Many Catholics have expressed hesitancy or resistance to being vaccinated for COVID-19, with magisterial authorities and influential Catholic organizations advocating divergent views regarding the moral liceity of the vaccines, the justification of vaccination mandates, and whether such mandates should include religious exemptions. We address each of these disputed points and argue that vaccination for COVID-19 falls within the definition of being an ordinary—and thereby morally obligatory—treatment. To that end, we offer a brief overview of the Catholic moral tradition regarding the (...) development of the distinction between ordinary and extraordinary treatment, show how the Church morally evaluates vaccination as a good act, and underline the importance of positive witnessing in supporting vaccination. (shrink)

Despite billions of dollars spent in risk-reduction measures, the HIV rate in men who have sex with men continues to soar. Although MSM represent approximately 4 percent of the male population in the United States, in 2010 male-to-male sex accounted for 78 percent of new HIV infections among males. More emphasis needs to be given to risk-avoidance measures. The Catholic Church is both courageous and medically correct in stating that homosexual acts are harmful. The health risks of homosexual sex are (...) scarcely mentioned in the public debate, as misguided political correctness seems increasingly to hold science and medical data hostage. Our brothers should be informed about the dangers of an active homosexual lifestyle and encouraged to live chastely. National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly 14.4 : 637–645. (shrink)

Persons who identity as LGBTQ+ should be treated with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Under the guise of helping such persons, legislation is surreptitiously appearing in several countries seeking to ban so-called conversion therapy. While the definition of the term remains concerningly vague, the terms of enforcement for alleged offences tend to be precisely delineated, often including provisions that curtail Christian catechesis, teaching, and preaching in the areas of human dignity and sexuality. These problematic and repressive initiatives can prevent access to (...) any psychotherapy that is not strictly gender-affirming. This article reviews and assesses conversion therapy in support of a judicious approach to the practice, accurately understood. It reviews past abuses and misunderstandings while considering the merits of conversion therapy and related therapeutic and pastoral approaches. Concerns about gender-affirming interventions are considered, especially for youth and teenagers, and efficacy claims around conversion therapies and related psychotherapies are also discussed. (shrink)