AWAKE AND BE VIGILANT
IN MY DEFENSE (Psalm 35:23)
Fr. Jim Whalen
1997, Issue 1
A dissident group calling itself "Catholics of Vision, Canada", opposes certain key Catholic disciplines and teachings. This amalgamation of Catholic Network for Women's Equality; Concerned Catholics of Ottawa; Ottawa Corpus (assn. of married priests); and Dignity (gays and lesbians), follows the lead of similar Australian, German, British, Latin American and American protestors.2
Of particular concern to pro-life advocates are their proposals regarding a false freedom of conscience that does not recognize Divine Law or objective truth, (Relativism ); and a false freedom from Church censure, (Rebellion); allowing erroneous anti-life opinions to be taught in Catholic institutions in place of Church doctrine: i.e. “Contraceptives are evil” (Humanae Vitae)1 They choose the slippery slope, rejecting Natural Family Planning (W.O.M.B.)1; opting for I.P.P.F. (International Planned Parenthood Federation), (James Sedlak, Deadly Deception )2 choosing recreational sex, the birth control route; the pill; RU 486, IUD, condoms, abortifacients, abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide.1
The truth is found in Pope John Paul II's pro-life teachings.(Veritatis Splendour, Evangelium Vitae) .1 Bishops are not fooled by verbal engineering. They unmask the hidden agenda: trying to "gut" the Church. (Bishop E. Troy, New Brunswick); and trying to direct the Church into "liberalization and democratization." (Archbishop A. Exner, Vancouver) (Pro-life Canada e-news)
Observe and read Archbishop T. Bertone's ‘Magisterial Documents and Public Dissent’: "Theology can never be reduced to the private reflection of a theologian or group of theologians... Bishops are obliged to enforce the Church's normative discipline especially when it is a question of defending the integrity of the teaching of Divine Truth." (L'Osservatore Romano, Jan 29,1997) Study the anti-Christian and anti-life positions now evident in UNICEF and also in OECTA (Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association). (Catholic Insight, Jan-Feb,1997)
The Church is pro-life, "a sign of contradiction." (Lk 2:34) Pray for life and truth, a change of heart and mind. ¤