Billboard Wars
Their messages are short, simple, and completely opposed to one another. Planned Parenthood was first with billboards that say "Birth Control is Easy." Then the local Catholic Diocese responded with its billboards that say "Birth Control is Harmful."
The billboards got our attention because, outside of politics, you don't see a lot of billboard wars. And we thought people might want to know more about them.
The signs are meant to get attention, and they got the attention of the Catholic Church.
"Because whereas birth control might be easy. It may not be in one's best interest. It may not be a good thing," said Erick Bell with the church’s Family Life Office.
Bell says their own billboards are meant to inform people of, among other things, some of the medical side effects of birth control that they don't think get enough attention.
"A woman is at increased risk of breast cancer and cervical cancer, an increased risk of heart attack and high blood pressure," Bell said. "All of these are well documented side effects of birth control pills."
This was done by the Respect Life office of the Diocese of Tulsa which has a good site for people seeing the billboards.
I don't expect similar billboards anytime soon sponsored by the USCCB or individual bishop. On the new document on the Eucharist
The move to name contraception as a reason to refrain from communion failed 148-75.
Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Paterson, N.J., said that the drafters did not include contraception because it was not intended to be a comprehensive list of sins and there was a concern that this "particularly difficult pastoral problem" would distract from everything else in the document. Bishop Salvatore Cordileone, auxiliary of San Diego, argued that not mentioning it would draw even more attention.
So maybe billboards like "Contraception is messy pastorally." Though is it a pastoral problem or is that that pastors have been the problem. That such outright dissent from the Church has gone on for so long with nary an outcry makes it of course an embarrassment to the Bishop's conference. A wink and a nod has been given to this issue and it seems that for many their theological hearts were just never behind it. You wonder how many in the past in the confessional have told people to "follow their conscience" on this matter?
The part about it not being an exhaustive list is of course true, but they managed to make room for "verbal abuse" and "immoral business practices" - not that these don't belong. You can see the full list here in a direct link to that section of the document I put up on my site.
Known as 
They made room for "verbal abuse"? No doubt an effort at self-protection!
When a pack of wolves start protecting themselves from the herd of sheep it's a pretty good indication that they know they're in the wrong.
What confuses me, here, is not that dissenting Catholics shouldn't receive Communion (because they're not IN communion?) but that openly dissenting priests may celebrate the Mass and distribute Communion. If scandal involves tempting others to sin, wouldn't the shepherd who misguides be most guilty of scandalizing the faithful? Ironically, those who are most "scandalized", then, are usually unaware of it.
Never mind, I'm still affected by the shock of the Halloween Masses. I didn't attend one, but it is greatly troubling that they occurred.
I teach senior hs religion in cambridge,ma. They have learned the "facts" of contraception from many and varied sources. Only prayer, humor and pointed personal questions gets some thinking about the truth of their "facts". For 50 to 60 years, many bishops were silent. For 50 to 60 years many priests simply supported contracepting couples. For 50 to 60 years, many catholic academics,religious and lay, openly dismissed the teaching on grounds that were even disproved by the actual effects on family and society, For 50 to 60 years, groups of catholic lay "elite" scoffed. Then factor in the secular forces. I'm simply happy that the true teaching will begin. It will take years to restore the good and Ive recently met some solid young priests who will take up the mission. Thank God for Pope Paul holding fast. Thank God morning, noon and night for the gift of JohnPaul II who opened up the truth and beauty of church teaching on the theology of the body.
Where is the source of that vote and comment? Was it in the document itself?
On a positive note, I think it totally rocks that the Diocese of Tulsa was willing to engage in a billboard war with Death, Inc.
What better way to bring up a difficult pastoral issue than to point out that those who are contracepting are in a state of mortal sin and that they cannot receive Holy Communion? By keeping contraception out of the list, people will infer that contraception IS permitted.
By the way, I enjoy reading your blog.
God bless you
This just disgusts me, the USCCB again proves that it doesn't have a spine. When will they stand up for the truth like real men?