A Coordinated Effort On Licentiousness?

This is from the America magazine blog In All Things the leading Jesuit publication in the English speaking world.

In 2005, when I worked for Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, this was a very live issue. The Church was accused in the media of making the Ai ds crisis worse by opposing the use of c0ndoms to prevent its spread. In fact, condoms are not the solution to Aids in Africa, and as the Pope last year pointed out, their promotion has contributed to the spread of Aids for a whole host of reasons (in a Guardian piece I wrote on this I explain why). But the question in moral theology still remains of whether it is morally preferable for an infected man to use a c0ndom than not to use one. The consensus of moral theologians -- and this was doubtless reflected in Cardinal Lozano Barragán's report -- is a firm YES

Link (here) to Austin Ivereigh's column/post entitled Ai ds, C0ndoms and surpression of Theological Truth

This is going on at the Jesuit University of San Francisco.

Four of the “sexual health resources” on the University of San Francisco health promotion service’s web site-- including resources on birth control and pregnancy tests-- recommend contacting the Planned Parenthood Federation of America for more information.

The four resources were published by the Office on Women’s Health of the US Department of Health and Human Services during the Bush and Obama administrations.

In addition, the university’s “birth control (contraceptive) methods” page includes links related to the use of 11 contraceptives and abortificients.

“As a Catholic university we provide the following information not to promote the use of contraception, but rather to help those who choose to be sexually active,” the web page states. “In particular, we encourage all who are sexually active to behave responsibly in their decisions.

Whatever your sexual orientation happens to be, if you choose to be sexually active, it is also very important to be respectful of yourself and your partners,

including reducing the risk of passing sexually transmitted infections. A responsible decision to be sexually active, or not, is one that is freely made and yours alone.”

Link (here) to the full post at Catholic Culture.

The definition of licentiousness (here)

Reference to licentiousness in scripture

Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

11

And do this because you know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;

12

the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness (and) put on the armor of light;

13

let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy.

14

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

Link (here) to the USCCB bible site to find St. Paul's letter to the Romans 13: 10-14

Pope Benedict described Aids as a "a cruel epidemic which not only kills but seriously threatens the economic and social stability of the continent", but reiterated the Vatican ban on the use of condoms.

He said the "traditional teaching of the Church" on chastity outside marriage and fidelity within it had proved to be "the only sure way of preventing the spread of H1V and A ids".

Link (here) to the Times online

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