Fr. John Corapi “How Do We Participate in the Sin of Another?”

In Many Different Ways:

Every four years we enjoy a very great privilege, one that carries with it an equally great responsibility: that of voting for the officials who will govern the country and affect the lives of tens of millions of people, for better or for worse. Good government and just laws are not optional if the human family is to survive, much less prosper.  It will be another year before we elect our new congress, and three more years before we elect a new president.  However, it is good to go over exactly what and who we can vote for and remain faithful Catholics.

The tired argument that is so often heard these days about the separation of Church and State is a patently specious one, to say the least. The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. The current erroneous interpretation of the separation of church and state is nothing less than an attack on the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America itself.

Every citizen has a right to express their views and to vote in accordance with those views. The legitimate separation of church and state concerns the constitutional prohibition of one state sponsored religion, as well as the Founding Fathers’ intent to keep the government out of the affairs of the various religions. The version of separation of church and state that is presently being foisted on an unsuspecting public is tantamount to a suppression of the fundamental constitutional rights of a class of citizens. Since when is Christian thought not permitted to influence a country that was founded on Christian principles? We share in the good and the evil of those we place in office. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that, although “sin is a personal act, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them” (CCC #1868).

How else can we participate in the sin of another:

By participating directly and voluntarily in them;
By ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;
By not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so; (emphasis author’s)
By protecting evil-doers” (CCC #1868). The Catechism is thus consistent with traditional Catholic teaching which held that there are nine ways we can be an accessory to another’s sin:
1. By counsel. i.e., “I think you should have an abortion; go ahead and have the abortion. It will help preserve your lifestyle.”
2. By command. i.e., Telling your child, your friend, or your co-worker, “Have an abortion, you may lose your job if you don’t.”
3. By consent. i.e., “If you and your partner feel it’s the best thing, go ahead and have a sexual relationship, get married. even if you’re both of the same sex, etc. It’s nobody’s business.”
4. By provocation. i.e., “Have the abortion! Aren’t you in charge of your own life? The Pope is old and out of touch, who cares what he says.
5. By praise or flattery. i.e., “Oh, Senator, you are so courageous and kind in defending a woman’s ‘right’ to an abortion.”
6. By concealment. i.e., The pastor allows the senator, judge, president, etc. who has voted for, or otherwise promoted, abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, same-sex marriage, etc. to appear to be in good standing, when, in fact, they have caused grave public scandal by their actions. When the sin is public, the redress must be public. Although, I don’t disagree with the courageous bishops who would deny such persons Communion, I do believe that the “confrontation” should take place, without question, long before they arrive at the altar rail.
7. By participation. i.e., “I’ll drive you to the clinic. You need that abortion to be able to continue your lifestyle.”
8. By silence. i.e., You refuse to speak out against what is a clear violation of human rights, an incredible persecution and prejudice against a class of human beings (the unborn). You hide behind the Supreme Court’s unjust and inherently illicit decision on abortion, saying it’s the law of the land, when in fact it is the subversion and perversion of authentic law. The Nazi SS officers tried for war crimes used a similar defense, saying they were only following orders. They hung them, guilty as charged!
9. By defense of the evil. i.e., “It prevents child abuse by eliminating unwanted children; Women are more in charge of their lives, more liberated; it’s so much more sophisticated and educated a thing to do., “etc. etc.

Your conscience must be formed to the objective norm of that truth, which is Church teaching in faith and morals. Since a physician needs to be concerned with what’s sick, let’s get right to the point. It is not morally possible for any Catholic to support abortion, euthanasia, fetal stem cell research, human cloning, or same-sex marriage. There are no ways around this, no justifications what so ever!!  They are all ,Intrinsic Evils, which means they are always evil, all the time, no exceptions.

By: Father John Corapi

Edited by: Jeffrey David