equation as if they are entirely caused by one vote. A single vote for a pro-choice politician is not likely to make any significant difference to any particular woman’s decision for or against abortion, given that abortion is currently a constitutionally protected right in this country. In fact, we might well judge that voting for a candidate who supports a large safety net for mothers and dependent children would be a better way to increase the number of children brought to term, especially at the state level." (again, emphasis mine) She goes on to make all kinds of justifications for NOT voting for a Pro-life candidate. She clearly disagrees with what the Pope is saying as he obeys Jesus' call to strengthen his brother Bishops. I am sure she would also take issue with what Archbishop Burke recently said as well.

The irony is she tries to use some of what Papa Benedetto said back when he was prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to justify her stand. Yet if you look at what Papa Benedetto says, it is clear that he would NOT buy into the claims she is making.

But what this is really about is her attempt to undermine authentic Catholic teaching that has stood the test of time. As the Cardinal Newman Society points out "She goes on to cast doubt on the usefulness of the traditional Catholic moral theology system of determining cooperation with evil, and suggests it is necessary to develop new ways of analyzing the involvement of individuals in systemic structures of complicity.'”

As I read her article (& those comments by 2 others in a follow up article) she is clearly working at enabling those who want to defy God to justify their refusing to do so. In other words, she is looking for ways to let people freely cooperate with evil & act like they are being good Catholics. In her screwed up theology evil is good. A "safety net" makes abortion is OK, giving out condoms is commendable since it lets people have sex outside of God's plan safely.

Or as she says to justify winking at sin "Ameliorating injustice and practicing the corporal works of mercy often involve contact with, and sometimes cooperation with, wrongdoers." Cooperating with wrongdoers is 1 thing, cooperating with wrong is another. But she is trying to make the 2 equally OK. There are times when it is OK to cooperate with wrongdoers. Helping a "wrongdoer" to rescue someone from a burning house for example. In that situation you are not condoning or even remotely cooperating in their wrongdoing. Helping to pass out condoms isn't ever acceptable. & you will notice she completely ignores the spiritual works of mercy, like calling the sinner to repentence. She calls them to continue in their sinful ways instead. She would love them into hell. I am sure that she would deny that it exists however & that we are all going to end up in Heaven. So, following her logic, the only evil are those actions she sees as injustice. & abortion clearly isn't at the top of her list. & maybe not even on it at all.

I am sure she would appreciate what those Bishops that Michael Voris talked about in a recent video are doing to abet her muddying the waters. Not that she would agree with Voris' evaluation of their actions. & given that she is is the John P. Murphy Foundation Professor of Law & a professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind I am sure she welcomed Obama with open arms when he spoke last Spring at the commencement.

Someday she will have to answer to God for her cooperating in evil. Yes, by what she has written that is exactly what she is doing. She is helping people to continue killing thousands of unborn babies every day. She is helping people to break God's commandments with impunity. She is calling evil good. & she will have to answer for her part in building the "culture of death" as well as her open rebellion to the magisterial teachings of the Catholic Church. May God have mercy on her rather than give her the justice she deserves for the injustice against the unborn she is condoning.

Sources: Pope Calls Upon Brazilian Bishops to Speak out against Abortion as Election Approaches
Catholic Profs Muddy Waters of Catholic Voting Principles via The Curt Jester (Develop new ways …)