Category Archives: Ethics and Morality

Speaking of Conscience

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Deacon Bob

I mentioned conscience in my post earlier today. Let me define it for you, and then try to apply it to the idea of confronting the national conscience in regard to abortion, marriage and family, euthanasia, and other pro-life issues. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics and Morality, Fundamental Theology, Human Development and Life, Marriage and Family | 2 Comments

An Assault on Conscience and Religious Freedom

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Deacon Bob

As you may be aware, the Department of Health and Human Services recently directed that all employers, essentially, who provide health care benefits, will be required to provide contraceptives, sterilizations and abortifacients to their employees without deductibles or co-pays in … Continue reading →

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Fear Sin More Than Persecution, says Pope Benedict

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Deacon Bob

On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Benedict said that the Church should fear the sin of its members more than hatred against Christians. He noted that the Church has suffered persecution throughout its history and since it has … Continue reading →

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“Health Care and the Three ‘Hs'”

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Deacon Bob

I was reading today the latest issue of Ethics and Medics, a commentary of the National Catholic Bioethics Center  The article was written by Father James Mctavish, a priest of the Verbum Dei missionaries who also happens to be a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics and Morality, Health Care | 1 Comment

Rancor, Moral Relativism, and Political Despair

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Deacon Bob

The political process seems at times to be unmoored from anything solid on which it can function effectively. I know… we have the Constitution and 50 state costitutions that provide some grounding, but I sometimes wonder whether those we send … Continue reading →

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Quote for the Day

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Deacon Bob

“An intoxicated and undisciplined eros is not an ascent in ecstasy…. but a fall, a degradation of man.” — Anonymous, pseudonym: Marie

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Quote for the Day

Posted on June 25, 2011 by Deacon Bob

(This comes from Deacon Marv Robertson of the diocese of Lansing, Michigan, who wrote this in the lastest edition of Deacon Digest Vol. 28, No. 4.) “N” IS FOR NIHILISM If there is an enemy for us to confront in … Continue reading →

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American Bishops Issue a Statement on Physician Assisted Suicide

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Deacon Bob

As you may know, presently in the United States there are three states that allow physician assisted suicide. These are: Oregon, Washington and Montana. Today, the bishops of the United States approved a statement on this encroaching evil in our … Continue reading →

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Blasted and Blessed

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Deacon Bob

“When we bishops propose moral principles…. we get both blessed and cursed. One side usually blesses us when we preach the virtue of fiscal responsibility, the civil rights of the unborn, the danger of government-tampering with the definition of marriage, … Continue reading →

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Is Europe Doomed?

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Deacon Bob

I read with a bit of interest the Holy Father’s comments on the first day of his visit to Croatia. He spoke of conscience, and Europe’s future. Here is what he said, as reported by The Catholic News Agency. “If, … Continue reading →

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American Assumptions and Catholic Anthropology About Marriage

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Deacon Bob

I read an intriguing article today written by Catholic theologian Tim Muldoon about the attempts in our country to redefine marriage. In his article, he speaks of the current American assumptions about democracy and the meaning of marriage as being … Continue reading →

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Marital Sexuality and Procreation

Posted on May 12, 2011 by Deacon Bob

My youngest sister sent me a link to a post in the religion blog at CNN (http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/10/my-take-catholic-church-should-reverse-ivf-opposition/?hpt=C2 ) It is written by a Catholic man about his understanding of the Church’s opposition to in-vitro fertilization (IVF).He expresses his opinion regarding … Continue reading →

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A Catholic Guide to End-of-Life Decisions

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Deacon Bob

One of the areas that my employer (Gundersen Lutheran Health System) prides itself in – and for which it has gained some national attention – is end of life planning. Gundersen Lutheran and the other health care system in town … Continue reading →

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“Steering the Right Course…”

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Deacon Bob

I read today in Deacon DIgest an article written by Deacon Joseph Donadieu from the diocese of Trenton, New Jersey, entitled, “Steering the Right Course with God’s Truth.” In it, he writes about moral relativism. As you may already know, … Continue reading →

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Open Letter from the Minnesota Catholic and Lutheran Bishops

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Deacon Bob

The bishops of the Catholic Church and a number of Lutheran bishops have issued an open letter to Gov. Mark Dayton and the Minnesota Legislature about their efforts to deal with the budget crisis in this state. In it, they … Continue reading →

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