OK, Haruo, so what are the facts about the Vatican's contributions or lack of contributions to family planning? If I am extremely generous to those in need but do not contribute to them in programs I don't believe in, am I unjust? If there is a need for family planning, let those who believe in it support it. If the Vatican is forcing the prohibition of condoms by putting strings on all contributions, that's coercion and may well be unjust. But is that what's happening? Do you have documentation?

I am sure there are some fundamentalist Christian programs in third-world countries that do very good work - but I don't contribute to those programs, because I don't want to support fundamentalism. Am I unjust because I do not contribute to fundamentalist Christian missionaries? I do contribute generously through Catholic Relief Services, because I believe that agency gives aid without strings, without preaching, and without the political baggage that comes from the Bush Administration. Can you give me solid evidence that Catholic Relief Services uses my money in an underhanded way or that it engages in political coercion? I have friends who have worked overseas for Catholic Relief Services, and they tell me CRS is always completely ethical and nonpolitical.

By the way, my wife and I do support a Tibetan Buddhist monk in India. In fact, I think we give enough to provide his total support. But that's another matter.

On the other hand, let me tell you of a local situation. My Catholic Diocese of Sacramento is involved in a lawsuit against the State of California. The state is trying to force the diocese to include birth control coverage in the health insurance the diocese provides to its employees. I work with a group of nuns, and we discussed this lawsuit at lunch a couple of weeks ago and all agreed that it was silly for the diocese to bother pursuing such a matter. It's just not a battle that's worth fighting, but we have a conservative bishop who thinks it's important. It's not going to make a huge difference either way - the employees who want birth control will pay for it if they aren't covered, and those who don't want it will not accept birth control if they are covered.

But anyhow, my point is that although I believe in birth control personally, I can't buy all this dramatic propaganda that insists that official Catholic opposition to birth control is a significant cause of overpopulation and AIDS. That's rigid, bigoted, fundamentalist left-wing propaganda - and it's just as bad as rigid, fundamentalist, bigoted right-wing propaganda. And both of them are equally lacking in logic and factual foundation.

Contrition and absolution and reconciliation have very little to do with church law or doctrine. They have to do with doing something wrong, admitting responsibility for it and doing what is needed to right the wrong, and starting over again with the intention of doing right. I am certain that there are church laws that are unjust, or that can cause an injustice when followed too rigidly. And if I am unjust to my neighbor or to humankind, then I have reason for contrition.

-Joe Offer-