Catholic Doctrine

Father Andrew Greeley (Commentary, Aug. 22) wants to stop hearing from non-Catholics on the subject of Catholicism, but sometimes distance does in fact lend perspective. The thrust of his column on Catholicism and marital sex is that violating church doctrine does not result in excommunication, so everyone should just calm down and stop thinking this is a big problem. This misses the mark by a mile. The problem is not that Catholics who have deviated from church teaching on contraception fear excommunication.

Forget about whether he should be elected vice president. Should Rep. Paul D. Ryan be excommunicated? I have been perusing blogs and comments thereon that suggest the prospective Republican veep candidate is not only a bad man but also a bad Catholic.  It's the latest installment of a tiresome debate between liberal and conservative Catholics about which faction's favored politicians are truer to the teachings of Mother Church. As columnist Michael Sean Winters points out, Ryan's claim that his political philosophy is conversant with Roman Catholic social teaching is hard to swallow.

Cardinal Leo Scheffczyk, 85, a conservative theologian who due to his age did not participate in the conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI in April, died Thursday in Munich, Germany. In a telegram, the pope praised Scheffczyk for his contributions to the study of theology, which include 80 published books. "He dedicated his rich, priestly and academic life ... to the depths of theology and proclamation of the truth of God," the pope said.

A group that represents the majority of Roman Catholic nuns in the United States has been chastised by the Vatican for deviating from church doctrine and promoting what the Holy See called "radical feminist themes. " The Leadership Conference of Women Religious said Thursday it would consult with its members to decide on a course of action after the church's three-year investigation resulted in the harsh assessment of its activities and a call for reform. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - the enforcer of orthodoxy - criticized the group for "protesting the Holy See's actions regarding the question of women's ordination and of a correct pastoral approach to ministry to homosexual persons.

The nation's Roman Catholic bishops plan to finish what critics deride as a loyalty oath for theology professors at a meeting in Atlanta on Friday. The policy, tailored to Vatican specifications, will require a Catholic teacher to get the local bishop to sign a document recognizing the instructor's commitment "to teach authentic Catholic doctrine and to refrain from putting forth as Catholic teaching anything contrary to" official teaching.

The Vatican threatened two U.S. nuns with disciplinary measures for signing an advertisement discussing abortion that appeared in the New York Times in 1984. Sisters Barbara Ferraro and Patricia Hussey, who run a shelter for the homeless in Charleston, W. Va., were among 27 nuns, priests and brothers who signed the ad, which held that the church's ban on abortion is not "the only legitimate Catholic position." The other 25 have since affirmed their adherence to Catholic doctrine.

A group that represents the majority of Roman Catholic nuns in the United States has been chastised by the Vatican for deviating from church doctrine and promoting what the Holy See called "radical feminist themes. " The Leadership Conference of Women Religious said Thursday it would consult with its members to decide on a course of action after the church's three-year investigation resulted in the harsh assessment of its activities and a call for reform. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - the enforcer of orthodoxy - criticized the group for "protesting the Holy See's actions regarding the question of women's ordination and of a correct pastoral approach to ministry to homosexual persons.

The Lancet medical journal accused Pope Benedict XVI of distorting scientific evidence in his statement that condoms worsen the AIDS crisis. It said he should retract the comments. During a trip to Africa last week, the pope told reporters, "You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms." He then added, "On the contrary, it increases the problem." In the latest issue of the prestigious British medical journal, the editors wrote that the pope "publicly distorted scientific evidence to promote Catholic doctrine on this issue."

If one is familiar with Catholic canon law, as Msgr. Mihan should be, then it does not require a "leap of imagination" to conclude that public-supported tutoring in parochial schools advances a religion. Canon Laws 1215 through 1217 place moral obligation on Catholic parents to send their children to schools controlled by the Catholic Church or, failing that, to schools in which nothing against Catholic doctrine is taught. The Catholic school system exists to preserve and advance the Catholic faith.

What more appropriate way to start a new year than a dispute over religious interpretation? Now that we're into the third millennium of Christians debating some aspect of God's word and intentions, you'd think such things would be old news. For something that supposedly shapes our bedrock values, religion sure has its share of variables. How many more centuries will we need to tie up all the loose ends?

The Lancet medical journal accused Pope Benedict XVI of distorting scientific evidence in his statement that condoms worsen the AIDS crisis. It said he should retract the comments. During a trip to Africa last week, the pope told reporters, "You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms." He then added, "On the contrary, it increases the problem." In the latest issue of the prestigious British medical journal, the editors wrote that the pope "publicly distorted scientific evidence to promote Catholic doctrine on this issue."

An elderly nun, under questioning by a lawyer, recently said she could remember almost nothing about his client, a child who had been sexually molested by a Roman Catholic priest. Lawyer Irwin Zalkin was puzzled because church records showed she had heard several complaints about the San Diego priest, and the file noted that she had reported them to higher authority.

Like Catholic priests everywhere, Bishop Peter Hickman dons a white tunic each Sunday to celebrate Mass in a sanctuary laden with incense and crosses. Unlike most, he'll often have lunch with his wife and children afterward. "Marriage promotes growth," says Hickman, 50, who has fathered five children, been married three times and divorced twice. "People who've never been married have a hard time knowing themselves."

Cardinal Leo Scheffczyk, 85, a conservative theologian who due to his age did not participate in the conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI in April, died Thursday in Munich, Germany. In a telegram, the pope praised Scheffczyk for his contributions to the study of theology, which include 80 published books. "He dedicated his rich, priestly and academic life ... to the depths of theology and proclamation of the truth of God," the pope said.

What more appropriate way to start a new year than a dispute over religious interpretation? Now that we're into the third millennium of Christians debating some aspect of God's word and intentions, you'd think such things would be old news. For something that supposedly shapes our bedrock values, religion sure has its share of variables. How many more centuries will we need to tie up all the loose ends?

Pope John Paul II, cracking down on what he considers serious abuses in his flock, issued a stern reminder Thursday that divorced Roman Catholics who remarry cannot receive Communion. The pontiff also warned Roman Catholics against taking Communion in non-Roman Catholic churches -- drawing immediate criticism from some Protestant leaders for what they call a step backward in efforts to achieve Christian unity.

Pope John Paul II, cracking down on what he considers serious abuses in his flock, issued a stern reminder Thursday that divorced Roman Catholics who remarry cannot receive Communion. The pontiff also warned Roman Catholics against taking Communion in non-Roman Catholic churches -- drawing immediate criticism from some Protestant leaders for what they call a step backward in efforts to achieve Christian unity.

Forget about whether he should be elected vice president. Should Rep. Paul D. Ryan be excommunicated? I have been perusing blogs and comments thereon that suggest the prospective Republican veep candidate is not only a bad man but also a bad Catholic.  It's the latest installment of a tiresome debate between liberal and conservative Catholics about which faction's favored politicians are truer to the teachings of Mother Church. As columnist Michael Sean Winters points out, Ryan's claim that his political philosophy is conversant with Roman Catholic social teaching is hard to swallow.

The nation's Roman Catholic bishops plan to finish what critics deride as a loyalty oath for theology professors at a meeting in Atlanta on Friday. The policy, tailored to Vatican specifications, will require a Catholic teacher to get the local bishop to sign a document recognizing the instructor's commitment "to teach authentic Catholic doctrine and to refrain from putting forth as Catholic teaching anything contrary to" official teaching.

Father Andrew Greeley (Commentary, Aug. 22) wants to stop hearing from non-Catholics on the subject of Catholicism, but sometimes distance does in fact lend perspective. The thrust of his column on Catholicism and marital sex is that violating church doctrine does not result in excommunication, so everyone should just calm down and stop thinking this is a big problem. This misses the mark by a mile. The problem is not that Catholics who have deviated from church teaching on contraception fear excommunication.