Category Archives: ethics

Do 98% of U.S. Catholic women use contraception?

Posted on 15 March 2012 by Ron Conte

Many sources in the mass media and in politics (including a Whitehouse official) have recently cited a Guttmacher Institute study (Religion and Contraceptive Use [PDF file], Jones and Dreweke, April 2011) to the conclusion, phrased in divergent ways by various … Continue reading →

More Galleries

Abortion is the Leading Cause of Death in the U.S.

Posted on 13 March 2012 by Ron Conte

In 2008, according to the Guttmacher Institute, there were approximately 1.21 million induced abortions in the U.S. According to the CDC [PDF], the leading causes of death in the U.S. in 2008 were as follows: Total ‘all’ causes: 2,471,984 [does … Continue reading →

More Galleries

Dangerous Distortions of Doctrine on Just War

Posted on 9 March 2012 by Ron Conte

Over at the Witherspoon Institute, Robert C. Koons has a post on just war theory and the Iran crisis. His own summary of the article is as follows: “It would be wrong for the United States to engage at this … Continue reading →

More Galleries

Is Contraception a Form of Health Care?

Posted on 5 March 2012 by Ron Conte

According to Roman Catholic teaching, the use of contraception is intrinsically evil (CCC 2370). Every intrinsically evil act is always immoral because it is inherently contrary to “the true good of the person in view of his ultimate end” — … Continue reading →

More Galleries

Is Pre-emptive War Intrinsically Evil and Always Immoral?

Posted on 3 March 2012 by Ron Conte

Over at National Catholic Register, Mark Shea blogs that pre-emptive war is always immoral. His conclusion is morally unsound and contrary to Catholic dogma on the basic principles of ethics, i.e. on the constitutive elements that make any act moral … Continue reading →

More Galleries

The lesbian at a Catholic funeral incident

Posted on 3 March 2012 by Ron Conte

Here is an update on the incident from a Catholic who knows the priest, Fr. Marcel. The important new information is as follows: “The woman in question brought her lesbian partner into the vesting sacristy just before the funeral Mass … Continue reading →

More Galleries

The basics of Roman Catholic ethics in plain language

Posted on 1 March 2012 by Ron Conte

A. The separation between good and evil An evil act is a sin; it is always morally wrong to choose to commit any sin. A good act is a permissible act; it is not morally wrong to choose to commit … Continue reading →

More Galleries

What is Natural Law?

Posted on 28 February 2012 by Ron Conte

Natural law is a promulgation of the eternal moral law within all of Creation, especially human persons. “The natural law is a participation in us of the eternal law.” (Aquinas, Summa Theologica, I-II, 96, 2.) The eternal moral law is … Continue reading →

More Galleries

Moral Relativism: legal does not define ethical

Posted on 26 February 2012 by Ron Conte

In ethics — not just Catholic ethics, but any sound philosophical system of morality — the point is often made that legal and ethical, illegal and unethical, are two different concepts. An act can be legal and ethical, or legal … Continue reading →

More Galleries | 1 Comment

A First Strike is the Only Moral Option

Posted on 25 February 2012 by Ron Conte

Nothing short of all-out war will stop Iran If we continue sanctions, without a military strike, Iran will eventually make nuclear weapons and use them against the U.S. If Israel destroys Natanz uranium enrichment plant, but not the underground facility … Continue reading →

More Galleries | 3 Comments

Is it a mortal sin not to fast or abstain from meat during Lent?

Posted on 18 February 2012 by Ron Conte

Is it a mortal sin not to fast on Ash Wednesday or on Good Friday? Is it a mortal sin not to abstain from meat on a Friday of Lent? Is it a mortal sin to miss Mass on a … Continue reading →

More Galleries

Avoiding marital sexual sins

Posted on 15 February 2012 by Ron Conte

This is not what most Catholics want to hear. But it is true, and it is crucial to avoid grave sin, so I will say it again and again. YOU CANNOT HAVE A MARRIAGE THAT IS PLEASING TO GOD, UNLESS … Continue reading →

More Galleries