‘Study natural law’

That’s the message painted on the roof of a barn right around the border between Illinois and Wisconsin (I can’t remember which side the farm is on, where I saw this). It’s a big message, in more ways than one.

The Vatican is promoting it as well, calling attention to what it is and how it undergirds… well…civilization. The reminder is timely, as leaders most recently elected settle into their new positions and hear more from special interest groups.

A Catholic cannot support a law that sanctions same-sex marriage, says the secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Archbishop Angelo Amato clarified that this issue not only comes from biblical teaching but also from natural law.

“A Catholic cannot support legislation that, for example, introduces marriage between two persons of the same sex; it goes against biblical revelation and against the natural law itself,” he told the Italian newspaper Avvenire.

Which leads to the thought that a lot of people today may not know what that means.

Given the importance of the natural law, the prelate disclosed that his congregation is preparing a statement on the subject and that, with this objective in mind, “all Catholic universities worldwide have been consulted.”

That’s a pretty sweeping project. Sweeping is good.

“The responses from all over the world are very encouraging, including from universities considered more ‘difficult,'” Archbishop Amato explained. “The natural law is most important because, among other reasons, it might be the sole basis for fruitful interreligious dialogue.

“Many Catholic politicians ask for clarifications on this type of argument — if later they wish to act or succeed in acting coherently, is another question.

Diplomatically well put. 

“In any case Catholic politicians should always remember that they should never give their consent to the introduction of laws that go against moral principles. In cases where such laws are already in force, then they can limit themselves to try to attenuate their reach.”

In other words, reduce the harm done by bad law. Like what the legislators are doing in South Dakota.