assume that is the case, and so it isn’t for any of us to make those judgements which, in con- science, people make before God and also within the sacraments, particularly the Sacrament of Reconciliation assisted by priests and other pastors within the Church. I think, at the end of the day, those sorts of protests are counterproductive and usually have the effect of hardening attitudes and polar- ising rather than fundamentally changing people’s minds.” Given his reluctance to make assumptions about the lifestyles of gay Catholics, it might be reasonable to assume that he would have no objection to civil partnerships. After all, the Archbishop of Westminster and president of the bishops’ conference, Vincent Nichols, does not oppose them. But Archbishop Longley thinks differently. “I am not in favour of it because it estab- lishes a legally and publicly recognised relationship which is too easily confused with the sacrament of marriage. Obviously it’s not marriage, because a marriage is between a man and a woman, but I do think it is very easy for people to be confused about civil part- nerships and marriage as if they were the same thing.”


be in a civil partnership and still live accord- ing to the Church’s teaching. But Archbishop Longley is doubtful about this. “In those circumstances, a practising Catholic would not enter into a civil partnership in good standing with the Church. It would be a matter of concern, I think, in a school if a teacher were to enter into a civil partner- ship, but that would be something that would be the concern of the governing body of the school and clearly of the trustees.” We discuss aspects of the Church’s moral teaching on Aids and condoms and the ban on the use of artificial contraception, and the seeming harshness of church teaching in cir- cumstances when birth control may be used to protect a woman’s life. Is there a gulf between the Church’s teaching – especially in Humanae Vitae – and a pastoral approach a priest might take with individuals who seek his advice? “It is always very difficult for people to hear absolutes, and I think in our own culture today it is very hard because our culture is not attuned to hearing about and receiving teaching on absolute truth, and so every pastor has … to present the Church’s teaching accurately and clearly, sensitively also, because what is said has to be heard for it to be effective.” What if after such a conversation a Catholic decides not to follow the Church’s teaching? “There I think the pastor has done what he can to inform conscience. We always have to have respect for the decisions people make in conscience but we also have a duty as pastors to enable them to hear the Church’s teaching so as to shape their conscience.” There is certainly clarity in these answers but also patience and an unfailing very (Continued on page 10.)


A


nother of his fellow bishops, Malcolm McMahon, chairman of the Catholic Education Service, has said that a head teacher could


“Without this clinic I would not have survived childbirth. My babies would have died too.”


“Other women who have gone into labour have not been so lucky.”


Blessing L Bonzena


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11 December 2010 | THE TABLET | 9


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