Author Archives: Ron Conte

Unintended Bad Consequences

Posted on 9 February 2011 by Ron Conte

One common error in Catholic ethics is the claim that an act cannot be made immoral by a bad consequence, if that consequence is unintended. On the basis of this claim, unintended bad consequences, no matter how severe, are incorrectly … Continue reading →

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Ethics by Example

Posted on 8 February 2011 by Ron Conte

There is a certain erroneous approach to ethics that might be called ‘ethics by example’. In this approach, an intrinsically evil act is said to be sometimes moral, if anyone can cite an example of that type of act that … Continue reading →

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Ethics without Sacrifice

Posted on 8 February 2011 by Ron Conte

The latest trend in Catholic ethical thinking is what might be called ‘ethics without sacrifice’. In this approach to morality, any moral analysis is said to be incorrect if it implies that one must suffer in order to avoid sin. … Continue reading →

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Is Lying Always Wrong? — part 3: Saint Augustine

Posted on 7 February 2011 by Ron Conte

It is often incorrectly stated that St. Augustine defined lying as follows: ” ‘A lie consists in speaking a falsehood with the intention of deceiving.’ ” This text is a quote in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2482; … Continue reading →

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143 German Catholic theologians commit public formal heresy

Posted on 7 February 2011 by Ron Conte

The German daily sueddeutsche.de has published the Memorandum of 143 Catholic university professors and theologians, mostly from Germany, with some from Austria and Switzerland. [Google translation] The document begins with a brief discussion of the sexual abuse crisis in the … Continue reading →

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Intramural apologetics: teachers of heresy abound

Posted on 6 February 2011 by Ron Conte

Catholic laypersons are called by Christ and His Church, in the apostolate of the laity, to evangelize the world, to bring Christ and His teaching to those who do not know the Truth. But we are hobbled in our efforts … Continue reading →

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Is the Magisterium able to answer all moral questions?

Posted on 5 February 2011 by Ron Conte

I have been surprised and dismayed lately, in the wake of the distorted news coverage of the Pope’s comment on condoms, to read several different prominent Catholics making the claim that the Magisterium is unwilling or unable to teach and … Continue reading →

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Can a Catholic married woman use the birth control pill for a medical purpose?

Posted on 4 February 2011 by Ron Conte

Some medical problems (e.g. painful periods) are said to be treatable by using the birth control pill (BCP) to regulate the woman’s hormones and periods. Perhaps this approach is overused in sinful secular society because contraception is so heavily promoted, … Continue reading →

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Apocalypse Now? 2011 or 2012 or later?

Posted on 4 February 2011 by Ron Conte

In my view, the Apocalypse (also called the tribulation) is divided into two parts: the first part occurs for this generation, but the second part is for the distant future. The first part of the tribulation includes the first six … Continue reading →

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Is Lying Always Wrong? — part 2: the definition of lying

Posted on 3 February 2011 by Ron Conte

Lying is an intrinsically evil act. Therefore, lying is always a sin. But every sin has three fonts of morality (intention, moral object, circumstances). The evil moral object makes the act intrinsically evil and always immoral, but the other fonts … Continue reading →

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Is Lying Always Wrong? — part 1: intrinsic evil

Posted on 3 February 2011 by Ron Conte

If lying is intrinsically evil, then it is always immoral. The Three Fonts and Intrinsic Evil There are three fonts of morality: (1) intention, (2) moral object, (3) circumstances. In order to be moral, all three fonts must be good. … Continue reading →

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The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ

Posted on 2 February 2011 by Ron Conte

The Virgin Mary spoke to Saint Bridget about the presence of the Son of God in her womb and about His Virgin Birth. “And when I had Him in my womb, I bore Him without pain, without any weight or … Continue reading →

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