Dear TIA,

... Pope BXVI has given tacit approval for the use of condoms in certain circumstances such as the prevention of the transmission of AIDS.

One is lead to surmise, then, that continence is not a sacrifice expected of those who are carriers of contagion and that unrightful sex may enjoy the approval of Rome in its wish to reduce the temporal consequences of sin. This, of course, is all that is needed for a justification of their use in nearly every circumstance.

This is a highly significant shift in teaching... that an evil may be used to mitigate another evil.

     M.K.

Dear TIA,

Please keep up your wonderful work!

I am forwarding an e-mail I sent out to Mr. Michael Matt, Editor of the Remnant newspaper, yesterday regarding the new scandal following the Holy Father's words about the use of condoms.

I have discussed the matter with a close family friend last night and he couldn't get beyond the idea that the Holy Father did not really say anything wrong, but that he, in essence, was making a philosophical point which the ill-intentioned folks then took for a joy ride.

That may very well be, but my point still remains: WHY GO THERE AT ALL, knowing that there is a multitude out there just waiting to pounce on anything in furtherance of diminishing the Church's authority? I just don't get it.

     Sincerely,

     S.K.


Dear Mr. Matt,

Despite the fact that the Vatican insists that the Holy Father, in essence, said nothing contrary to Catholic teachings with regard to the use of condoms, it's hard not to think why on earth he would have said something that could so easily be taken the wrong way - as it apparently has.

As you probably know better than myself, the word is spreading like wildfire that the Pope has "changed" Church teachings regarding sexual morality. It's a can of worms we could certainly do without, riddled as we already are with one scandal after another. With all due respect to our Supreme Pontiff, what was he thinking? Please, do educate me if I've missed something.

     Sincerely,

     S.K.



TIA responds:

Dear Mr. S.K.,

Thank you for sending us your comments and a copy of your message to the Editor of The Remnant. We are passing on the information to our readers.

We received your e-mail before Mr. Guimarães wrote his column on this topic on November 29. Perhaps some of your perplexities can be explained by reading there how the Vatican is taking a contradictory approach in moral issues.

On one hand, it says that nothing changed in doctrine; on the other hand, in practice it allows “Catholic divorce” and homosexuality, and now it opens the door to the use of prophylactics.

It is a kind of progressivist ruse that seems very much like schizophrenia, in which the doctrine is reaffirmed in theory, but is set aside in practice to favor a “pastoral” approach that actually accepts those immoral actions.

We suggest you read the article.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

Dear Mr. Guimaraes,

Thanks for the great article on Benedict's remarks on condoms. You are right - the dike is opened and the water is out.

Recently the press reported another consequence of the Pope's ‘personal’ comments. Following the Vatican's lead, the Russian Orthodox Church okayed the use of condoms. Of course, there are 'distinctions' - it's acceptable only for non-abortive contraception vs. abortive. You may check it here.

Even with the Church's loss of prestige since the Council, people still pay attention to what we do. If we are setting the course, you can see we are speeding up the pace of the revolution for the world. Who would have imagined a Pope saying such a thing 50 years ago? But then who would imagine a Pope going to a mosque and taking off his shoes, praying at a synagogue [here, here and here] and praising the United Nations.

God help us, and the Blessed Virgin protect us and give us strength to get through these days.

Keep up your good work, Mr. Guimaraes. You are my star that guides straight in this tumultuous ocean.

     R.J.F.

Mr. Guimaraes,

Your comment on how the contradictions of the Pope and how the Vatican is purposely creating confusion hit a chord with me. I am a Filipino living in the US and see how my fellow Catholic Filipinos have a great love for Our Lady and pray the Rosary. But they refuse to criticize the hierarchy and especially the Pope, or see anything wrong at that high level.

This remark of the Pope on condoms seemed to shock some of them, however, maybe even enough to wake them up. Especially when the Philippine government immediately came out and praised Pope Benedict’s “openness to allow condom use to reduce the risk of HIV/AIDS infection.” A spokesman for President Aquino expressed the hope “that the clergy would take a cue from the Pope and become more flexible” in their opposition to a bill aimed at promoting contraception in the Philippines. Up til now, the Filipinio Bishops have opposed it, and some bishops have even threatened to excommunicate Aquino and legislators who support the bill.

Voila! The Pope ‘appears” to sanction condoms in some cases, and the government jumps on the case to support their bill. Almost enough to wake up some of my friends that this Pope is not so conservative.

Now, the contradiction: Yesterday I read Pope Benedict has praised the bishops of the Philippines during their ad limina visit for their public role in opposing birth control, divorce, and the death penalty. Yep, the same Pope who publicly opens the door for contraception now praises the Bishops for the opposite. So we have a wonderful Pope again - and my Filipino friends are going happily back to sleep. No problems…. Why? Because they DON’T WANT TO SEE the contradictions, and the “ruse” you pointed out in your article.

It is a shame and I don’t know what to do except to go to Our Lady as you suggested and ask her to open eyes everywhere so we can have a cleaned Church and Catholic society, I hope that I will live to see it.

Keep up the good work and the Blessed Virgin Mary the best of mothers protect and bless you always.

     A.B.

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