Category Archives: Ethics

The Truth in the Fiction: Confusing Ourselves About Violence

Lately I have been eager to identify ways individuals can make small intentional changes in their behavior to help promote the well-being of the community. We need to work to create an environment where all segments of society can flourish and contribute. Even seemingly private activities impact others. One low-hanging fruit to address is ourContinue reading “The Truth in the Fiction: Confusing Ourselves About Violence”

One Simple Battle Each of Us Can Fight

March 30, 2023. Our culture of abuse is not just a problem for our clergy. It is a problem of the laity, too. The laity participate in and perpetuate this culture. Loyalty is valued more than goodness and integrity, leading to a culture of silence. Violations of chastity are readily accepted. The laity struggle withContinue reading “One Simple Battle Each of Us Can Fight”

Spiritual Battle: Church Leaders Lawyer Up Against the Laity

“They have hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (Jeremiah 2:12-13) March 6, 2023 Recently I read an excellent article written by Jennifer Kane: “Bishops Buy Their Way Out of Moral Crisis In the Diocese of Buffalo“. She highlights that it is not only that decades ago bishops covered upContinue reading “Spiritual Battle: Church Leaders Lawyer Up Against the Laity”

Chit Chat: A Human Need

February 23, 2023 I’m sitting in a Costa coffee in Headington, a small little town close to Oxford in the UK. Over and over I am struck by the fact that people talk so much to each other here. People are on the street, eating, drinking, and traveling in close proximity to each other. ItContinue reading “Chit Chat: A Human Need”

Prudence in the Pursuit of Knowledge

Watch my You Tube Video: Annotated Bibliography Enderton, H.B. “Elements of Set Theory.” London: Elsevier Science (1977). Describes  Gödel’s incompleteness theorems which have philosophical significance with respect to the limits of knowledge. Gallagher, K.T. “The Philosophy of Knowledge.” New York: Fordham University Press (1986). An overview of the history of epistemology, which will help meContinue reading “Prudence in the Pursuit of Knowledge”

Never Enough: An American Way of Life

As we landed in Seattle after three years of living in Tokyo, I clung to the small, wooden Franciscan Toa cross a friend had given me. The cross was a symbol of what I wanted. I wanted more out of life than simply wanting more all the time. The Toa cross represented the possibility ofContinue reading “Never Enough: An American Way of Life”

How To Dialogue With Your Neighbor

“Let’s discuss abortion,” is a conversation that will likely lead no where in the US today. Perhaps twenty years ago this could lead to meaningful dialogue. Basic observation leads to the conclusion that the culture is too divided today for conversations like this to bear good fruit. However, we still need to talk about culture.Continue reading “How To Dialogue With Your Neighbor”

St Thomas, Choice, and Pregnancy

The “pro-choice” movement argues that women deserve the dignity of choosing to continue or to end their pregnancies. The government, family, and society in general should stay out of the decision. They argue that pregnancy should be voluntary. St Thomas may disagree with the conclusions. However he would agree with importance of voluntariness. According toContinue reading “St Thomas, Choice, and Pregnancy”

The Ending of a Late Term Pregnancy

February 4, 2021 Pregnancy is tricky. Birth is difficult. Each mother and child are unique and can possibly have an array of health complications that are difficult to interpret. Therefore viability for one child may be different than for another. However most people agree that by end of the second trimester the entity with aContinue reading “The Ending of a Late Term Pregnancy”