Moral Choice: A Christian View of Ethics

Appendix 2: Select Catholic Documents

219 Appendix 2 select catholic documents (Note: This list is not exhaustive, nor are all documents of equal magisterial value. Listed alphabetically, these church teachings’ core themes are included for helpful reference.) “Always Our Children: Pastoral Message to Parents of Homosexual Children and Suggestions for Pastoral Ministers,” 1997. http://www.usccb.org/ issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/homosexuality/always-our -children.cfm United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Marriage and Family Core themes: • every person created in essential dignity • homosexual activity not the same as orientation Casti connubii, 1930 (Chaste Wedlock). http://www.vatican.va/holy _father/pius_xi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_31121930_casti -connubii_en.html Pius XI Core themes: • dignity of marriage • fixed roles of spouses • prioritized ends of marriage 220 Appendix 2 The Challenge of Peace, 1983. www.old.usccb.org/sdwp/international/The ChallengeofPeace.pdf United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Core theme: • on the ethics of war and peace Dignitatis humanae, 1965 (Declaration on Religious Freedom). http://www .vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl _19651207_dignitatis-humanae_en.html Vatican II Core theme: • religious liberty Dignitas personae, 2008 (Instruction on the Dignity of the Person). http://www .vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith _doc_20081208_dignitas-personae_en.html Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Core themes: • artificial reproduction • cloning • gene therapy • stem cell research Donum vitae, 1987 (Instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation). http://www.vatican.va/ roman-curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/re_con_cfaith_doc _19870222_respect-for-human-life_en.html. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Core themes: • respect for human beings as persons from conception • artificial reproduction • use and disposition of embryos Appendix 2 221 Centesimus anno, 1991 (On the Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum novarum). http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/ hf_jp-ii_enc_01051991_centesimus-annus_en.html John Paul II Core themes: • consumerism • contemporary political issues Economic Justice for All, 1986 (Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching). www.usccb.org/upload/economic_justice_for_all.pdf United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Core themes: • social justice • principle of subsidiarity Evangelii nuntiandi, 1975 (Evangelization in the Modern World). http://www .vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/apost_exhortations/documents/hf _p-vi_exh_19751208_evangelii-nuntiandi_en.html Paul VI Core themes: • problems in modern culture • grace and mercy of God available to all Gaudium et spes, 1965 (The Pastoral Constitution on the Church). http:// www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/ vat-ii_cons_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html Vatican II Core themes: • church in the modern world • signs of the times • personalist criterion 222 Appendix 2 Humanae vitae, 1968 (On Human Life) .http://www.vatican.va/holy _father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae -vitae_en.html Paul VI Core themes: • two equal ends of marriage • reaffirmation of no artificial means of conception regulation Justitia in mundo, 1971 (Justice in the World). http://www.shc.edu/theolibrary/ resources/synodjw.htm World Synod of Catholic Bishops Core themes: • economic and political injustice • oppression Laborem exercens, 1981 (On Human Work). http://www.vatican.va/holy _father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_14091981 _laborem-exercens_en.html John Paul II Core themes: • primacy of rights of the human person • dignity of work • primacy of person over work • primacy of labor over capital Mater et magistra 1961 (Christianity and Social Progress). http://www.vatican .va/holy_father/john_xxiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_j-xxiii_enc_15051961 _mater_en.html John XXIII Core themes: • advances in technology • global justice issues Appendix 2 223 Octogesima adveniens, 1971 (A Call to Action on the 80th Anniversary of Rerum novarum). http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/apost_letters/ documents/hf_p-vi_apl_19710514_octogesima-adveniens_en.html Paul VI Core themes: • fairness in the distribution and exchange of goods • problems of modern life “The Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons,” 1986. http://www.vatican .va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc _19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html Letter to the World’s Bishops from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Core themes: • “spousal significance” of human body • homosexual actions as “intrinsically disordered” Pacem in terris, 1963 (Peace on Earth). http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/ john_xxiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_j-xxiii_enc_11041963_pacem_en.html John XXIII Core themes: • basic human rights • social responsibilities • contemporary issues (arms race; nuclear war) Persona humana, 1975 (Declaration on Certain Questions Concerning Sexual Ethics). http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/docu ments/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19751229_persona-humana_en.html Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Core themes: • intrinsic dignity of persons • questions of homosexuality, masturbation, sex outside of marriage 224...