Vatican updates its thou-shalt-not list
By FRANCES D’EMILIO, Associated Press Writer 20 minutes ago
VATICAN CITY - In olden days, the deadly sins included lust, gluttony and greed. Now, the Catholic Church says pollution, mind-damaging drugs and genetic experiments are on its updated thou-shalt-not list. Also receiving fresh attention by the Vatican was social injustice, along the lines of the age-old maxim: “The rich get richer while the poor get poorer.”
In the Vatican’s latest update on how God’s law is being violated in today’s world, Monsignor Gianfranco Girotti, the head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, was asked by the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano what, in his opinion, are the “new sins.”
He cited “violations of the basic rights of human nature” through genetic manipulation, drugs that “weaken the mind and cloud intelligence,” and the imbalance between the rich and the poor.
“If yesterday sin had a rather individualistic dimension, today it has a weight, a resonance, that’s especially social, rather than individual,” said Girotti, whose office deals with matters of conscience and grants absolution.
It’s not the first time that the Vatican has sought to put a modern spin on sin. Last year, the Vatican took on the problem of highway accidents, issuing a kind of “Ten Commandments” for drivers against the sins of road rage, alcohol abuse and even rudeness behind the wheel.
Vatican officials, however, stressed that Girotti’s comments broke no new ground on what constitutes sin.
On the environment, both Pope Benedict XVI and the late Pope John Paul II frequently expressed concern about the fate of the Earth. During Benedict’s papacy, Vatican engineers have developed plans for some Holy See buildings to use solar energy, including photovoltaic cells on the roof of the auditorium for pilgrims’ audiences with the pontiff.
John Paul also dedicated much of his long papacy to condemning the gap between have and have-nots in speeches in his travels throughout the world as well as in writings.
“The poor are always becoming poorer and the rich ever more rich, feeding unsustainable social injustice,” Girotti said in the interview published Sunday.
Closer to home, Girotti was asked about the many “situations of scandal and sin within the church,” in what appeared to be a reference to allegations in the United States and other countries of sexual abuse by clergy of minors and the coverups by hierarchy.
The monsignor acknowledged the “objective gravity” of the allegations, but contended that the heavy coverage by mass media of the scandals must also be denounced because it “discredits the church.”
Benedict has been leading the Vatican’s campaign against abortion, and Girotti was asked about the “widespread perception” that the church doesn’t consider the “difficult” predicament for women.
Girotti rejected that view, saying that Catholic organizations help unwed mothers, educating “their children who come into the worth because of their lack of foresight” and facilitating adoption.
Lee ADDS: I laud the Catholic Church for these stances and applaud their thoughts!
March 10th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Catholics are the reason this worlds is so messed up. Instead of leper island there should be catholic island. Send them there so they do not mess up this world anymore. And also, Alcohol is a drug, that means every catholic is going to hell. Ha Ha, what a waste of your life.
March 10th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
So goes Catholicism, so does the Christian world throughout the planet in general. This is a good pronouncement about modern sins & it is also a good reflection on the future of Catholic social teaching.
March 10th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Rush, as a Pastor and Interdenominational Christian, your thoughts are not well taken. Your assertions as to alcohol being a drug is inane and lacks understanding. In fact I don’t think you really grasp what is writen in the subject BLOG.
March 10th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Peter, I fail to get your drift. Christianity does not rely on Catholicism for it’s views. If you really check things out you must realizwe that the first Christians were known as Followers Of The Way.
The acts set forth as evil are, in fact, evil.
March 10th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Well, here we go again…a list of new ways to feel horrible about being human. I guess I understand the choices, but I don’t agree with all of them…partly because I believe the Vatican is barking up the wrong tree…and partly because if 60 % of RC’s don’t go to confession…then they don’t get absolution so they will rot in hell anyway…and does the Vatican think that adding 7 more mortal sins is going to bring back the wayfaring flock? I don’t think so. Whatever happened to ‘You without sin’ cast the first stone. I would think that one of the first sins listed would be for their own clergy…Thou shalt not molest young boys and girls who trust you as an emissary of God
Thou shalt not engage in pedophilia
Thou shalt not increase the Vatican riches on the backs of your 3rd world R.Catholics
Thou shalt not charge outrageous prices for church supplies
Thou shalt not condemn what God created as natural…the marriage of God’s emissaries to a beloved wife
Thou shalt not hide active pedophilic priests in the Vatican where they cannot be extradited to face their penalties
Thou shalt not practise condemnation of God’s creation just because you don’t understand it.
I could go on…being an ordained minister I am just once again discouraged that the Holy See does not see! I mean, they are still stuck in the 6th century…7 more mortal sins does not bring them up to date. They really need to focus on what will bring back the many many ‘recovering catholics’ in the world. They have a Pope that is out of touch with the real world. They have a Holy See that is also out of touch and those that are in touch don’t get heard. It is all still politics with pretty dresses.
I am sorry, I thought maybe this Pope was going to make a difference. But once again…politics 10 Jesus 0
Thank you
March 10th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
I too am an ordained Minister. I have NEVER felt it necessary to speak out against the Catholic Church nor any other Christian Church. I have never found it necessary to decry a Denomunations for sex practices as there are too many Denominations that HID such from all! Sure, it is sazd that such things take place but it is not confined to Catholiciam only! Not by a long shot.
I think the purpose of the Pope’s naming certain evils as sins servesx to heighten awareness of such acts. Just as there are Denominations that embrace homosexuality as acceptable and gay marriage as allowable, there are as many that BELIEVE IN GOD’s INFALLIBLE WORD, and condemn such acts. THe Catholic Church is only one of such Denominations and I applaud them for that stance!
Methinks a lot of ’soul searching’ may be due on your part. I will pray for you just as I pray for those who just cannot accept other Denominations. The Word of God says not to ‘condemn any for the food they eat.’ Understand that and you may get my drift!