Aquinas, NFP, and Modern Day Jansenism

*The Following is a lengthy examination of some very flawed views concerning human sexuality, marriage, and the marital embrace.  Due to the highly sensitive nature of the subject, read discretion is advised.*

When discussing the "Theology of the Body" with supporters of Christopher West, they will quickly pull out the Jansenist card, and declare anyone they disagree with part of this heretical group in the past, using it as a tactic to render their criticism illegitimate.  The overwhelming majority of the time, they are dead wrong.  Yet sometimes they are right, in that the occasional critic of their worldview harbors views that are indistinguishable from a Jansenist.

More (And Hopefully the End) on NFP

The article done yesterday about Dr. Jay Boyd's dismissal of NFP has caused quite a healthy level of discussion in my inbox, and the comboxes over at Dr. Boyd's essay have been quite lively.  I'd like to round up some of the responses I gave on those comboxes, and elaborate on those things said.

Jay Boyd and the Traditionalist Trojan Horse

As I make clear often, I'm a traditionalist.  I'm also set to be married soon.  I hate the way perfectly Orthodox Catholics are mandated to take NFP courses as a condition for getting married.  I hate it, but I obey it.  I hate when those who are looking to have large families are accused of not engaging in responsible parenting by those who basically belong to the cult of NFP.  I also hate it when those like Christopher West portray every traditionalist as a sex-hating Manichean.

Against Grand Unified Theories

In one of those great moments of wit he is known for, Francis Cardinal Arinze stated that the Gospels only contained everything necessary for salvation, not to satisfy our curiosity.  I had this in mind when I read the interview with Christopher West where Mr. West promotes his latest book.

Putting Your Best Foot Forward

Outside of Holy Mass, one of the key ways a lot of traditionalists socialize is the Church social which usually follows Mass.  Since most of us come from a distance, it is a chance to engage in fellowship with our fellow Catholics, encouragement, and networking.

A Patristic TOB? Talking Points

I had a discussion with +Karee Santos on the issue of TOB, and I said the following, which she found interesting, and hoped I would elaborate on:

"My whole take with TOB is.....  The fathers of the Church did this back in the Early Church.  People need to stop treating this as something new.  Blessed John Paul II didn't, and neither should we."

While I won't write (yet at least) a full column on this, I think we can give a few "talking points" for why I think this is the case.

Being Fair in Evangelization/Dialogue

In my previous post, I tried to issue a challenge to my traditionalist brethren, and all Catholics really.  While it focused on the issue of our relationship to the Jews, it really was about a lot more.  I think we need to present a different front at times when dealing with those who aren't traditionalists, and do a far better job of creating a welcoming image.  Taking the combox mentality into the Church at large isn't going to do a good job of appealing to potential allies, or even better, converts outside the Church.

Traditionalists, Anti-Semitism and Rebooting the Discussion

In the recent dustup surrounding the alleged infestation of Anti-Semitism within traditionalist ranks, I tried giving one consistent message to anyone that would listen, a view that was backed up by almost every traditionalist, even those who are staunch opponents of Anti-Semitism:  that most traditionalists not only aren't Anti-Semites, the entire issue is completely foreign to all that they stand for.

The issue isn't then that traditionalists need to "clean their own house" on Anti-Semitism, as that house is more or less already clean.  Ask the real Anti-Semites, they are sad that they have less of a home even in the SSPX, to say nothing of within the formal structures of the Church!  Instead, the problem is more limited, and yet more widespread.

New Column: Why Confess Sins to a Priest?

We discuss that question over at my latest on Catholic Lane.  I try to avoid the common biblical citations and go with a few different common sense ideas.

Francis Emphasizes "Growth in Continuity"

Now some people went a little crazy with these remarks.  For the life of me, I really don't understand why.   I actually think there's some food for thought here that all Catholics (including traditionalists) should really consider.