The Child: A Preeminent Good

The child holds the center of our attention this time of year. There are the beautiful portrayals of the holy Virgin, cradling her infant son in her arms after His birth. Eight days later, according to Jewish tradition, the baby boy is circumcised, the first shedding of His blood for our redemption. Forty days after his birth Jesus is presented in the Temple at the same time His Mother undergoes the ritual of purification. These are intimate moments with our attention and our love focused on the holy Child.

The Cause of the Present Disorder

When I was a young graduate (1962), abortion was still illegal, and unborn children were secure in their mothers’ wombs. The sale and distribution of contraceptives was illegal in Pennsylvania where I grew up. Physicians still devoted themselves to healing their patients rather than helping them kill themselves. There was no gay agenda, no transgender movement. There was no LGBTQ+ lobby. Families were still generally intact. But so much of that has changed in the span of a single lifetime – mine.

The Ethics of Fighting Human Trafficking

It is astonishing how ancient evils can “modernize” and emerge again. Slavery was legally abolished in the 19th century in most of the world, but diverse new forms of slavery, falling under the general heading of human trafficking, are a growing contemporary plague.

Detransitioning

Detransitioning is being discussed more frequently in the news. This is the process whereby persons who previously went through a “sex change” do their best to reverse that procedure. From a Catholic perspective (and also the common view of nearly all cultures and religions until very recently), a person is either male or female, and this biological fact is good and should be accepted. LGBTQ+ activists and their theorists have come up with the idea that one is only “assigned” a sex by our biology and that a person can therefore experience gender dysphoria, a sense of “being in the wrong body.” Their solution to this mental anguish is to dress and interact as a member of the gender they identify with and frequently take hormones, drugs, and surgery to “transition” their bodies so that they transform themselves into their self-perceived gender.

In Memoriam Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI was a special friend of The National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) going back to the years when he served as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). He spoke at the NCBC workshop for bishops in 1984 and in 1991, and we published a book with his words of wisdom entitled “On Conscience” that is available for purchase. Pope Benedict XVI appointed our past NCBC president, Dr. John Haas, as a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life and a consultor to the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers.

The (Dis)Respect for Marriage Act

Marriage has a definition founded on the natural order. It is not an institution that can be redefined at the whim of judges or legislators or to appease social activist groups.

The Rhetoric of “Vaccine Hesitancy”

Journalists and others have increasingly employed the problematic phrases “vaccine hesitancy” or “vaccine hesitant” to describe those who have so far not accepted one of the currently available COVID-19 vaccines.

Philosophical Puzzles about Transgenderism

The most remarkable feature of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is that its description of gender dysphoria strongly implies that the human mind can exist in the wrong body.

Fulton v. Philadelphia Supreme Court Victory

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia won an important religious liberty case in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. The US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled unanimously against the requirement that Catholic Social Services place foster children with same-sex couples.

Will the Cure Be Worse Than the Disease?

The global response to COVID-19 is a unique moment of unity and solidarity when humanity has mobilized to save lives. However, as scientists race to develop a cure, we cannot silently assent to the development of vaccines and treatments using cell lines derived from aborted fetuses.The problem of tolerating or even promoting evil in science and medicine will only be resolved through strong engagement to demand moral options both by individuals and institutions.

Temptations Prowl the World as We Stay In

When individuals take strong emotions like fear and mistake them for or convert them into sexual arousal, it can have very detrimental effects because a person in the grip of strong emotions is not thinking clearly. We should be aware of this phenomenon in order to stand firm against it. What are some ways we can resist?

The Ethics of Isolation and Social Distancing

Isolating at home and social distancing as sensible public health measures have been explained and re-explained by experts. The forced confinement of so many has led to some hilarious posts online. It is good to joke and find comic relief in the midst of difficulties and tragedy. But sadly, for many people, these past few weeks have been a descent into isolated darkness. What should we do?

Messages from Our President and President Emeritus