Does the Church teach the principle of the lesser evil?

No,for the same reason that the Church does not issue guidelines on how to steal cars safely.An interesting consequence of the fiasco surrounding the Papal comment has been the recognition that not all supporters of the Traditional Mass are supporters of Traditional morals.It is disappointing to note that some speakers at Latin Mass events are dissenters when it comes to issues pertaining to human sexuality

A third thought

A person driving a stolen car still has certain responsibilities to drive safely.When caught,he gets,let us say, 2 years.If he kills someone,he gets many more years.The evil of stealing a car can be increased by circumstance but not diminished if the theft is for pleasure alone. Psychologically,there are serious problems with this argument.The thief may justify his bad behaviour by claiming that he will always drive safely.In fact he needs to steal in order to perfect his technique of safe driving.He is rather like a prostitute who justifies the evil of prostitution by claiming recourse to safe sex

A second thought

Interesting that Pope Benedict gives the example of male prostitution in his reference to condom use.You do not have to be a moral theologian to realize that this behaviour is intrinsically evil.By using a condom he is not reducing the degree of intrinsic evil.He is taking some degree of responsibility for his intrinsically evil acts.There is still the world of a difference between a first assumption of responsibility and repentance.

A first step

What does Pope Benedict mean when he speaks of a first step in the direction of moralization,a first assumption of responsibility? It is rather like a man with three partners who decides to give up two and move in with one.The man is still living a disordered life but there is at least the possibility of a future marriage.In saying this,we do not condone fornication.Neither is the Pope condoning male prostitution.

Letter from an atheist journalist

Johann Hari writes as follows:"Shame on you for defending a protector of paedophiles with ludricous sophistry.I hope one day you repent of your disgusting sin."He refers to my defence of Pope Benedict The Great.Good to know that atheists believe in repentance and sin.

The only answer to suffering

Because the Vine climbed the trellis of the Cross,the branches can now spread themselves wide on the same wood and find it is a ladder to glory.Profound words from Fr Raymond OCSO.

Father Raymond OCSO on St Bernard

The message of his fine work Spiritual secrets of a Trappist monk seems to be that we are all called to be contemplatives -to contemplate Him whose image we are and whose likeness we can recover through grace.He encourages with words from St bernard:patience is required but persistence even more.We are an image of God.So are the souls in hell but as they do not possess the likeness of God,they are eternally unhappy.

Saint Bernard and the three freedoms

Before the Fall,Adam enjoyed three freedoms: freedom to choose, freedom to choose right and freedom to carry out his choice.After the fall Adam enjoyed only one freedom-freedom to choose.According to bernard,it is in this last freedom that the image of God in man resides.Even the souls in hell possess this freedom of choice.In order to save our souls,our free choices must co-operate with grace in order to re-gain the two other freedoms and to share in God's wisdom and power.