Real Life Catholics on BBC TV defend Church Teaching on Contraception.
This morning on BBC TV Sunday Morning Live there was a good debate inspired by Melinda Gates (who identifies as Catholic) comments about the pope potentially changing doctrine on contraception.
The Catholic contributors were Fr Paddy McCafferty, Clare Short and Obianuju Ekeocha. I think they did really well. Uju's direction is very interesting and easily wrong foots those who want to impose western ideas of morality on Africans in an imperialistic way. Interesting that the presenter agrees with her on this.
Fr Paddy gave a great account of his experience as a priest. He was compassionate, realistic and honest, while upholding the value and importance of the doctrine.
Clare said she had experience of both ways and the Catholic way is better by far. I thought that was awesome! I especially liked her focus on equality and bringing the responsibility of both husband & wife into the discussion.
Watch out for the bit where the other lady says "Pope Francis has indicated that contraception is OK" and both Uju & Clare were like, "where did he say that?" and she changed her story a few times, first saying in Evangeli Gaudium and then on a presser on the plane. She was just making it up!
The aid worker agrees with Clare when she talks about equal responsibility. Perhaps she would agree with a lot of the Catholic teaching if only she knew what it actually was? Lots of people don't bother finding out the reality, but prefer to believe a warped narrative that paints a caricature of Catholic doctrine. It's a shame that our bishops aren't more engaged with the culture, and don't have the courage to challenge these misconceptions. Perhaps the example given by these three on national TV today will encourage other Catholics (priests???) to speak more about the issue and try to understand it better. Best of all would be if it were preached about regularly so people know what the teaching is and why.
The aid worker agrees with Clare when she talks about equal responsibility. Perhaps she would agree with a lot of the Catholic teaching if only she knew what it actually was? Lots of people don't bother finding out the reality, but prefer to believe a warped narrative that paints a caricature of Catholic doctrine. It's a shame that our bishops aren't more engaged with the culture, and don't have the courage to challenge these misconceptions. Perhaps the example given by these three on national TV today will encourage other Catholics (priests???) to speak more about the issue and try to understand it better. Best of all would be if it were preached about regularly so people know what the teaching is and why.
What is clear is that these people are so brainwashed that things like contraception are the "modern/progressive/correct" answer and unable to think outside the box. Great that Uju was there to disavow them of their preconceptions!
Let me know what you think in the comments.
Very good, I braced myself when the priest spoke - thought he would come out with some liberal mumbo jumbo, but for a pp he did very well. Surprised to also see two practising passionate Catholics on the show and that the 'Tablet crowd' werent rolled out. Clare did very well, she came across as likeable, bubbly and relateable , the other lady although a lovely lady, was probably a little bit too intense. The saddest bit was witnessing how critics of the Church are constantly using Pope Francis as a reference point - how disturbing...This seems to be right way forward for us Catholics at moment, lets get out there and evangelise in the media and wherever He opens up doors for us!
ReplyDeleteImpressive. Thanks!
ReplyDeletePerhaps you might check your headline?
ReplyDeleteThank you, I have re-ordered it!
DeleteVery interesting discussion and Clare and the African lady were brilliant. In fact I think the African lady was the most powerful in addressing the rather patronising ways of Westerners.
ReplyDeletePope Francis HAS made a point of approving contraception when women fear catching the Zika virua while pregnant. He said it during one of those airplane press conferences, then had his Vatican spokesman tell the world he nad meant EXACTLY what he was quoted as saying. It was front page news - and accurate - in the New York Times. A couple of months later, the Catholic Theological Society of America - not known for its orthodoxy - published and article about how the Pope was wrong to approve birth control in that (or any) case. The old lady was 100% right.
ReplyDelete