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Consistent Ethic of Life
Contributing theologians and social scientists reflect on Joseph Cardinal Bernardin?s major addresses on the consistent ethic of life.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 1988
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About the author
Joseph Bernardin
22 books3 followersJoseph Louis Bernardin (originally Bernardini) (April 2, 1928 – November 14, 1996) was an American Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, as well as Archbishop of Chicago from 1982 until his death in 1996.
Bernardin's original academic ambition was to become a physician, inspiring him to enroll in the pre-medical program at the University of South Carolina. However, a year later, Bernardin recognized his calling to serve as a Catholic priest, and transferred to Saint Mary Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 1948, and subsequently enrolled in the Catholic University of America to complete his theological studies. On April 26, 1952, Bernardin was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Charleston by John J. Russell at St. Joseph Church.
In the Consistory of February 2, 1983, he was elevated to the Sacred College of Cardinals by Pope John Paul II as Cardinal-Priest of Gesù Divino Lavoratore (Jesus the Divine Worker) as his titular church.
* bio excerpt from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_B...
Bernardin's original academic ambition was to become a physician, inspiring him to enroll in the pre-medical program at the University of South Carolina. However, a year later, Bernardin recognized his calling to serve as a Catholic priest, and transferred to Saint Mary Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 1948, and subsequently enrolled in the Catholic University of America to complete his theological studies. On April 26, 1952, Bernardin was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Charleston by John J. Russell at St. Joseph Church.
In the Consistory of February 2, 1983, he was elevated to the Sacred College of Cardinals by Pope John Paul II as Cardinal-Priest of Gesù Divino Lavoratore (Jesus the Divine Worker) as his titular church.
* bio excerpt from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_B...
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 10, 2016
Joseph Cardinal Bernadin was the most influential American prelate of the latter 20th century. Like his mentor, Cardinal Dearden -- founder of the NCCB (now, USCCB), he was a powerful political operative for the Democratic Party. Democratic leaders were anxious to bring Catholics back to the party in 1976. But, they had a problem: they, and their presidential candidate Jimmy Carter, did not support a constitutional amendment to outlaw abortion. Gerald Ford did. At the time, this was a non-negotiable issue for Catholics. So, a small group of bishops conceived how they could circumvent the most foundational Catholic moral teaching -- the right to life -- to enlarge the voter base of the Democratic Party. It was out of this conundrum that Cardinal Bernadin "stitched" the seamless garment, eventually presented in 1984. It remains one of the most brilliant, cunning and malefic documents ever written.
The “seamless garment” is what he called a “multi-issue approach to public morality”. The basis of his deceptive theory of a “consistent ethic of life” is a systemic vision rejecting the preeminence of one issue in favor of an “explicit connection among the several issues”, by joining “the humanity of the unborn infant and the humanity of the hungry; it calls for positive legal action to prevent the killing of the unborn or the aged and positive societal action to provide shelter for the homeless and education for the illiterate”. You get the picture; his theory was an affront to Catholic moral theology by drawing a moral equivalency between a preeminent moral issue, abortion, and moral issues of less gravity. It also fails to acknowledge the primacy of the laity in pursuing good public policy by exercising prudential judgment. Only God knows the fetal death toll resulting from it. Someday, history will place it right along side another malevolent argument perpetuating legal abortion: Governor Cuomo’s statement that, as a Catholic, he personally was opposed to abortion, but that he would never impose his personal views on his constituents.
Back in the 80’s, every pro-life advocate understood Bernadin’s article for what it was: a nuanced theological justification excusing Catholics from moral culpability when voting for pro-abortion Democratic politicians. To this day, when Catholics vote for pro-abortion politicians, and are asked to justify their actions, they offer a form of Bernadin’s “seamless garment” argument. As you probably are aware, Cardinal Bernadin is revered today by dissident Catholics. It was not a coincidence that President Obama mentioned him in his commencement address at Notre Dame. Bernadin is a pro-abortion politician’s best friend.
Presently, Chicago's Archbishop Blase J. Cupich is a prominent agent of this malignant deception.
The “seamless garment” is what he called a “multi-issue approach to public morality”. The basis of his deceptive theory of a “consistent ethic of life” is a systemic vision rejecting the preeminence of one issue in favor of an “explicit connection among the several issues”, by joining “the humanity of the unborn infant and the humanity of the hungry; it calls for positive legal action to prevent the killing of the unborn or the aged and positive societal action to provide shelter for the homeless and education for the illiterate”. You get the picture; his theory was an affront to Catholic moral theology by drawing a moral equivalency between a preeminent moral issue, abortion, and moral issues of less gravity. It also fails to acknowledge the primacy of the laity in pursuing good public policy by exercising prudential judgment. Only God knows the fetal death toll resulting from it. Someday, history will place it right along side another malevolent argument perpetuating legal abortion: Governor Cuomo’s statement that, as a Catholic, he personally was opposed to abortion, but that he would never impose his personal views on his constituents.
Back in the 80’s, every pro-life advocate understood Bernadin’s article for what it was: a nuanced theological justification excusing Catholics from moral culpability when voting for pro-abortion Democratic politicians. To this day, when Catholics vote for pro-abortion politicians, and are asked to justify their actions, they offer a form of Bernadin’s “seamless garment” argument. As you probably are aware, Cardinal Bernadin is revered today by dissident Catholics. It was not a coincidence that President Obama mentioned him in his commencement address at Notre Dame. Bernadin is a pro-abortion politician’s best friend.
Presently, Chicago's Archbishop Blase J. Cupich is a prominent agent of this malignant deception.
July 20, 2013
The first part of the book is a series of lectures that Cardinal Bernardin gave in the 1980's written from a pastoral point of view. They are excellent and challenge people to adopt a consistent ethic of understanding and taking positions on a continuum of right to life and quality of life issues. I like that he draws a connection among diverse issues and states that you can not separate right to life from quality of life issues, i.e. abortion and social welfare programs. The issues that he talks about are even more pertinent today.
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