KNOWLEDGE CAN BE
DANGEROUS
by Fr. Jim Whalen, National Director, Priests for Life Canada
Learning does not always produce wisdom. Education in the past has
not produced an acceptable answer to our formation and training. Men
and women of learning do not necessarily match their knowledge with
character. We have only to think of Adolph Hitler and his Nazi
annihilation death camps or Margaret Sanger and her so-called ethnic
cleansing tactics, now enshrined in Planned Parenthood. We are
witnesses to the corruption and terrorism which men and women of
learning are capable. Had their education been balanced with
acquiring responsibility and a thirst for the virtues of love,
truth, justice, and peace, they could have helped to build a better
civilization of life rather than constantly striving to destroy the
family and society.
Alexander Pope stated the situation clearly: “A little knowledge is
a dangerous thing”. Without a passion for truth, men and women with
the greatest knowledge can be seriously dangerous by
misinterpreting, by misusing, or by compromising the facts. Wisdom
teaches that we should not let our learning exceed our virtue, or we
will be like trees with many branches and few roots. No matter how
learned we are, if we choose to abdicate responsibility to moral
law, we will be more dangerous than the uneducated masses.
Let us
be careful not to miss out on the message. If we rely only on what
we have been taught at school to solve all our problems, we will
definitely fail. Our problems have not for the most part been caused
by the unlearned or those who do not know better. Because we have
‘refined our minds’ does not mean we have mastered our emotions or
our morals.
The
education of the heart is essential as well. This is the training
and formation of the inner life with the goal of forming people with
the ability and desire to rise above our time and place. It is
building up the spiritual strength of our wills with the high values
and standards of Jesus Himself. It is training to go the extra mile,
with the guidance of the Scriptures, the nourishment of the
Eucharist, and the truth from the Church’s Magisterial Teachings. It
is about seeking perfection, the way of love, truth, justice, and
peace. It is about seeking holiness. It is about accepting
martyrdom, if we should be called to make that sacrifice.
We
must keep our vision focused on the best. We must strive to carry
out our mission to build a ‘Culture of Family Life’ with moral
energy rather than depending on the latest technological
developments. Pope Benedict XVI has made this very clear: “We are
living in a time of great dangers and great opportunities for man
and the world… The real and gravest danger in these times lies,
precisely, in this imbalance between technical possibilities and
moral energy. Whenever the latter is lacking or is insufficient, the
power man has will be transformed increasingly into a power of
destruction”. (Lecture, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, April 1, 2005)
The challenge is clear. We must raise our E.Q. to the level of our
I.Q. +
NOTE:
E.Q.: Ethical Quotient
I.Q.: Intelligence Quotient
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issue
PRAYER
FOR LIFE
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you,
we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with
the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and
understanding” (Col.1:9).
Lord, we ask you to warm the hearts of your people so that all will
recognize and defend human life, life that has been designed and
created in Your own image, from conception through to natural death.Back to menu for this
issue
 THank
You !
A sincere thank you to participants
at the Cor Jesu Perpetual Adoration Chapel in Cumberland,
Ontario, which accepts all prayer requests forwarded by
Priests for Life Canada. The Chapel is now entering its 5th
year of continuous Perpetual Adoration.
|
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LOVE, TRUTH, AND FREEDOM
by Fr. Paul Burchat, a Priest of Madonna House
Whenever these three ideals, concepts,
transcendental values, or whatever you may wish to call them, come
up in a conversation, they usually generate a whole range of
opinions as to how to define them, and a very lively, sometimes even
heated, discussion or debate ensues. This should not be surprising
since they are notions which are very dear to us, whether we are
conscious of that fact or not. Rather than give serious thought to
what they might mean in themselves, we usually define them according
to our own desires. We then attempt to justify our definitions so we
can feel secure in our lifestyle, which is usually a reflection of
our understanding of these perfections. However, if our definitions
are not in conformity with the reality in question, then we risk
being deluded and living in a manner which will never satisfy the
deepest desires of our heart. In the extreme we will never know love
and will merely exist in the prison of the untruths which we have
fabricated in the course of our lives.
One other critical idea we must accept in this
discussion is that they all stand or fall together. If any one is
missing or misunderstood we lose them all, not just the one we have
left out or misrepresented. As we begin to look at what Scripture
and the Church have to say about these three realities, their
interconnectedness will become obvious.
There is much that has been written about love
but the most important words are to be found in the Bible. There we
have some key verses which are foundational to our understanding of
love. They are as follows:
“God is love” (l Jn 4:8).
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all
your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and
your neighbour as yourself” (Lk 10:27).
“Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12).
“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for
his friends” (Jn 15:13).
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we
ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 Jn 3:16).
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15).
“Little children, let us not love in word or speech only but in deed
and in truth” (1 Jn 3:18).
From all of this we see what love really is.
Firstly, love is a person - the person of God.
Love is not a sentimental, warm, fuzzy feeling. The term for that is
infatuation. That is the attraction to another person which sees
only the good we want to see (real or imagined) and which is unable
or unwilling to see the flaws and weaknesses which are also a part
of their personality.
Secondly, we are to love as God has loved us,
i.e., by laying down our lives for one another, just as He laid down
His life for us. By this we know that love is self-sacrificing, not
selfish or self-indulgent.
Thirdly, love is manifested in concrete,
particular situations. It is realized in specific choices and
actions which we make all day long and throughout our entire lives.
This entails not just pious thoughts but more importantly pious
actions, as when Our Lady said “yes” to God’s offer to become the
mother of His Son and when Jesus actually mounted the cross for our
salvation. He didn’t just talk about going to Jerusalem to suffer
and die, He actually did it! Had He not done it, everything He had
said and done up to that point would have been for naught.
Finally, love must be based on the truth,
namely the objective, binding in conscience, truth that is found in
the Commandments. This is not “your” truth or “my” truth, but the
real, revealed by God truth, which is truth, whether we believe it
or not. It is not dependent on our approval or approbation before it
becomes true. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is very clear on
this. “The Ten Commandments state what is required in the love of
God and love of neighbour” (#2067). “They are fundamentally
immutable, and they oblige always and everywhere. No one can
dispense from them” (#2072). That is why we call them the Ten
Commandments and not the Ten Suggestions or the Ten Recommendations
or the Ten Highly Thought of Ideals. So to love we must know the
truth (which is really none other than Christ Himself) - “I am the
way, and the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6), because without the
truth and our conformity to it in specific situations, we can never
love.
When we live the truth, not only do we
experience love but we also experience real freedom. Christ Himself
has made this connection between truth and freedom very explicit,
“You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Jn
8:32). Pope John Paul II in his encyclical, “The Splendor of Truth”
also discusses this fundamental “dependence of freedom upon truth”
(#34). There he states, in relation to the moral law, “Human freedom
finds its authentic and complete fulfillment precisely in the
acceptance of that law. God, who alone is good, knows perfectly what
is good for man, and by virtue of His very love, proposes this good
to man in the commandments. God’s law does not reduce, much less do
away with human freedom, rather, it protects and promotes that
freedom” (#35). What is this freedom of which we have been speaking?
Well certainly it is the ability to make choices and to act on those
choices. “Freedom is the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or
not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions
on one’s own responsibility” (Catechism of the Catholic Church,
#1731). But more to the point it is a state of being, the opposite
of which is slavery, i.e., being a slave to our passions and
imprisoned by our sins. The ability to make bad and ultimately
harmful choices is no freedom at all. In fact real freedom is the
willingness and the ability to do the greatest good, promptly, and
in all situations. “The more one does what is good, the freer one
becomes. There is no true freedom except in the service of what is
good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of
freedom and leads to the slavery of sin” (CCC #1733). Pope John Paul
II put the matter this way, “Genuine freedom is an outstanding
manifestation of the divine image in man” (#34).
True freedom then is my unfettered and total
cooperation with God’s plan for my life. With that I will be living
the truth and experiencing the fullness of love, namely God Himself.
+Back to menu for this
issue
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I’ve Learned
I’ve learned that if
you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering
someone else up. Age 14
I’ve learned that silent company is often more healing than
words of advice. Age 24
I’ve learned that wherever I go, the world’s worst drivers
have followed me there. Age 29
I’ve learned that if someone says something unkind about me,
I must live so that no one will believe it.
Age 30
I’ve learned that there are people who love you dearly, but
just don’t know how to show it. Age 42
I’ve learned that you can make some-one’s day by simply
sending them a little note. Age 44
I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your
parents, you miss them terribly after they die. Age 53
I’ve learned that making a living is not the same thing as
making a life. Age 58
I’ve learned that if you want to do something positive for
your children, work to improve your marriage. Age 61
I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
Age 62
I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a
catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw
something back. Age 64
I’ve learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude
you. But if you focus on your family, the needs of others,
your work, meeting new people, and doing the very best you
can, happiness will find you. Age 65
I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with kindness,
I usually make the right decision. Age 66
I’ve learned that everyone can use a prayer. Age 72
I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be
one. Age 82
I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch
someone. People love that human touch, holding hands, a warm
hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. Age 90
I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. Age 92
|
Comment by the Canadian Conference of
Catholic Bishops on the approval of Bill C-38,
An Act respecting certain aspects of legal capacity for marriage for
civil purposes
Although Bill C-38, An Act respecting certain aspects of legal
capacity for marriage for civil purposes, has now been approved as
federal legislation in Canada, the fundamental and universal reality
of marriage remains the exclusive union of a man and a woman for
life. From the perspective of the Catholic Church, the new federal
statute falsifies moral values and principles. Catholics are to
continue to oppose it, and to ensure that all provincial and
territorial regulations on the solemnization of marriages provide
full protection for freedom of conscience and religion, as
guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops notes with deep gratitude
and respect, the efforts that so many Canadians of all faiths and
also of no religious adherence have invested, and continue to
invest, in ensuring that the universal definition of marriage is
maintained and protected. A number of citizens, including public
officials, have defended the true reality of marriage with great
courage and considerable personal sacrifice, even at the risk of
their own careers.
Unfortunately, there are also some Catholics who have
promoted the redefinition of marriage, including politicians who
have voted in its favour. In this regard, they are in dissent from
the teaching of the Church as enunciated by the Holy Father and the
Bishops. This is a serious and problematic matter.
Canadians in general have been and remain deeply
divided about changing the nature of marriage and altering its basic
meaning. It is clear this debate is far from over, and that it will
be a significant issue in the upcoming federal election.
The
Roman and Eastern Catholic Bishops of Canada will be studying the
immediate ramifications of these decisions. Pastors and all the
faithful can be assured there will be further reflections by this
Conference and from individual Bishops to assist in the ongoing
defence of marriage and family life.
With
respect to homosexual persons, they must always be treated with
respect, compassion, and sensitivity. At the same time that the
universal and traditional definition of marriage is to be upheld,
every unjust discrimination in their regard is to be avoided
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2358).
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
[Emphasis is from the internet site of the CCCB: www.cccb.ca]. +
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ENTER THE
‘ESSAY ON LIFE’
CONTEST
ENTER THE ‘ESSAY ON LIFE’ CONTEST
- In English or French -
1st Prize: $500.00
2nd Prize: $300.00
3rd Prize: $150.00
All entries: Precious Feet Pin
If you are a student and under the age of nineteen
before May 31, 2006, here is your chance to have your
composition published in various Priests for Life Canada
publications, and earn some spending money at the same
time.
Write an essay (in English or French) on one of the
following and how he/she relates to the pro-life cause.
Your essay can be up to 1,000 words in length. Priests for
Life Canada will be the final judge of the winners and
reserves the right to publish or not publish entries.
Entries must be submitted by May 31, 2006.
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Mother Teresa
St. Faustina Kowalska
Our Lady of Guadalupe
St. Juan Diago
St. Maximilian Kolbe
Joseph Borowski
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
John Cardinal O’Connor
Blessed Gugliana
St. Gianna Beretta Molla
St. Joseph
St. Michael
Submit your essay along with your
Name, Address, and Age to:
Priests for Life Canada
Essay on Life Contest
P.O. Box 43, Cumberland, ON K4C 1E5 |
Back to menu for this issue
September 16, 2005
COLF Calls for End to
Embryonic Stem Cell Research
The Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF)
is co-sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB)
and the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council. It promotes respect for
human life, dignity, and the essential role of the family.
In the National Post article “Moratorium urged on use of ‘fresh’
embryos” (September 13, 2005), two of Canada’s “leading ethicists”
expressed shock because a Toronto clinic is using embryos not
previously frozen to harvest stem cells. The ethicists ask for an
end to this practice because fresh embryos are “very precious”.
The ethicists are rightly concerned about the life and health of the
mother. As the article notes, the process of invitro fertilization
is “invasive and potentially harmful” for the mother who must take
fertility drugs and then have her eggs extracted to prepare for the
procedure. The ethicists believe that fresh embryos should be frozen
and kept for future reproductive use, thus, the mother will be able
to avoid further hormonal treatments and egg extraction procedures.
However, with respect to the embryo it is not more ethical to
harvest stem cells from a frozen embryo than from a fresh embryo. It
is also not more ethical to harvest cells from an embryo that will
be discarded anyway than from an embryo that could be used for
reproduction. The morality of killing a human embryo cannot be
measured by the future utility of the embryo to the mother or to
society. Instead, the immorality of killing either a fresh or frozen
human embryo rests in the inherent worth and dignity of each human
life.
All human embryos are living human beings. Dr. Jérôme Lejeune, the
founder of modern genetics, declared that “from the moment of
fertilization, that is, from the earliest moment of biological
existence, the developing human being is alive, and entirely
distinct from the mother who provides nourishment and protection”.
This is also the teaching of the Catholic Church (Donum Vitae,
Evangelium Vitae).
Since stem cell extraction always kills the human embryo, we call on
the Canadian government, and on all Canadians, to stop the practice
of human embryonic stem cell research altogether. As a human being,
the embryo has the same fundamental rights as all other human
beings. This includes the right to life. It is never ethical to
destroy the life of an innocent human being. Each person must be
respected for himself, not reduced in worth to an instrument for the
benefit of others.
Embryonic stem cell research simply diverts funds that could be used
more helpfully for adult stem cell research. Adult stem cells have
already cured tens of thousands of patients with a variety of
conditions, and have started to be used successfully to heal blood
disorders, leukemia, lymphoma, diabetes, heart disease, multiple
sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and other diseases. Adult stem cells
can be harvested in morally acceptable ways from various human
tissues, including the placenta, which is rich in stem cells and can
be stored for up to 13 years. We encourage science to focus more on
adult stem cell research, where the real potential for cures and
therapies has been shown to lie and which would avoid killing
innocent human life. +
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WHOM
SHOULD I SUPPORT
Where does Canada stand in the
world of volunteering and giving?
Canada is rightfully proud to be
a world leader in having one of the largest percentage of
its population involved in volunteerism and donating to
causes. There are presently over 80,000 organizations in
Canada that are registered Charities. There are many more
non-profit groups that are not registered.
Does being a registered Charity or
a non-profit group assure me that funds I give will be used
properly?
Being a registered Charity does
not mean that the activities of a particular organization
are moral and adhere to the Catholic faith. In this regard
we must be constantly vigilant before providing funds to
an organization that may be operating contrary to our
beliefs.
Because the accepted mores of our
society are changing on a daily basis, we should be aware
where an organization stands on the following issues before
providing funds that may allow the Charity to work against
our principles:
- Does it support abortion either
through direct funding or in principle?
- Does it support same-sex marriage either through direct
funding or in principle?
- Does it support embryonic stem cell research either
through direct funding or in principle?
- Does it support contraception or abortifacients either
through direct funding or in principle?
- Does it support Planned Parenthood?
How do I know whom to support?
Because policies and positions of
charities and non-profit groups change on a daily basis,
it is best to check directly with the organization
regarding their position on certain issues. If you are
approached by a canvasser, ask about the policy of the
organization. If they don’t know, ask them to find out for
you. If you don’t understand the information you are
given, call your local pro-life group or Priests for Life
Canada for further input. +
|
DISTRIBUTE THE Catholic Life and Family newspaper
IN YOUR parish.
The Catholic Life and Family is a semi-annual publication
by
Priests for Life Canada
Box 43
Cumberland, Ontario K4C 1E5
Tel: (613) 732-3950 Fax: (613) 732-9196
e-mail: priests@priestsforlifecanada.com
Available for bulk distribution @ 5 cents per copy plus shipping
Send
us an E-mail request for free sample copies for your parish (Canada
only).
Click Here!
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newsletter may be reproduced
and distributed to spread the pro-life message.
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