The following comes from a February 18 Washington Post article by Sarah Pulliam Bailey and Michelle Boorstein:
Pope Francis told reporters Thursday that using artificial contraception may be morally acceptable in fighting the Zika virus, but called abortion another situation entirely, akin to “what the Mafia does.”
Francis’s comment came on the plane ride back to Rome from Mexico. During the week-long trip, the pope had not addressed the virus, which has hit Latin American countries hardest.
His remark immediately set off debate about his intentions — as has become common during the news-making pope’s tenure — and whether Francis had offered a more open tone about the use of artificial contraception than that of his recent predecessors.
The impact of the pope’s remarks in Zika-hit areas, if any, wasn’t immediately clear. The Colombian bishops’ conference said it was still studying them. A top bishop in El Salvador said officials there needed more context and that it is still “under debate” whether women can use contraceptives for any reason.
Before Thursday, when asked about Catholic teaching and Zika, some top church officials in Latin America and in the United States have emphasized that artificial contraception is immoral.
Francis made the comment in response to a question. He was asked whether abortion or birth control could be considered a “lesser evil” when faced with the Zika-linked cases of rare birth defects such those in Brazil, where babies have been born with abnormally small heads, the AP reported.
“Abortion isn’t a lesser evil, it’s a crime,” he told reporters. “Taking one life to save another, that’s what the Mafia does. It’s a crime. It’s an absolute evil.”
Francis cited the decision taken by Pope Paul VI in the 1960s, according to a transcript, approving nuns in Belgian Congo using artificial contraception to prevent pregnancies because they were being systematically raped.
How about standing up for truth and principle under difficult circumstances! Cutting and running on Church teaching is not a way to lead. Such deep disappointment with this pope, thank God for the promise that the gates of hell will not prevail, there is hope.
I agree– one must always stand up for Truth, no matter how difficult the circumstances may be! This is a BIG SHOCK– how many of these poor nuns were not only REPEATEDLY RAPED– but KILLED?? How many young Catholic girls answered their vocation advertisements, and joined their religious order– and were BETRAYED into a HORRIBLE and DANGEROUS LIFE??
Why didn’t Bl. Paul VI order these nuns to safety, and to IMMEDIATELY LEAVE this EVIL country– and to NEVER RETURN??
This has happened before. When nuns were being raped in the Belgium Congo the Pope gave them permission to take contraceptives. Other times for other reasons have been named as ok. Everything is not always as we remember it, but a look at history helps.
And thanks to the abortifacient nature of the pill, any child conceived was chemically aborted. It wasn’t right then either.
Contraception necessarily leads to abortion, and it starts with a flawed mindset. They are fruits from the same rotten tree.
Ah, the myth of the Pauline dispensation from Humanae Vitae: “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it” – Josef Goebbels, Nazi Minister for Propaganda and Public Enlightenment.
The truth from The Tablet, 7 June 7, 1969:
Humanae Vitae’ Rumours Denied
L’Osservatore Romano, in an unsigned note which appeared on 29 May, denied that there was any substance in the rumours recently made public in the Italian press and elsewhere that the Pope is about to issue a further statement on the subject of Humanae Vitae (see The Tablet, 31 May). Mentioning the report which was published in the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero and the article by Fr. Giacomo Perico in the Jesuit review…
….and through all this jet-speak talk of building a wall for purposes of national defense (a perfectly legitimate activity even by RCC standards) is now intimated to be unChristian.
And the wheels on the bus go round and round!
No, Bob One, it has not happened before; that story is a myth. Again, you need to do more listening and less talking.
Guess no one has heard of the word chastity down there, i.e. in espanol or portugese! Even protestants President and Mrs. George W. Bush pushed for “Just say No!” as opposed to contraceptives and abortions when they were the last decent residents in the White House.
Bob One, guess you got that one on Paul VIth from today’s Associated Press article. Goes to show your level of investigating into history, just like a typical liberal.
James, I cringe when anyone calls me liberal. I’m very conservative in my thinking and actions. I try to do what the church teaches, which sometimes goes against what some “conservatives” think is the better way. Being against feeding the poor, housing the poor, providing good health care for everyone, and ensuring good educational opportunities for all is conservative thinking. Conservative in the eyes of the church. Always been. I read several articles about the rape of nuns in the Congo and they all said the same thing.
…you may want to refrain from posting liberal talking points, Bob One. If you speak in person as you speak here, I can only imagine you’re cringing with every word.
Pretending that, “… being against feeding the poor, housing the poor, providing good health care for everyone, and ensuring good educational opportunities for all is conservative thinking,” is the favored pretense of Liberal Progressives who want to advocate Marxist thinking as the teaching of the Catholic Church.
But as always you champion the cause of destroying the Church in favor of some Utopian ideal that is neither scriptural nor Catholic.
Arghhh…. the Pope is referring to use during consensual sex not rape, for goodness sake. Can’t you or he see the difference in application? How many poorly catechized and ignorant souls will take this to mean it;’s okay to use condoms now “‘cuz the Pope sez so…”
The Pope understands that conscience prevails over all. That there are various evils in the world, and that one must weigh for one-self, with the help of the Holy Spirit, how to overcome evil. I think it’s very disingenuous for people in one house to tell people sitting in another house how they should behave when they, like you, weigh the various consequences of their actions.
….and a conscience properly formed by way of Catholic Faith and Morals would preclude the nonsense. That is why there is such a push to teach nothing and pretend that nobody has any credentials.
Manufactured invincible ignorance!
You are many things Bob One, but conservative you are not…your conclusions on what you think conservative thinking is proves it…..
If “feeding the poor” is not conservative, then the Gospel calls us to be liberal. Just saying.
Well then, it’s great that feeding the poor has always been a Conservative mindset. That is why it is good to teach and encourage and aid others with consistent Catholic Faith and Morals, not devolve into the ‘liberal’ mindset that culling the poor – that is thinning the herd by way of killing and birth control – is helping.
That’s the progressive ranch mentality. Just sayin’.
Well Canisius, now is a good time for you to educate us all about what it means to be a conservative Catholic – not a conservative political definition- but Catholic. In America today, the political “conservative” may be seeking what is against Church teaching, or not. You tell us what you mean by “conservative.” Being Catholic is as much about behavior as it is about theology. I don’t profess to meet my own expectations, but I try as much as possible. Maybe I’m trying to go down the wrong rabbit hole?
OK Bob One you got it… A conservative Catholic is one who accepts the Church’s teaching and does not try to get beyond the Jesus narrative as many liberals in the Church do. Long ago the Church in America got into bed with the Democrat party now we have the Little Sisters of the Poor being forced by this evil administration to go against the teachings of the Church. I believe in the poor should be fed and cared for but not made wards of the State.
As over 50 years of Democrat policies have done by stripping the poor of their dignity and self respect by making them nearly completely dependent on the government to survive If you think that making some poor soul dependent on a soulless bureaucracy is Catholic you need to reconsider what Catholic is…. You are a liberal Bob One you cry about poverty but demonize those who have managed to avoid it..just like Pope Francis
OK Canisius, don’t go beyond the Jesus narrative. Which includes not a single word about abortion, contraception, homosexuality, the TLM, the Rosary, the Pope, etc etc etc.
The Jesus narrative DOES, however, talk about the poor being blessed. About whatsoever you do to the least of these you do to me. About rendering to Ceasar what is Ceasars, and about praying in secret rather than in public. About making peace not war. About judging not lest you be judged. About healing the wounded and caring for the sick and the dead.
Indeed, let’s try to not get beyond the Jesus narrative!
As you can see fellow CC posters YFC has a real problem with Church teachings on abortion, contraception and of course homosexuality. He wishes no demands that the Church changes it teachings so he and rest of his ilk can live their lives as THEY want and still think they are good Catholics.
YFC update: Christ himself said came to bring the sword not peace, he spoke of Hell more than he spoke of heaven.
Well your words R a filter about the questions U raised. I don’t accept U’r filter: Your Own Words: “A conservative Catholic is one who accepts the Church’s teaching & does not try to get beyond the Jesus narrative”. The point is that as Catholics, we do NOT try to go beyond the Jesus narrative, we just try to fill it in.
Catholics question (?) abortion polices. ? contraception. ? same sex marriage. ? wars in foreign lands. ? borders & bridges. ? roles of Bishops and the Pope. Question (?) why there is so much abuse among our clergy.
Questioning is different than doubting, or working against. When questioning is not permitted, people leave the Church. Throughout history.
YFC it seems you have real problem with Church doctrine and tradition I suggest your run down to the nearest gay friend protestant sect where you can worship and venerate your sins
Bob One you are a liberal Catholic – actually a cafeteria Catholic who does not adhere to the Doctrine of the Faith, which is clearly stated in the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition”.
Read CCC # 2399, and 2370 regarding “CONTRACEPTION”.
And stop your posting as a Catholic against teachings of the Church.
The Pope used the word “contraception”. The Pope never used the words “abstaining from sexual activity” nor “natural family planning”.
For the exact words of the question asked and the Pope’s answer see: the National Catholic Register – “Full Text of Pope Francis’ In-Flight Interview from Mexico to Rome ”
https://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/full-text-of-pope-francis-in-flight-interview-from-mexico-to-rome/
As Washington needs a house cleaning so to does the Vatican. I never dreamed that the Vicar of Christ would say such a thing. I’m sorry but what will be suggested next ? Sodomite intimacy is okay as long as rubbers are used to help the stop of Aids because really its about the physical, insanity.
If someone told me in the past that a Pope would make a statement allowing contraception, I would have told them that they were crazy. What other sins will be acceptable?
Let’s just face it ,~ we are going down the same path as the Episco Church.
….eventually, everything except the anathema of saying there is still such a thing as sin. See. Liberation. “Freedom.” God save us from ourselves.
John Feeney …Remember that Pope Benedict said that in the some, limited, African personal situations, condom use might..just possibly …be acceptable.
The damage done – again – by the Pope’s interview | Opinion
https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/the-damage-doneagainby-the-popes-interview?
And speaking of missed opportunities, if Pope Francis had not made those remarks about contraception (& Donald Trump) the headline stories – on a few other statements, which would have gladdened the hearts of shock-shelled Catholics:
The Pope said that Pope Benedict XVI deserves applause for his handling of the sex-abuse crisis, particularly in the time before his election to the papacy. “He was the brave one who helped so many open this door.”
When pressed about his forthcoming post-synodal document on the family, and specifically whether divorced-and-remarried Catholics should be admitted to…
The Pope and the Vatican are salivating to lift “Humanae Vitae.” There is no need to grant a right to contraception, to prevent God’s will to life, under any circumstance (except life of the Mother). And, linked to this conscious statement by the Pope is a larger urging: to permit, somehow, Church recognition of the “right” for homosexuals to have their sodomy without shame. (“Holy Father, what about us? We have sex and it can get a terrible disease, can you approve us using condoms, too? Huh? Please?)
And, what about the argument of: well, Holy Father, I already have too many kids? Or, but, Holy Father, I am a working woman, and do not need a child right now, etc., etc., etc. Francis simply does not seem to care at all…
(Part Deux) ” . . . about Catholic doctrine or teachings. The Pope is far too busy dusting off the steps to the tombs of reviled Liberal Theologians (even those under prior sanction by St. JPII and Benedict). We are suffering through this time of a very poor, if not heretical, pontiff. Many Catholics need to know this and confront His henchmen and functionaries as they make their way around the kingdom doing their master’s bidding. Too bad that these commands have nothing to do with the Church, the Gospel, and to attaining salvation.
I think the Pope and other religious and secular world leaders, need to strongly encourage the world-wide practice of CHASTITY!! Especially, they all ought to make a big CHALLENGE for MEN all over the world, to learn and practice this virtue! It can be promoted both as a service to one’s country, and a service to God! Married couples can be asked to agree to have sexual relations only on certain days, just like, for example, during water shortages, people are asked to water their lawns only on certain days. On all the other days, the CHASTITY DAYS– especially, the MEN can participate in other activities, in service to God or their country (or both!)– and get their minds distracted, from sex, too!
Of course, in my above post– I am not trying to confuse the CRIME of RAPE, with normal marital relations! Instead, I simply think that many of the world’s countries, would greatly benefit by giving CHASTITY education, and then having national CHASTITY programs! It would make their people better citizens, and much stronger, in dealing with issues in which the practice of CHASTITY is a necessity for married couples, in times of severe circumstances, such as disease!!
St. Christopher, You made an excellent remark that deserves further discussion as the V2 Church continues to implode, and will continue to do so. “We are suffering through this time of a very poor, if not heretical, pontiff.” What is a heretical pontiff? According to early Catholic religious Saints/clergy a heretical pontiff would cease to being pope and be automatically excommunicated, exofacto. No court, or declaration of peers is necessary.
It’s time for confused souls to seek and return to their religious heritage of the true Roman Catholic Faith, the faith of their grandparents and great-grandparents. Walk away from all the confusion, and turmoil. Come home, back to the Roman Catholic Church started by Our Lord an Savior…
Pray the Rosary the Blessed Trinity and Holy Family lead you. Find a Roman Catholic parish practicing the traditional 7 Holy Sacraments in the Latin rite, and you will know you have found Holy Mother the Roman Catholic Church founded by Christ Himself, the truly Roman Catholic faith of our great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers from St. Peter to Pope Pius the XIIth. Our Roman Catholic Church instituted by Christ is perfect and never should have been changed by bold arrogant liberals that had infiltrated Holy Mother the Church over time and have since then tore it down piece by piece deceivingly and set up a façade masquerading as Holy Mother the Church since the V2 Council. The Blessed Trinity and Holy Family won’t let you down on…