Twelve Tough Issues and More: What the Church Teaches and Why

by Archbishop Daniel E Pilarczyk

First published as Twelve Tough What the Church Teaches—and Why , this book became an instant bestseller with over 70,000 copies sold. These short reflections, written so ordinary people can understand, describe the church's moral teaching on the toughest issues facing modern believers.

In this updated and revised edition, the tough issues haven't changed nor has the church's teaching about them. What has changed is the context is which the teaching was offered. Our society has experienced changes of tonality and emphasis, and new questions and new issues, especially concerning the prolonging of life and church membership, have arisen. The archbishop wisely states, "Every human endeavor is capable of improvement."

Each chapter offers questions for discussion, suggestions for further reading with an indication of where the subjects are treated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church , as well as material from the pope, Vatican II, the Holy See and the U.S. bishops conference.

Genres: Nonfiction

94 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1989

Reviews

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hmm .... nothing in here about the tough issue of Catholic priests raping children, and their Archbishops then ignoring the crimes to send the pedo priests to another Parish.

Yeah, you're really qualified to talk about the morality of abortion, contraception, artificial insemination, war, divorce and even Priestly celibacy, Archbishop.

This Archbishop even admitted in court that he failed to report known pedo priests in his charge. He was never even given so much as a slap on the wrist by Rome.

Fuck the Catholic Church.

[Viviana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the original version of the book. It was accurate and to the point, but at certain sections I thought it may be talking over the heads of people who haven’t read as many church writings on these issues as I have. However, now that I see there is a new revised version, the writing style may have been altered so don’t let that hold you back!

[J Crossley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book discusses difficult issues within the Church and explains why the Church teaches as she does about those issues.