It is, writes Julianne Wiley, “a good example of the usefulness of academics in the production and distribution of moral equivocation” in her amazon.com review of Voting and Holiness . (It’s now the third on the list.) The book is a collection of essays by Catholic heavy-hitters, many of whom she identifies as “Catholics for Obama” leaders, in support a position relativizing or sidelining mainstream Catholic political concerns Obama’s policies cannot satisfy. For example:
*Lisa Sowle Cahill opposes the protection of human rights for the unborn as an electoral priority; . . .
*Richard Gaillardetz asserts that Catholic can vote for candidates who support abortion, so long as their policies align with the common good.
*M. Cathleen Caveney argues that intrinsically evil acts may not be gravely evil;
*Bryan Massingale deplores the bishops’ comparison of abortion with slavery, since — he claims — the “personhood” of slaves and unborn babies was not historically, and is not now, the relevant issue.
Julianne, who writes under the name Juli Loesch Wiley (here’s her wikipedia entry ), is not pleased. In any case, here are some of her essays readers may find of interest:
Warm and Living Love , a review of William Virtue’s Mother and Infant .Marty’s Novena , on the life and death of her very difficult uncle.
The Delightful Secrets of Sex , on fertility and contraception.
Jesus’ Genealogy: The Woman Problem , on Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba.
Both This Way , on “Lady Gaga and her truthful video.”
The Well-Connected Mother , on, ah, motherhood.
She comes to you for an abortion , answering the question “What do you say?”
Thanks to Richard Stith of Valparaiso’s law school for the lead to Julianne’s review.
