Journeys of a Catholic Poster Girl

Me:This might answer the reader who had a question re: rape and contraception and Catholicism, a few posts ago:

Over at Shouts I learned of the existence of an episcopal blog.  H.E. Most Rev. William Lori, Bp. of Bridgeport, in Connecticut, is now blogging.

As an interesting coincidence I also learned of a story on Lifesite entitled “Bishops Conferences Admit to Approving Abortifacient Drugs for Rape at Catholic Hospitals”.

One of the conferences in question is that of Connecticut.

Someone asked His Excellency on his blog about the contradiction in bishops “approving” abortifacients in Catholic hospitals.

Q: I’m confused. Please help me understand. I thought that the Catholic Church teaches that contraception and abortifacients should never be used for any reason. I thought I read in your post that the Church allows “Plan B”, which aborts a fertilized egg, to be used in the case of sexual assault. I may have misinterpreted you, please clarify. ~ Joe, Bridgeport

Bp. Lori’s Answer: This is a complex issue. The Church opposes contraception under normal circumstances but allows it so that a victim can defend herself against the grave injustice of a sexual assault. The so-called “Plan B” medication either works to prevent ovulation (and thus is a contraceptive) OR to prevent implantation, depending on the woman’s cycle when the medicine is administered (and thus could cause an early abortion). That is why the LH / ovulation test is so critical. The Church forbids us to give Plan B once ovulation has occurred as then it could possibly work as an abortifacient. Legislation passed in the Senate last week prevents our Catholic Hospitals from performing this LH test while requiring the administration of Plan B.

So, Bishop Lori is stating that…

a) the Church permits contraception (prevention of ovulation) in the case of sexual assault,
b) Plan B prevents ovulation (= contraception) OR implantation (= abortion),
c) if it found that ovulation has NOT taken place, then Plan B can be used,
d) Plan B cannot be used if there is a risk of prevention of implantation (= abortion).

I am just reporting what I read.

Great Corner exchange:

Quoting Verses From The Koran   [Andrew Stuttaford]

Andy, we’ve been over this ground before, but I still think it’s worth making this point again. You are quite right that (a) there are some horrifying verses in the Koran, and that (b) they are too often passed over or excused (most notably by people such as Karen Armstrong, in my view one of the more disreputable apologists for religious fanaticism to come scurrying into view in recent years) by commentators who should, and often do, know better. Nevertheless, it’s worth remembering that there’s plenty of savagery to be found in the Old Testament too. What really matters is not what was said or written back in the Dark Ages (or, in the case of the Bible, even earlier), but how those words are interpreted now, if, indeed, at all.

Re: Quoting Verses From The Koran   [Andy McCarthy]

Yes, Andrew.  And I’ll address that, too, the minute we have a global terror campaign motivated by an interpretation of the Old Testament.

05/08 12:11 PM

From one of her speeches yesterday (again, h/t Corner)

Toby Harnden was fortunate enough to be invited - alongside such luminaries as Denis Kucinich and Steny Hoyer - to the British embassy garden party thrown for Her Majesty’s visit yesterday afternoon. He therefore heard Her Majesty sum up the essence of the Alliance more pithily than I’ve heard it anywhere else:

Divided, all alone, we can be vulnerable. But if the Atlantic unites, not divides us, ours is a partnership always to be reckoned with in the defense of freedom and the spread of prosperity.

That is the lesson of my lifetime. Administrations in your country, and governments in mine, may come and go. But talk we will; listen we have to; disagree from time to time we may; but united we must always remain.

Quite.

Great story I found on the Corner: (from England)

Minutes away from having the abortion she thought she wanted, each second felt like a second closer to murder rather than the blessed relief she had imagined.

Overwhelmed with guilt and fighting back tears, she was led by two nurses into the operating theatre. The doctor, a fatherly-looking man in his 50s, was sitting waiting for her.

He was kind, reassuring. “Anna,” he said. “Are you ready? If so, we will give you a little injection in the back of your hand and transfer you to the table. Is there anything you would like to say?”

“Yes,” replied Anna. “I’m really sorry, but I’ve changed my mind.” But instead of being annoyed with her for wasting their time, the medical team seemed to be overcome with a sudden, unexpected euphoria.

The doctor broke out into a huge smile, grabbed her shoulder and laughed “Congratulations! Well done, you won’t regret it.”

Or, as St. Catherine said to a Pope during her lifetime:

In a letter to the weak and vacillating Pope Gregory in Avignon, Catherine exhorted him to:

“be a manly man…wanting to live in peace is often the greatest cruelty. When the boil has come to a head it must be cut with the lance and burned with fire and if that is not done, and only a plaster is put on it the corruption will spread and that is often worse than death. I wish to see you as a manly man so that you may serve the Bride of Christ (the church and its people) without fear, and work spiritually and temporally for the glory of God according to the needs of that sweet Bride in our times.”

(h/t:  Amy)

A few thoughts:

–Did Arnold steal “don’t be girly men!” from her? Ha ha.

–Maybe out current leaders should read this…Pelosi? Reid? Hmmmm?

I love this woman