In current discussions about programs like Canada’s Medical Assistance In Dying (MAID), I am reminded of an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation: “Half a Life,” which aired on May 6, 1991, (Season 4 Episode 22; Clips of this episode are available on YouTube.) David Ogden Stiers plays a scientist who must abandon important research because he is turning 60, the age at which all people on his planet must perform the “Resolution,” a ritual act of voluntary euthanasia. The... Read more
Allow me to jump on the Sound of Freedom bandwagon with great fervor. The team that created this movie is hoping that it will be the Uncle Tom’s Cabin of our times, and it could be if we all promote the movie and open conversations about human trafficking. If you are asking, “What bandwagon?” “What movie?” then you have been kept in the dark purposely by major media. The fact that the movie was made by a studio that is... Read more
Americans are fed up with the state of politics in our country. People feel that they are not being represented because neither of the two major political parties reflects their values. Catholics, in particular, are desperate to find someone worthy of their votes. So how do we solve this crisis? Our two-party system is failing; indeed, it is the cause of most of the trouble. Surveys show that voters are mostly in the middle, but many politicians have become extremists... Read more
For those who criticize the Church, particularly about the sexual abuse by priests, it would be interesting to ask: “What about you?” Not to accuse these critics of being molesters themselves, but to ask as Christ did, “Let the one among you who has no sin be the first to cast a stone.” (John 8:7) The message was, of course, that we are all sinners, so finger-pointing is a bit hypocritical. Jesus taught us to love our neighbors, not to... Read more
The Consistent Life Network posted a blog on June 6, 2023, by Dr. Jacqueline Abernathy, a public policy and social work expert and political activist. Her essay was about how people determine who in society deserves assistance, or even life itself. http://consistent-life.org/blog/index.php/2023/06/06/deserving-and-undeserving/ The article starts with a quote from Dorothy Day: “The Gospel takes away our right, forever, to discriminate between the deserving and undeserving poor.” Dr. Abernathy contends that the American political Left and Right have labeled “entire groups... Read more
In a previous blog, I described Perinatal Hospice, which is the process that helps parents to make a loving plan for the death of a preborn child with a fatal condition. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/musingsfromthepew/2021/09/blogs-musingsfromthepew-p272/ I also wrote a blog about the lack of accurate information and medical advice given to parents whose preborn child has serious medical issues or a fatal diagnosis. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/musingsfromthepew/2021/11/incompatible-with-life-prenatal-diagnoses-and-options/ After those posts, I read an article by a woman I know who has been through the wrenching experience... Read more
Have you felt ignored by the media as a person of faith? I know the answer to that one: a bitter laugh and a “Duh, yeah!” A new study, released on September 20, by the Faith and Media Initiative confirms that there is a big gap between the religious/spiritual coverage people want and what is provided by the various forms of media. Some of my friends say they have stopped watching the news. I’ve always thought that choice was an... Read more
If you want to understand the theory behind the Consistent Life Ethic (CLE) as well as how to practice it, Aimee Murphy’s book, Rehumanize: A Vision to Secure Human Rights for All, is a vital resource. In a previous blog, I discussed the fact that the Consistent Life Ethic is part of Catholic teaching. Consequently, Catholics, in particular, should be interested in Murphy’s book. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/musingsfromthepew/2021/09/consistent-life-is-catholic/ In a relatively thin volume, Murphy manages to explain CLE with clarity and simplicity. It’s... Read more
We often hear the expression “comfort food,” which refers to the kind of food that makes you feel comforted, as if all is right with the world. It’s familiar and a favorite. Would you believe that having a religious statue can give you much the same feeling? In a previous blog, I recommended having Catholic items in your home because doing so “will reinforce your faith and provide comfort. They are needed reminders of what you believe and who you... Read more
Free will was granted to every human because The Creator didn’t desire automatons but a people who would choose to love God freely—or not. After all, you can’t force someone to love you. Love must be freely given, or it is not love at all. Free will means that humans have the power to make their own choices between good and evil. However, that does not mean that choosing sin is okay just because you have the right to choose... Read more
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