Wednesday, January 21, 2015

On "breeding like rabbits" and very happy Catholics

Damian Thompson, "Catholics must not breed like rabbits, says the Pope. Yes, you read that right" (The Spectator, January 19, 2015):

Catholics should not breed like rabbits and gender theory is a bit like the Hitler Youth. Yup, the Supreme Pontiff is giving another of his in-flight interviews and yet again he leaves everyone shaking their heads: ‘He said what?’

Now, let’s be clear. Francis reaffirmed Catholic teaching on birth control (sort of) while observing that ‘God gives you methods to be responsible. Some think that – excuse the word – that in order to be good Catholics we have to be like rabbits. No.’
I know what he means. I think. Contraception and family planning are fine so long as you don’t artificially block procreation. But the subliminal and unintended messages are (a) that Catholics have a reputation for breeding like rabbits and (b) birth control is OK, full stop.

Now, I won’t pretend that I’ve ever agreed with the Church on the wickedness of the pill [This is Damian Thompson writing, not Blosser!], but better Catholics than me who observe Humanae Vitae to the letter will be dismayed. Because they know that the media will seize on this interview as evidence that Francis is softening Church teaching.

It’s a bit like his ‘Who am I to judge?’ comment regarding homosexuality. In context, you could argue that nothing had changed. But journalists filing to deadline aren’t into magisterial context and canon law, and so they settle for the easy option: ‘unprecedented’ signals from Rome that the Church is easing up on sexual matters. Which it isn’t, so far as I can tell, though cardinals do now feel free to shout at each other in public.

What is unprecedented is the sight of a Pope who, as soon as the seatbelt sign is turned off,  jumps to his feet to improvise on the most delicate matters imaginable. He has the stream-of-consciousness manner of a standup comic, segueing from foreign aid to gender theory to the Hitler Youth in a matter of seconds – read the details here.

Like everyone else, I was impressed by the crowd of six million who assembled to hear Francis in the Philippines. But did it go to his head? The Vicar of Christ has (thanks to his own misjudgments) a gruesomely difficult Synod on the Family to run and rule on in October. At this rate it will all end in tears.

Meanwhile, I have this vision of an elderly Bavarian gentleman with his head in his hands, asking: ‘Lord, was this really what you wanted?’


[Hat tip to JM]

8 comments:

Mick Jagger Gathers No Mosque said...

It was so much better back when RF was young; back then it was our enemies who mocked us

Son of Ya'Kov said...

Doc why repeat the British media's lies as if they where truth?

The Pope didn't say that.


Why is it over reacting conservatives and traditionalists who complain or clueless liberals who "praise" the Pope for these comments seem quite adverse to citing his actual words?

Here you go.

QUOTE"F:I think the number of 3 (children) per family that you mentioned, it is the one experts say is important to keep the population going,. three per couple. When it goes below this, the other extreme happens, like what is happ[en]ing in Italy. I have heard, I do not know if it is true, that in 2024 there will be no money to pay pensioners (because of) the fall in population.

Therefore, to give you an answer, they key word is the one the Church always uses all the time and even I use it: it is responsible parenthood. how do we do this? With dialogue. Each person with his pastor seeks how to do that responsible parenthood.

That example I mentioned shortly before about that woman who was expecting her eighth (child) and already had seven who were born with caesareans. That is an irresponsibility (That woman might say) 'no but I trust in God' But God gives you methods to be responsible. Some think that, excuse me if I use that word, that in order to be good Catholics we have to be like rabbits . No. Responsible parenthood! This is clear and that is why in the church there are marriage groups, there are experts in this matter, there are pastors, one can seek and I know so many, many ways out that are licit and that have helped this. You did well to ask me this.

Another thing in relation to this is that for the most poor people, a child is a treasure. It is true that you have to be prudent here too but for them a child is a treasure. (Some would say) 'God knows how to help me' and perhaps some of them are not prudent, this is true. Responsible paternity but let us also look at the generosity of that father and mother that see a treasure in every child."END QUOTE

He literally said "we have to be like Rabbits" who being animals breed according to animal instinct not intellect and will like we do by using either NFP or full on abstenence.

He was also referring to a woman who had 7 c-sections.

You are a doctor Doc. Surely you know that cannot be healthy?

Pertinacious Papist said...

B.Y.,

I'm presenting Thompson's reporting as a sample of the mainstream take-away. It doesn't really concern me what Franciscus said. If it concerns you, please produce a reliable quote.

It is by now a widely-acknowledged problem, even by his closest associates in the Curia that he has what is euphemistically called "a messaging problem," despite the growth industry of apologists stepping up to try to baptize and sanitize his statements.

I always did enjoy Bugs Bunny cartoons, though. They were always the most sophisticated of Saturday morning cartoons, IMHO.

Son of Ya'Kov said...

>I'm presenting Thompson's reporting as a sample of the mainstream take-away.

There are lies, damn dies, statistics and the liberal media reporting on matters Catholic.
It seems a rather vain hope IMHO to believe the media will ever present the Catholic or
Papal teaching accurately. They are all about the simple sound bite why must we conform
ourselves to that?

>llIt doesn't really concern me what Franciscus said. If it concerns you, please produce a reliable quote.

See my previous post.

>It is by now a widely-acknowledged problem, even by his closest associates in the Curia that he has what is euphemistically called "a messaging problem," despite the growth industry of apologists stepping up to try to baptize and sanitize his statements.

I hate to break it too you Doc but……if Francis resigned tomorrow and God resurrected either St Pius X or Pius XII from the dead and
the concave re-elected one or the Other Pope for a second reign the media would lie their backsides off and distort their teaching.

>I always did enjoy Bugs Bunny cartoons, though. They were always the most sophisticated of Saturday morning cartoons, IMHO.

You da man Doc!

Peace!

PS Watching Bugs as an adult I never realized how “adult” those cartoons really where? I mean it went over my head as a little boy.
That short where Bugs wins the Oscar…that was kind of gay. Literally.

Cheers.

Pertinacious Papist said...

BenY.

Two thoughts.

(1) If we assume that we can safely assume that the Holy Father's intentions are benign, then it's not hard to find a Catholic apologist who will step up to the plate and offer a rationale explaining why his statements and actions are fully in keeping with Catholic teaching.

What many people seem to be wondering about, however, is why he so often says things and does things that readily lend themselves to wildly anti-Catholic interpretations. Take as his most recent example, his publicized private meeting with a transgendered couple. There is nothing that can be said to fault such a gesture in principle. But how is it going to be interpreted, and why does Francis, surely knowing how it will be interpreted, do such things?

(2) You suggest that if any of the earlier Pian popes were brought back that the contemporary media would just as readily misinterpret their statements. I beg to differ. They would never have condescended to talk "off-the-cuff" in such an informal manner with the media, standing up at the end of each international flight to offer an impromptu press conference, the yield of which inevitably involves at least one zinger tossed as a sop to the paparazzi and journalists hanging on his every hiccup. Here I am merely repeating the consensus of many others whose opinions I have read in print or online.

Pertinacious Papist said...

What lies? The pope didn't say WHAT?

Son of Ya'Kov said...

>What lies? The pope didn't say WHAT?

Lies, damn lies and Statistics is a saying and I added Liberal media reporting. I am saying the liberal media lies. I am not saying the Pope lies.

Just to clarify.

Good discussion Doc. You make some interesting points.

Son of Ya'Kov said...
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