Links for 06/12/15 | National Catholic Reporter

Links for 06/12/15 | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: I did not catch where a poll was mentioned on global warming, et al, but I am a believer in the fact that God speaks through people, not just clergy and doctrine (if the latter is even true) - and as far as I know the only essentials are belief in what was democratically decided at Chalchedon (voting by elected bishops, who in that day were more like pastors in all but the metropolises).  Even then, there is room for fudging, like with Copts.  Still undecided on Filioque, but I suspect Rome as the more reasonable belief.  Abortion and gay marriage are matters best determined by natural law reasoning - and legal reasoning as well - and what the Church can do with the former must be within what is possible with the latter.  As for Donohue, the only quesitons I have are who is paying him and why anyone is listening to him.  I make for much more challenging copy.



I feel for Archbishop Martin, he and his brother bishops wanted to go at this issue harder and the jerks in the Congregation for Priests, or similar fools, rebuked them.  I would be discouraged too and would likely ignore the Vatican and dare them to make something of it.



Physician assisted suicide is not something to be voted on and repealed and on and on.  Medical practice in this area has been evolving since courts ruled that Karen Ann Quinlan could be taken off life support (and she did not die right away).  It played out again with Terri Schaivo. Hospice is now making it easier, but people wait to long to get it and have some time to prepare for death, although maybe arriving is all they need.  When attitudes change more, I am sure people will sue to ask that they be allowed to self-terminate or terminate with assistance in a consequence free environment.  My bets are that state courts will say no and federal courts will say yes, thus ending the matter.  The only thing I have to say about the moral end is that God is not an Ogre and he's probably tired of people (if an eternal being existing in a divine instant can be tired)  blaming some privilege He has to start and end life for all this nonsense.  Dogma made in fear is probably always wrong.  Frankly, self-terminations are also part of God's plan.