Pope Benedict now says: Use condoms to prevent the transmission of AIDS; use condoms to save lives. A Pope has finally said something. Not much, not enough, but something.
Forty-two years ago, in 1968, before the AIDS epidemic hit, before Roe vs. Wade, Catholics everywhere were talking about birth control. Now they practice birth control and talk about abortion. In 1968, Pope Paul VI created a Birth Control Commission. He appointed outstanding members of the clergy and laity to the Commission. Then he ignored their recommendations, regressed to pre-Vatican II thinking, and solemnly proclaimed that all birth control methods other than the rhythm method were still on the no-no list. Many Catholics in the United States were both surprised and confused. One of the Old Baguette's friends, a Catholic with five children, was neither surprised nor confused. If the Pope had said birth control was morally okay, my friend said she'd have felt like a damned fool for having relied on temperatures and calendars to control pregnancy. She thought it would take a hundred years to get everything ironed out. In a hundred years, young Catholics would no longer be playing Vatican Roulette but would be using the best, most effective methods of birth control. What previous Popes had said on the subject of birth control would be irrelevant. In a hundred years, the Catholic women like her who'd had a batch of kids by using the rhythm method would be dead. If dead, they wouldn't feel like fools if the Pope changed the rules. She did feel that the Pope needed a few lessons on what it was like to feed and diaper a mob. Get the Pope five or six puppies to housebreak. Make sure the Pope keeps the puppies in his apartment and cleans up after them all by himself. She also felt that the Pope needed additional lessons on managing the stress of feeding, clothing, and housing a mob. Take away his money. Make him earn his keep. Perhaps he could babysit.
Since Pope Paul's Commission disbanded, only 42 years have passed. The Old Baguette's friend is still alive and still involved with her children. Please, keep in mind that Pope Benedict did not issue a long awaited statement on birth control or the other Right to Life issues that have been causing such conflict and pain. The Pope merely said that condoms can be used to save lives. He actually used the word transsexual and spoke of sex between homosexuals. He talked of prostitutes. Is that progress? In the next 58 years, the Popes will probably listen more carefully to what the People of God have to say and make clarifying announcements from time to time. The People of God will discuss these issues, educate their consciences, and do what they feel morally bound to do. The Old Baguette thinks her friend was right. In a hundred years, everything will be resolved.
One question bothers the Old Baguette. Fewer and fewer men are being ordained, fewer and fewer priests are hanging in there until the end, and too many priests are making headlines because of their behavior. The Pope's statement begins with a discussion of condoms as a protection against AIDS. Do you suppose he's trying to protect his priests?
I must preface my comment with the fact that I am not Catholic and I do feel some reservation about sticking my nose in the internal affairs of someone else’s religion. However, being mostly Irish, Catholicism has to be in my DNA and I have a sympathy for it. Please take my comments as a disinterested observer, however that is something of an untruth because I do maintain my opinions with some passion.
ReplyDeleteFirst aspect of this discussion, what did the pope really say. Conservatives claim that he said nothing new, while some liberal commentators are treating this as the first steps to a reversal of the birth control doctrine. My belief (of what he said and meant) is with the conservatives, but my hope is with the liberals. From what I have read of Cardinal Ratzinger who held the office of Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, if you are hoping for a reversal on birth control, don’t hold your breath. One hundred years like Old Baguette's friend claimed? I think not. Stretch that out to like, hmmmmmm? Forever.
My own opinion on the pope’s comments? I think he got his miter caught in a wringer with the media regarding some previous anti-condom comments in Africa which put him in the light of not caring about the spread of AIDS. So his latest comments are a bit of spin, that ends up being theologically irrelevant. It is a fairly safe bet that by church law with the great load of sin born by a prostitute, the use of a condom falls into the category of bringing up unpaid parking tickets in a serial murderer’s trial. So there is this “first assumption of moral responsibility” business that throws condom use in a morally positive light but only for those who are at the bottom of the sexual morality barrel. Their Souls are gonners anyhow, so what the hell difference does it make? At least they are showing some concern for their fellow man. But we need not worry about them making it past St. Peter’s gate. This ambiguity is a bit disingenuous, is it not? He is the pope. Shouldn’t he be able to make it perfectly clear what the hell he means? I sense a bit of intentional double talk. Let the media believe this, but to the faithful, listen to the moral watchdogs.
So for you happily married Catholics who are looking to live your life according to the rules, get out your thermometers and calendars. Sorry artificial methods are still a sin. But let me ask you this, what is the intent of your calendars and thermometers? To have fun without the burden of children, yes? From an intent standpoint, how is that any different from using a method that actually works? Do you honestly think that God is that stupid? So am I saying that sex for anything other than procreation is sinful? No, I am saying that I believe you are letting a group of old men wearing funny hats dictate to you how to run things in your bedroom. I would firmly throw their asses out my bedroom and tell them to mind their own business. But, alas, I am not Catholic and none of this is my business.
Old Baguette, you have written a wonderful post and I sincerely hope that you and I live to see the changes for which you speak, but I must confess a deep pessimism in that regard. I don’t have another 58 years left in me.
Yes,Catholicism does seem to be in your DNA, so you can discuss it all you like. Too bad you can't have brunch with us after Mass on Sundays. We've got a conservative or two and a few liberals, but the rest are radicals. If you're Catholic and you're bored, you're just not paying attention.
ReplyDeleteIf I am ever in Minneapolis, I am going to take that brunch comment as an invite. I can't think of anything more charming than brunching with Old Baguette and her Catholic radicals. Will you accept a condemned to Hell Lutheran in the fold?
ReplyDeleteBut, please define the difference between conservative, liberal and radical.
We accept everyone. Our formal welcome at the beginning of Mass is: "We welcome you wherever you are on your journey." Now, my definitions. Conservatives think and live to the right of center. Liberals think and live to the left of center. Radicals can be conservative or liberal.
ReplyDeleteTheir distinguishing feature is activism. Hmm.
Gets fuzzier as I write. Radicals can also be nut cases.
I like your welcome, I am a sucker for journeys, like the quote from St Theresa:
ReplyDelete"The feeling remains that God is on the journey too." St. Teresa of Avila
Where do you suppose the journey leads? Right hand of God? Infinite Understanding? Nirvana?
All the above.