Consumer Protection & Social Justice

Authorities in Washington State recently investigated sickness of nine freshman of a state college who attended an off-campus party. It turns out that the cause of their sickness was the consumption of a significant amount of an alcoholic energy drink, which led to alcohol poisoning. Authorities are now considering a legal ban on such beverages.
       In other parts of the country, voters and legislators are considering whether to legalize marijuana, citing comparisons with Prohibition in the last century. Meanwhile, some politicians are objecting to the new federal regulations on mortgage lenders to prevent the sort of financial problems of 2008 from happening again.
       All these raise the question as to the appropriate level of government in regulating personal activities and businesses.
       Although buyers should beware at all times, it seems reasonable that government should step in anytime a person or business exploits our freedoms to cause harm — whether intended or not — to others. After all, governments have a moral obligation to look out for the common good, especially in situations where the powerful are exploiting the weak.
       Please remember that when you cast your votes in a few days.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
  

Speaking Up & Social Justice

Generally speaking, most of us can easily identify when things are right or just. A trivial example would be that we know it is wrong when we see someone doing 100 mph on an urban expressway. Nonetheless, how many of us are comfortable enough in our judgment to do something about it? In other words, if we see someone doing 100 mph, would we call it in to the police?
     This is an important issue because it is just as much of a sin to not take action (when we are able) as it is to actively commit some form of evil. After all, in the Penitential Rite of the Mass we ask forgiveness for what we have done and for what we have failed to do. We may think of speaking up as being intrusive or being a "busy-body," but in fact, if something is truly wrong, the evil will persist — and perhaps even snowball — as long as it is allowed, and we become cooperators with evil if we sit back and do nothing.
       As President John F. Kennedy used to say, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
  

World Mission Sunday & Social Justice

Next Sunday is World Mission Sunday. Most parishes in most dioceses will be taking up a second collection for the Church's various missionary activities and organizations. The following quote from Pope Benedict in his Message for World Mission Sunday 2010 shows the connection between the Church's missionary efforts and social justice:

"[A]wareness of the call to proclaim the Gospel not only encourages every individual member of the faithful but also all diocesan and parish communities to integral renewal and ever greater openness to missionary cooperation among the Churches, to promote the proclamation of the Gospel in the heart of every person, of every people, culture, race and nationality in every place. This awareness is nourished through the work of … priests, consecrated people, catechists and lay missionaries in the constant endeavour to encourage ecclesial communion so that even the phenomenon of 'interculturality' may be integrated in a model of unity in which the Gospel is a leaven of freedom and progress, a source of brotherhood, humility and peace."

Thus, a donation to the next Sunday's second collection isn't strictly a contribution for charity; it is also a contribution to freedom, progress, and peace — in short, justice.  So please, prayerfully consider your contribution to this collection.
       For the complete text of the pope's message, go to http://bit.ly/ci1AYT. For an excellent video on the purpose of the collection, check out http://vimeo.com/14881162.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
  

Reproductive Technologies & Social Justice

TThere was news this past week that the scientist who developed the technique of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) would receive a Nobel prize. However, IVF and some other forms of assisted fertility are contrary to Catholic teaching. This may puzzle some people who believe that Catholic teaching is to have as many children as possible.
       A more correct statement would be that Catholics are to accept children as God gives them. Furthermore, Pope Paul VI declared in Humanae vitae that Catholic couples have a duty to plan their family size. 
       Children are indeed a gift from God, as any couple who has had difficulty conceiving a child will tell you. A child comes into being because God wills it, not because a person or a couple wants it. There are many techniques for working through issues of infertility that are consistent with Catholic teaching, but IVF is not one of them because in IVF many viable lives are aborted as part of the process.
       A good resource that explains Catholic teaching on infertility treatment can be found at www.usccb.org/LifeGivingLove/.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)