Jesuit Casuistry 101

If you want to see the modern incarnation of the disgusting Jesuit casuistry that led to the fall of the ancien regime and the Reign of Terror in France, look no farther than Jesuit Thomas Reese!

 

 

Notre Dame Right to Invite Obama

THIS CATHOLIC'S VIEW

By Thomas J. Reese

"Controversy over commencement speakers at Catholic universities pops up every spring along with the tulips. This year the controversy is over President Obama speaking at Notre Dame University May 17. Some have objected that this is a violation of the bishops' statement "Catholics in Political Life." This is absurd.

According to Catholics in Political Life, "The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions."

I would argue that having Obama as a commencement speaker and giving him an honorary degree does not violate Catholics in Political Life because:

• In his personal life, Obama has never acted in defiance of the fundamental moral principle that abortion is wrong.

• Publicly, Obama has never spoken out against the fundamental moral principle that abortion is wrong.

• He supports legal restrictions on third trimester abortions with a health-of-the-mother exemption.

• Although he does not believe that other abortions can be made illegal, he supports programs to reduce the number of abortions.

• Notre Dame is not honoring Obama because of his views on abortion but because he is President of the United States, as has been made clear by the Rev. John Jenkins, Notre Dame's president.

Those wanting to read all of "Father" Reese's comments may do so at:

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/georgetown/2009/03/notre_dame_right_to_invite_obama.html

___________

 

Jesuit casuistry is alive and well in America in 2009. Fr. Reese has "resurrected" (no pun intended) a variety of schewed moral logic that many thought dead.

 

The notion that a Roman Catholic priest of prominence, a member of a religious order founded on the principle of obedience to the Papacy!, can in a public forum engage in these moral "gymnastics" clearly points to the decrepit exercise of authority in the Roman Catholic Church.

To the extent that we "adopt" his moral logic to cloak gross immorality, that we embrace this brazen casuistry, we will suffer the same fate as those of the ancien regime who made the same mistake two hundred plus years ago.

Comments

[T. Shaw]

If so, then, should the honorary degree be in MORAL THEOLOGY?

File under "Asinine Crap Intellctuals Say."

[Joseph Fromm]

Fr. Reese has made a an argument that a "poly sci" professor at a liberal secular institution would make. We need him to publish an piece that recognizes his sacred ordination and his professed religion.

JMJ

Joe

[Michigan Wolverine]

I'm glad you brought this up because I was thinking about this the other day. While I know blaming the entire Jesuit order is unfair and unwarranted, some of these priests and religions are just terrible. We have two parishes on campus: St. Mary's and St. Thomas the Apostle. I started out by going to St. Mary's, which is the student parish sponsored by the university. And now I see why. The priests, who are Jesuit, are about as liberal as you can get. They sponsored a forum earlier in the year regarding who to vote for in the election. While priests can't officially take sides, it was painfully obvious it was an Obama love fest. Some of the same arguments they used are what Mr. Reese articulates in his pithy letter. This is why I go to St. Thomas, even though it is further away. And isn't it interesting that U of M will let St. Mary's post flyers around campus, but forbid St. Thomas to do so?

I know we are supposed to follow and appreciate all our priests. And I do. But how can I follow someone who leads his sheep astray? When I read something like this, it reminds me of Obama's version of Christianity: belief in some sort of obscure ubiquitous God while lacking any real experience of His presence.

[Michigan Wolverine]

typo: change religions to religious.

[Atlanta Catholic]

Another example of a betrayer. I remember hearing Father John Hardon S.J. give a dire warning to Catholic families at a conference in Southern California. Father Hardon said, "I want to tell you this out of love, only heroic Catholics will be able to withstand the horrific attacks that will come against their faith." Father Hardon the said something that gave incredible insight into the suffering he must have endured for being faithful. He said that one of the greatest sufferings on this earth is to learn that those we have loved the most, do not love us back.

[James Rich]

Yeah, I think I see this whole sad-sack incident as evidence of a crisis in the rightful exercise authority within the Church. I'm not sure what can transform this problem, other than millions of acts of obedience for this intention.

Second, I want to head butt Reese right into coherence. When I throw eggs and tomatoes at politicians, I am making a statement; when I vote for gay marriage, I am making a public statement. Father Reese, when Obama casts votes and holds Executive Order Ceremonies -- not to mention impassioned pleas in the Ill. House for abortion and the right to finish off surviving infants of abortion -- he is making a public statement. He has, thus, publically, come out on the side of abortion -- in "public", to make myself redundant!! You are not doing your research...or you simply don't care.

If anyone wants to hear the words and arguments of the False Prophet who will accompany and prepare the way for Anti-Christ, here it is.

[James Rich]

...so when I say the Southern States should be allowed to have slaves, apparently I'm not publically espousing my own pro-slavery views, according to the good priest. Honestly, no wonder people are so confused. And no wonder people go ahead and willingly allow themselves to be befuddled about moral issues.

[Michigan Wolverine]

If I were a student at Notre Dame, the administration would be hearing from me. everyday.

[Fiat]

Poor Saint Ignatius I feel his tears from Heaven. The saint whose order thrived in the intellectual defence of Faith via dialogue and debate to end up endorsing by default a man who has made no bones of his support for measures against the unborn.He should have been invited to the University to hear eloquent speakers outlining the Church's teachings and invited to question and engage in debate and discussion not awarded a degree!

[Michigan Wolverine]

My roommate often tells me that Catholics are the most ardent followers of Christ. But when they go bad, they are the worst thing imaginable.

See Maher, O'Donnell, crazy priests...etc

[MarinaBlues in California]

Circle Talk, Fr. Reese, will get us nowhere. We can read and interpret the bishops statement in "Catholics and Political Life." You call those of us who are standing up for the Way, the Truth and the Life, asbsurd. - definition - obviously senseless or illogical; ridiculous [Latin absurdus].

Fr Reese says: "Controversy over commencement speakers at Catholic universities pops up every spring along with the tulips." Sounds a bit trite to me; somewhat like "ah gee, gosh, darn, do I have to talk about this every dang year?"

I need to go to my prayer corner and have a good cry!

[JesusWasALiberal]

At some point, the leadership of the Catholic church needs to decide what it wants to be when it grows up. The church leadership has enabled pedophiles, and they're currently embracing a Holocaust revisionist. But, they draw the line at inviting the President of the United States to a graduation ceremony.

Why don't they just admit that they're Republicans. They serve conservative politics, not the Lord.

[T. Shaw]

Dear March 29, 2009 @ 5:34 PM:

Liberals want to take away incentives to work and produce; support (only other idiot liberals believe the moronic lie that you personally oppose it) murdering millions of unborn babies; approve homosexuals marrying each other; approve a Dem Prez murdering 83 women and children at Waco in 1993 and applaud jihadis massacring thousands of Americans; believe trial lawyers' multi-million $$$ incomes (i.e., dem contributions) are more important than affordable national health care; believe the government owns everything; believe I should be profoundly grateful that the government lets me to keep 47% of what I earn; and want to keep poor people poor.

I’m a conservative. I’m against all of the above and I’m for making poor people prosperous (as opposed to serfs).

There: I think that’s so simply stated that even a MA nitwit with two MA's in theology might understand it.

“Tax the rich feed the poor
'Til there are no rich no more."
Ten Years After

You callow, caitiff cretins . . .

[Robin Conroy]

I am appaled by some of the writings here - where is the respect for the US government - do you believe in our constitution - if so - President Obama was elected by the majority of Americans. I agree that we all do not agree that he was the best choice but as free Americans we are to accept the decision of the people. In the mid-to late 60's (and I was rather young then) something that stood out in my mind was that when people were drafted or there were anti-war demonstrations there was a chant from Americans who felt scandalized - I believe the chant was American - Love it OR leave it! I feel this may be very appropriate for some writers here - - if you do not like President Obama - if you feel following him is like following a cult then I do encourage you to accept the vote of the people of the USA and then - if you can't accept it - - may I simply say - AMERICA - LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT! Many of us Roman Catholics stand behind him and choose to work toward a better understanding. I am alive today because of a stem cell transplant - - I know, I know - it was my sister's stem cells but the research done that was the basis of my transplant was done with embryonic stem cells from eggs left at the fertility clinic and not wanted anymore by the women who left them there. Should I be dead - is my life not as important as an unborn child - I was going to die - - it was that research that allowed science to figure out how to cure blood cancer - please acknowledge there are those of us who are grateful that these stem cells (unborn children) suffered so I could live. Is this wrong? probably - but i know I am an active leader and teacher in the church and I could only have kept doing this by having the stem cell transplant called for in the protocol that was developed from the study of embryonic stem cells - whose right and whose wrong?

[jen3921]

"Is my life not as important as an unborn child". Yes, of course it is. All life is sacred. But no person may be purposefully killed so another may live. The unborn child had no say in their destruction. Destroying humans to save humans is wrong. Please, please understand that. Your sister's stem cells saved you. Thank God! Adult stem cell research is the way to go and you are proof of that! Why must humanity and babies be destroyed in the process when adult stem cells are showing all the results! As our Lord says, choose God or Mammon, you cannot serve both. It is God first, country second! Who do you truly serve?! Those in the comments above stand firmly with God's word on life. Do you truly believe that Jesus would justify the slaughter of these little ones? Your words frighten me: "Is this wrong? probably" So, you have crossed your line in the sand and have agreed to kill others so that you may live?

[american aquarium drinker]

i don't agree with PBO on almost anything but it does not bother me that he speak at a secular university's commencement. however, it bothers me as a catholic that a high profile "catholic" university such as notre dame would give him a platform and legitimize him and his policies with an honorary degree. president or not, his policies are anti-catholic and anti-life and he has shown himself to be hostile to the church in this regard in his short time in office. for ND to honor that goes against catholic teaching - even the bishops have said so back in 2004...and they aren't known for having much of a backbone.

this has nothing to do with being repubilcan/serving conservative politics. i'm so tired of this silly argument. liberals cannot fathom this concept b/c they are irreligious or anti-religious and everything is seen through the political spectrum. since liberalism is their religion, not christianity, they come to the false conclusion that this is just a bunch of whiny republicans trying to stick it to a democrat. it has nothing to do with political parties and everything to do with being true to catholic teaching and catholic identity.

[James Rich]

Here we go with the confusion and muddled thinking again, which is why the issue is so important to address and put to rest. Robin, you're talking about apples while we're talking about oranges. If you innocently profited from immoral research, that doesn't make your perfectly legitimate treatment a problem.

But to actually "eat" the cells of aborted/terminated fetuses so that you can live is too gruesome to tolerate. Why not clone yourself, severe the brain stem near birth, and continually "borrow" needed body parts from this body for the rest of your life?

My dad has Parkinson's and is contemplating this very thing. I shudder to think that he would, but he's an atheist and sees nothing wrong with it. How tragic for all concerned. I would hope that I would -- and I think I would -- resist making such a choice.

[Michigan Wolverine]

To Robin:

I highly recommend you listen to some talks by Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D. He earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale University and did post-doctoral studies at Harvard University. Currently he serves as the director of education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.

More specifically, refer to the DECLARATION
ON THE PRODUCTION AND THE SCIENTIFIC AND THERAPEUTIC USE OF HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS.

Moreover, your line of reasoning is questionable. LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT? What gives you the right to give anyone else here an ultimatum? Did you say the same thing to people who detested GW Bush?

[Michigan Wolverine]

To the guy who thinks Jesus was a liberal, how do you even begin to define liberalism and conservatism? What issues are you specifically addressing?

The Vatican is hardly Republican. Yes, it values the rights of the unborn, (shouldn't they? shouldn't YOU?) but does this make them Republican? The Church has one of the most active voices in serving the poor and lesser communities, does this also characterize them as Republican?

Please tell me how Jesus was a "liberal".

[Pax]

Let us not forget the time the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus into stating a political allegiance and He outwitted them with His use of a Roman coin.
Jesus has never given His endorsement to any particular party line or view. Stay close to Jesus, receive the sacraments, pray the rosary and you will say, write,speak and be what is needed when it is needed. Above all trust and never take your eyes off Christ in these perilous times.

[pat mallory]

The issue here is not about ending abortion. The GOP will never do that
as it would dismiss their entire platform.

[pat mallory]

The problem with the word liberal is that in today's vocabulary, it means different
things to different people, and there is no general agreement on what it means despite the fact that people like Rush Limbagh use it every five minutes, mostly to identify anyone that does not follow his agenda. But if "liberal" means challenging the establishment and talking about a new way of thinking, Jesus Christ could certainly be a liberal.

[James M. Essig]

Perhaps people especially Catholics will have renewed respect for GOD, THE THREE DEVINE PERSONS, THE TRUINE GODHEAD when Catholic Clergyman once again fully and absolutely clearly realize that GOD is: Absolutely Immutible or Unchangeable, Has a Nature that is Absolutely Simple, Is Pure and Absolutely Infinitely Eternal and Absolutely Uncaused Being, Is Absolutely Infinitely All Knowing, Is Absolutely and Infinitely All Wise, Is Absolutely and Infinitely All Loving, Is Absolutely and Infinitely All Powerful, Is Absolutely and Infinitely All Good, and the list may well go on for an Absolutely Unlimited Number of Additional Terms that We are not yet capable of epistemologically and heuristically able to grasp.

The Divine Nature of Each of the Three Divine Persons is likewise all of the above including the Divine Nature of Jesus. Jesus's Divine Nature was in no way altered or lessened or reduced when He became Incarnated and Died on the Cross in His Human Bodily Nature.

Jesus Human Nature is Inferior to His Divine Nature and the Hypostatic Union in no way confuses or scrambles either of the two Natures of Christ, and in no way lessened or altered the Divine Nature of Christ.

The Divine Nature of Christ would still be the Divine Nature of Christ and the Human Nature of Christ in terms of Christ Body, Blood, Soul, and Life of Grace imparted to His Human Nature, Body and Soul, would still exist even if all of the Consecrated Hosts and Sacred Species of Consecrated Wine were to be annihilated by some natural event such as the setting off of some sort of planet destroying or should I say ionizing fusion chain reaction that might spread throughout the Earth's Oceans by some improbable event involving the detonation of a suitably large and high mass specific yield thermonuclear device under water.

No doubt the Real Presence of the Lord Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity under the appearance of the Bread and Wine is a fantastic reality and a great mystery, but we should not use such a reality to box GOD in and take away from the characteristics of GOD and of Each of the THREE DIVINE PERSONS as I have only partially listed above.

When we realise that we cannot box GOD in as if HE was a toy that Some extremely anthropcentic clergyman think they can somehow create or Minipulate, perhaps we will find that Non-Catholic Christians will convert to Catholism and take advantage of the graces afforded by the Sacraments of the Catholic Church including the receptions of the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Consecrated Sacred Species that in reality exist in their consecrated forms because they were meant for us to recieve as spiritual nourishment.

Long after the last Mass is said, and the last instances of Sacramental Confession are heard, and the last instances of Sacramental Holy Orders, Confirmation, Holy Matrimony, and Extreme Unction are bestowed, each and every human person in Heaven and in Limbo, if such a state exists, will be perfectly and incorruptably supernaturally and/or naturally alive, healthy, and happy.

The Catholic Sacraments are great mysterious realities, but let us not box GOD in by GODs interaction with the Church. Indeed, GOD has no need of any of HIS creatures for HIS Glory, Happyness, or Greatness, nor for HIS Existence or Being or Essence which are one in the same. GOD could simply wink all of creation out of existence simply by an infinitesimally effortless act of HIS will by withdrawing HIS perserving Influence, and I mean absolutely all of creation, human single, married, or consecrated persons, all clergyman, all angels, and each, every, and all extraterrestrial persons if such exist, and indeed the entirety of created physical and spiritual reality.

Let us not effeminize GODs name by boxing HIM IN. Only upon realizing GODs greatness can we come to more fully appreciate HIM and the Real Presence of JESUS Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity under the appearance of the Sacred Species which exist for our benifit.

In this Easter Weekend, We proclain Christ Life, Passion, Death and Ressurection, but we also proclain the name of God as "I AM!" or "I AM who I AM"

GOD BLESS!

Jim

[Rebecca]

To the graduating students of Notre Dame, if our President is the commencement speaker; I would suggest that when he is announced, students in an act of charity and hope for our president, stand up and process to the Chapel. Pray for our President's malformed soul and for the Almighty to enlighten him to the culture of LIFE.

God Bless You Students. . .have the courage to be the Soldiers of Christ that you accepted to be at your Confirmation. This is one of the greatest tests and challenges of your faith - what will you tell your children and grandchildren? What will you tell Our Lord when you stand before Him on the day of judgment? You have an opportunity to make a difference the WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING ! ! and praying for you.

Rebecca