‘Pelvic issues’

Editor:

Commenting on reaction to something the pope said, Father Gregorio called gay marriage, abortion and contraception “the famous pelvic issues that preoccupy a certain segment of the church” (“We need more respect and less partisanship,” Jan. 3).
Referring to these critical issues in such a sarcastic and cavalier fashion is not only divisive but is dismissive of church teaching, insulting to those who defend the unborn and marriage, and ignores the massive damage done to our society by the disregard of church teachings in those areas.
The family was created by God as the foundation of human society and the “domestic church.” Sex is inextricably bound by God to issues of family and the misuse of it, “these pelvic issues,” has wreaked havoc on the family, society, individual lives and on the church: abortions, divorce, a decline in marriage, out of wedlock birth rate, epidemic sexually transmitted disease, “gay marriage” and the abuse scandal. One can reasonably disagree with Father’s assessment that no more instruction in this area is necessary without being a Pharisee.
The problem is not that a “certain segment of the church is preoccupied”; the problem is that a certain segment of our society has become not preoccupied, but obsessed with forcing ideas that are depraved: murder of the child in the womb and homosexual marriage!
The pope said: “We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods….” He did not change Catholic teaching. He did not even say we should not insist on these moral issues, but rather we cannot “only” insist on them. Put in context, he was talking practically about how to best spread the Gospel and saying that we have to first preach salvation through Jesus. If we limit ourselves to arguing moral issues, we will fail.
The concern some had was not what he said, but how people would exploit it. None of this changes Catholic moral teaching or excuses us of our obligation as Catholics and citizens to pray, vote and persuade to defend God’s plan of life and marriage in the civil arena.

Joe Cornely
Pennsauken