THE MORALITY OF IMMORALITY OF EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION AND A NOTE FOR OUR CHURCH LEADERS

By Tim Rohr

The recent mess with Senator Parkinson's "emergency contraception" bill brought to mind something I have recommended in the past and have long wondered why our church leaders don't do it.

For years I have watched our clergy get cornered by politicians and media hounds on tough moral issues. The usual tactic is to lure "Father"out into the public with a phone call or a surprise interview and ask him a vague or misleading question about abortion, same-sex marriage, or, in this case, "emergency contraception."

"Father" (or in some cases, the bishop) will stumble around a bit and end up saying something that sounds like his opinion and then the media runs with what they were looking for: "Father ____ said..., or the Catholic Church says..., etc.)

This was especially a problem back in the day (around 2010) when same-sex unions were on the legislative agenda. One particular neocat priest who was a ghost writer for Apuron wrote a letter to the legislature wherein he (in the name of Apuron) praised, albeit inadvertently, Islamists who behead homosexuals. Wikipedia has an account of this:

In opposition to a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, Apuron wrote a letter in October 2009 complimenting Islamists who punish gay men with death and contrasting them with gay culture, which he described as self-absorbed. It said:

Islamic fundamentalists clearly understand the damage that homosexual behavior inflicts on a culture. That is why they repress such behavior by death. Their culture is anything but one of self-absorption. It may be brutal at times, but any culture that is able to produce wave after wave of suicide bombers (women as well as men) is a culture that at least knows how to value self-sacrifice.

Apuron's letter made headlines. It caused enormous problems and fostered overtly hostile attitudes towards our local Catholic Church. But it did more than that, it created the climate that brought about the absolute opposite intent when Guam became the first U.S. Territory to legalize same-sex marriage in 2015.

In 2010, I was part of an advisory group to the archbishop on how to handle same-sex legislation. I specifically warned the archbishop and every person in the group NOT to talk to the media or write any "letters," but to SIMPLY COPY THE RELEVANT PORTIONS OF THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH and send it to whoever was asking for a comment.

But no, Father What's-His-Name, the neocat priest, who, in the name of the neocats, was so anxious to ingratiate himself and the neo's with Apuron, wrote this stupid "beheading" letter, placed it on Apuron's letterhead, and distributed it to all the senators. 

It wasn't just stupid, it was and is forever damaging to countless souls. Most of all, it was a missed opportunity to share actual Catholic teaching - as already made clear in our Catechism. And we keep missing these opportunities.

While the Church is clear on its prohibition of contraceptives between two willing partners, it is more nuanced in cases of sexual assault. The clearest position is set out by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services:

36. Compassionate and understanding care should be given to a person who is the victim of sexual assault. Health care providers should cooperate with law enforcement officials and offer the person psychological and spiritual support as well as accurate medical information. A female who has been raped should be able to defend herself against a potential conception from the sexual assault. If, after appropriate testing, there is no evidence that conception has occurred already, she may be treated with medications that would prevent ovulation, sperm capacitation, or fertilization. It is not permissible, however, to initiate or to recommend treatments that have as their purpose or direct effect the removal, destruction, or interference with the implantation of a fertilized ovum.