Introduction

The most insidious attack by anti-life feminists against the Catholic Church and its dogmas is the one launched by "Catholics For a Free Choice" (CFFC). For more than two decades, CFFC has fought on the front line of radical feminist efforts to subvert the Catholic Church and its doctrines. Its two main objectives are to promote abortion and to sow discord and dissent among Catholics with a strategy of "divide and conquer". But CFFC also seeks to promote contraception, sterilization, lesbianism, homosexuality, radical feminism and New Age within the Catholic Church and in the world. The following pages expose CFFC for what it is: an anti-Catholic, anti-life, anti-family and anti-women organization, that masquerades as Catholic and pro-women.

What Is CFFC? It Is Certainly Not Catholic!

The Catholic pretensions of CFFC are a hoax. The National Conference of Catholic Bishops in the United States issued a statement on 4 November 1993 denying that CFFC is a Catholic organization. "Many people," the statement read, "may be led to believe that it is an authentic Catholic organization. It is not. It has no affiliation, formal or otherwise, with the Catholic Church."(1)

"The bishops went on to point out that CFFC is associated with the pro-abortion lobby in Washington and shares an address and funding sources with the National Abortion Federation, the trade association of the abortion industry. Citing CFFC's support for the `violent destruction of innocent unborn human beings... for all nine months of pregnancy and for any reason,' the bishops insisted that CFFC `has rejected unity with the Church,' and holds positions that `deliberately contradict essential teachings of the Catholic Faith.' They concluded that `Catholics for a Free Choice merits no recognition or support as a Catholic organization.'" (2)

Founded in 1970 to protest the Church's opposition to New York's permissive abortion law, CFFC emerged as an affiliate of the newly created Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, after the Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973. (3) By that same year it had established itself as "a national educational organization that supports the right to legal reproductive health care, especially family planning [i.e., contraception and sterilization] and abortion". (4) Its first president until 1979 was Rev. Joseph O'Rourke, who was expelled from the Jesuits in 1974. (5) Since 1980, Frances Kissling, the founder of the National Abortion Federation (an association of abortion providers), has served as CFFC's director. (6)

CFFC's first headquarters were located in Planned Parenthood's New York City office building. (7) Actually, both organizations have been close allies in the war against the Church, the family and the unborn. This is not simply due to the fact they share office space, but to their similar philosophies and objectives. For example, Pamela J. Maraldo, the current President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), recently stated: "I am no less Catholic because I part company with the Church on social matters of family privacy and reproductive autonomy". (8) In other words, Maraldo sees herself as a "good Catholic", even though she heads what is arguably the nation's most powerful anti-Christian doctrine and pro-abortion organization. (9) As we shall see, this mentality is what CFFC hopes to foster on all Catholics.

Frances Kissling, CFFC's Agent of Deadly Influence

Frances Kissling, CFFC president, who had left the Catholic Church during her youth and claims she later returned, has argued that coming back to the Church didn't mean "coming back to Sunday Mass, confession and all of those things that are the memories of my childhood", but that she returned to the Church "as a social change agent". (10)

Kissling's abortion crusades are far flung. She was consultant to International Projects Assistance Services (IPAS), an organization which specializes in setting up abortion clinics and training abortionists in countries where abortion is illegal. (11) She was also founder of the National Abortion Federation, a professional organization of abortion clinicians and counselors. (12) She was the director of one of the first legal abortion clinics in New York City and also ran illegal abortion clinics in Mexico and Rome. (13) Kissling admitted to illegally smuggling suction abortion equipment into Mexico. (14) While in Italy, she proclaimed, "I have no problem in helping women get illegal abortions". (15) Her "ethics" appear to transcend national anti-abortion laws as easily as Church teachings.

Kissling often attempts to defend her organization as being a legitimate voice of Catholic dissent, supported by a large number of the Catholic population. Yet when she joined CFFC, she claimed that she no longer considered herself a Catholic. (16) Moreover, "In the early 1980's, Kissling claimed CFFC had 5,000 members nationwide. In 1983, however, it was reported that only 3% of CFFC's annual income of $221,900 came from membership dues. At $15.00 per person, this would have given CFFC not 5,000, but less than 450 members nationwide or .00076% of America's 59 million Roman Catholics." (17) Recently, she admitted in the "Jeanine Graf Show" on WRKO Radio in Boston, that CFFC is not a membership organization. (18) So much for an "authentic" voice of Catholic dissent! Nevertheless, CFFC's annual budget is $1.5 million, and last year (993) the organization reported in its income tax form $1,530,636 in total revenues. (19)

Where Does CFFC Gets its Money?

Between 1982 and 1992, CFFC received over $4.5 million from several promoters of abortion and population control organizations, whose philosophies contradict those of the Catholic Church. (20) CFFC receives generous contributions from the Sunnen Foundation (which manufactures Emko contraceptive foam), the Ford Foundation (which donates more than $10 million to pro-abortion population control groups), the Brush Foundation (founded by a eugenicist friend of Margaret Sanger), Planned Parenthood, the Gund Foundation, the Packard Foundation, The General Service Foundation, the Educational Foundation of America, the Unitarian Church, the Public Welfare Foundation, the Scherman Foundation, and, interestingly enough, the Playboy Foundation (which has poured tens of thousands of dollars into CFFC coffers). (21) "It is curious that a group that boasts of `standing up for women's rights' would accept money from Hugh Hefner (founder of the Playboy Foundation), whose life and fortune are based entirely upon exploiting and degrading women." (22)

Other groups which fund CFFC are the North Shore Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program, the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation, which recently contributed $375,000 to finance pro-abortion activities in Latin America. (23) "Another contributor, the Ford Foundation, has given over $1 million to support `family planning in developing countries', `reproductive rights in Latin America', and `public education on issues of reproductive choice'. Yet another donor, the John Merck Fund, which gave $83,775 in 1991 to assist local activists, is responding to recent challenges to reproductive rights in Poland and Germany, and to expand reproductive rights advocacy in Mexico'." (24)

CFFC Opposes Church Teaching

CFFC has vehemently opposed the Church's teaching regarding abortion, contraception, and sexual ethics. It takes the position that the Church's teaching on sexual and reproductive issues is not infallible, and so it is not in the least binding; and that abortion can be a moral choice because women can be trusted to make decisions that "enhance their own integrity and health". (25) CFFC also claims that a Catholic who believes abortion to be immoral can still favor its legality. (26) Kissling has stated that though she values the fetus as a part of the human species, she feels that its value never outweighs "the value of women's well-being". (27) Obviously, she does not take into consideration the fact that about half the number of unborn babies are female.

CFFC claims to defend women, why hasn't it protected women from botched abortions, both legal and illegal? Why hasn't it denounced publicly the damage that the population controllers have done to women - especially in third world countries - through abortion, contraception and sterilization? CFFC calls itself `pro-choice', but in reality it is as pro-abortion as a group can possibly be. In the past, Kissling has maintained: "I am not in favor of abortion. I want the individual's conscience to be respected." (28) Yet, CFFC "has even opposed giving women factual biological information on pre-born children, asserting that such constitutes a `...propaganda tool for the anti-abortion position'. (29) It has even referred to abortion as a `sacred act'!" (30) On contraception, CFFC claims that it is still a matter of "continuing and lively discussion within the hierarchy, among theologians and by lay Catholics". (31) CFFC also claims that "heterosexual and homosexual domestic partnerships based on justice and commitment, rather than the traditional marital contract, are morally valid." (32) On issues of Church authority, CFFC states that Church law "affirms both the right and the responsibility of a Catholic to follow his or her own conscience, even when it conflicts with Church teaching". (33) Finally, CFFC favors the ordination of women into the priesthood. (34)

CFFC's Publications:

How does CFFC get its message out? Much of its funds go into its many publications, pamphlets, and materials. Some of these are:

• Conscience, a quarterly English-language newsletter of "pro- choice Catholic opinion", which includes articles by dissident priests and nuns;
• Aportes, publications on specific topics by "Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir" (CDD), the main Latin American CFFC branch, located in Uruguay;
• Conciencia Latinoamericana, a quarterly Spanish-language newsletter, on "reproductive health issues" in Latin America, also published by CDD and sent free to anyone who requests it in those countries;
• Instantes, the quarterly newsletter of CFFC's Latina Initiative, created especially to reach Hispanics in the U.S.;
• IN/Fire Ethics, a quarterly newsletter, published by the "International Network for Feminists Interested in Reproductive Health and Ethics", but it is really managed by CFFC. (35)

This last group began at the 1990 International Women and Health Meeting in Manila, Philippines, and serves as a clearinghouse and information center for feminist men and women with a professional interest in ethical issues in "reproductive health and rights". (36) Its main objective is to develop a data bank of feminist ethicists and their areas of expertise, in order to advocate the inclusion of feminist perspectives within these issues. (37)

The following pamphlets mostly deal with (futile) attempts to refute Church doctrine on abortion and contraception. They attempt to "justify" abortion on "ethical" grounds:

• "Abortion: A Guide to Making Ethical Choices" (also in Spanish).
• "Bishops on Birth Control: A Chronicle of Obstruction."
• "Contraception in Catholic Doctrine: The Evolution of an Earthly Code."
• "History of Abortion in the Catholic Church" (also in Spanish).
• "Reflections of a Catholic Theologian on Visiting an Abortion Clinic." (38)

CFFC has also published booklets and briefings as part of its lobbying efforts and its work within the political sphere. Two of these booklets are The Abortion Issue in the Political Process and Guide for Pro-Choice Catholics: The Church, the State, and Abortion Politics. (39) Also, CFFC recently distributed a four-page briefing titled "Catholics, Abortion, and Public Policy" to more than fifty "pro-choice" Catholics in Congress. (40) Along with more than a dozen Women-Church members, CFFC circulated a letter calling on members of Congress to cover abortion services for Medicaid recipients. (41)

CFFC has also vigorously sponsored activities to promote its anti-life philosophy by means of the press. In October 1984, CFFC placed a full-page advertisement in the New York Times titled "Catholic Statement on Pluralism and Abortion". It asserted that there were diverse "legitimate Catholic positions" on abortion. (42) The ad "was designed and placed through Planned Parenthood's New York ad agency". (43)

The New Age Connection

A most troubling issue surrounding CFFC is its connection to the Women-Church movement and the New Age movement, which have infiltrated the Catholic Church. (44) Catholic writer Donna Steichen has indicated that "Women-Church and CFFC are intimately entwined". (45) Indeed, a founder of the Women-Church movement is CFFC board member and pro-abortion feminist, Rosemary Radford Ruether, considered by some a "Catholic theologian". (46) Ruether helped unite many of the feminist groups into a coalition, called "Women-Church Convergence". (47) "As part of their strategy, leading feminist theologians...now refer to the feminist movement in religion as `women-church' - a movement of `self-identified women and women-identified men' from all denominations whose common goal is to reinterpret the Gospel from the perspective of women's liberation." (48) Ruether has said that Women-Church is a movement of "radical Christianity" that "tends to see the traditional religion as false or fallen" and that "anticipates the New Age, expecting it soon to dawn upon the earth and seeking to pattern itself after what it believes to be the social order of redemption". (49) Ruether has also "admitted...[that] `Woman Church is rooted in what has been defined recently as creation based spirituality', which is the occult, New Age teaching of Fr. Matthew Fox", who was expelled from the Dominican Order. (50)

Pro-Abortion "Rituals"

"Led by...Ruether...women have created their own life-cycle ceremonies. They include rituals to mark the start of menopause, the union of a lesbian couple, mourning for a stillbirth and recovery from abortion." (51) One of these rituals of the Women-Church movement appeared in one of the publications of CFFC, "Liturgy of Affirmation". (52) Circulated in 1992, the publication described a ritual for a woman having an abortion. (53) "Prayers are recited to `Mother and Father God', while the aborting woman is anointed with oil, blessed, embraced, affirmed, and encouraged to sprinkle flower petals." (54) Another publication by CFFC, You Are Not Alone, includes liturgies for "responsible reproduction", by former nun and pro-abortion "feminist liberation liturgist" Dianne Neu, which supposedly "celebrate women's spirituality by affirming the integrity and holiness of their decisions", including their decision to kill their unborn baby. (55) Neu, who is co-director of WATER (Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual), claims she is a "Roman Catholic feminist". (56) She also writes for CFFC publications and has been working with "religious" groups throughout the U.S. and Latin America. (57)

In an article in CFFC's Conscience newsletter, Neu explains that she has created these "rituals" in order to affirm the different decisions women make where it concerns their "reproductive choices". (58) She describes in detail a "rite" she created as a "mourning ceremony", for women who have had an abortion. In order to celebrate this ritual, the woman must ask the abortionist to give her the remains of her baby, and then she gathers her sexual partner and friends. Together they say prayers such as:

"Blessed are you, Holy One, mother and father, that you have given us the power of choice. We are saddened that the life circumstances of (name of woman) and (name of man) are such that the choice to bring this pregnancy to completion is not a life-giving one for all involved. Such a choice is never simple; it's filled with pain and hurt, with anger and questions. Our beloved sister has made a very hard choice. We promise to continue to stand with her in her ongoing life. Blessed are you, Holy One, for your presence with her. (59)

Then when the woman who aborted explains why she made that decision, she opens a hole in the backyard, with the help of her mate, and both say the following prayer, while they bury their unborn baby: "O Mother Earth, we lay this spirit to rest in your bosom." (60)

Neu suggests that this "rite" and other similar ones be used to bring "healing", and she points out that they "celebrate women's spirituality". (61) Neu also claims that "making responsible decisions about reproduction is good for us, good for the churches, and good for society". (62) Referring approvingly to another pro-abortion feminist author, Beverly Harrison, Neu claims that such decisions constitute a "right", and that "this right belongs to every woman regardless of class, race, or sexual preference". (63)

Worshiping the Devil?

CFFC's prayers and songs are not only pro-abortion, they also praise the Devil himself! In the poetry section of the Spring 1994 issue of Conscience, one can find works such as "Songs for the Angels", by Thomas Marron, where - incredible as it may sound - Lucifer and other fallen angels are praised, hell is said to be "smoldering and beautiful as heaven" and that for Lucifer (whose "sweet name" is "lyrical, holy") "all the angels are dancing". (64)

Sexual License, Lesbianism

Mary Hunt, the primary co-founder of WATER and member of the Board of Directors of CFFC, proposed `substituting friendship as a metaphor for family', at the "Re-Imagining Conference" held November 4-7, 1993, in Minneapolis. (65) This Women-Church meeting was convened to advance radical feminism, New Age ideology and lesbianism within mainline Christian Churches. (66) Hunt explained her new metaphor, saying: "Imagine sex among friends as the norm, young people learning how to make friends rather than to date. Imagine valuing genital interaction in terms of whether and how it fosters friendship and pleasure... Pleasure is our birth-right of which we have been robbed in religious patriarchy. It is time to claim it anew with our friends... Responsible relational sexuality is a human right. I picture friends, not families, basking in the pleasures we deserve because our bodies are holy and our sexuality is part of creation's available riches." (67)

Diann Neu and Mary Hunt live together, in what is believed to be a lesbian relationship. (68) Hunt was recently quoted saying, "of course my neighbors have noticed that my partner and I are both women... every house should have as much love as Mary and Diann's does... love and lesbian go together like love and justice and hearts and flowers." (69) Hunt claims to be a Catholic theologian. (70)

The Cult of "Sofia"

At the "Re-Imagining Conference", radical feminists made into a "goddess of Wisdom" the female personification of God's wisdom in chapters 7-10 of the Book of Proverbs, (which is really a purely literary device used by the sacred author to enhance the importance of wisdom for right conduct in daily life). (71) Moreover, they worshiped this "goddess", whom they called "Sofia" (the Greek word for "wisdom") with prayers such as the following: "Our maker Sofia, we are women in your image...Sofia, Creator God,...Our mother Sofia,...we celebrate your life-giving energy..., we celebrate the sensual life you give us...We celebrate our bodyliness, our physicality, the sensations of pleasure, our oneness with earth and water". (72)

The pantheistic characteristics of this "goddess Sofia" were evident in the minds of participants at the "Re-Imagining Conference". One said that "Sofia is the divine energy in women being unlocked by the goddess rituals". (73) Another said, "Sofia is the wisdom within me". (74) And the conference program's heady words read: "Sofia is the place in you where the entire universe resides". (75) As one critic of the conference said in reference to this cult of Sofia: "These extreme feminists have made for themselves an idol and they call that idol God. Without knowing it, they are worshiping themselves". (76)

This cult of the "Wisdom goddess" is also advocated by CFFC members and collaborators. "Ruether [herself] made several references [at a synod of Women-Church], as she had in her Women-Church book, to Wisdom as God the Mother. She spoke of `the inner voice of Mother Wisdom' and `the source of life and new life which we call Mother Wisdom'." (77) Neu, created a "liturgy for responsible procreation" in which the pregnant woman "prays" to "Sofia" in search for "wisdom" to help her decide whether or not to abort her unborn child. (78)

CFFC Extends its Tentacles to Hispanics in the US and Abroad

"In the last eight years, grants totaling over one million dollars have been given to CFFC for Hispanic and Latin American activities." (79) In 1992 CFFC created the Latina Initiative "to provide information on reproductive health care and public policy to Hispanic organizations in the U.S." (80) The "Latina Initiative" got several major Hispanic national organizations to join publicly in demanding that Medicaid cover abortion services. Among these organizations are MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund); New York's National Latina Council; The Coalition of Women in Trade Unions, a branch of the AFL-CIO, NACOPRW (National Conference of Puerto Rican Women); the Puerto Rican Education and Legal Defense Fund; and Promujer (Pro Women) of Puerto Rico. (81)

In August of 1991, CFFC launched the "Hispanic Project", a program designed to reach Hispanic organizations in the U.S. in order to "educate" them on "reproductive health care" [i.e. abortion and contraception]. Among these organizations are LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens), MANA (Mexican American National Association), NACOPRW, La Raza (The Race), Hispanic Women's Council, Hispanic Health Council, COSSMHO (National Coalition of Hispanic Health and Human Services Organizations), and Mujeres Latinas en Acción (Latin Women in Action). (82) It is obvious that CFFC is more active among U.S. Hispanics groups than most pro-life organizations.

Catholics for a Free Choice has extended its influence to Latin America. CFFC's president Frances Kissling, travels all over Latin America and gets extensive media coverage. (83) Its main branch in the Hispanic countries is Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir (CDD), whose coordinator is Dr. Cristina Grela. (84) It is based in Uruguay and has national affiliates in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Nicaragua, and Chile. (85)

Dr. Grela, who is a gynecologist, claims that she was influenced by the teachings of liberal French priests. (86) Her "turning point came in 1986 at an ecumenical encounter of Christian women meeting in Argentina on new forms of spirituality for women", hosted by WATER. (87) One woman gave her a number of pamphlets published by CFFC. Upon reading the materials she became a convinced CFFC advocate. "The experience was revealing for me. I was in a lot of conflict with my faith because I thought that what I believed as a feminist was incompatible with the teachings of the Catholic Church to which I belong. I was about to leave the Church so that I could continue my work as a feminist, but at the conference I discovered that there were other women in conflict who were looking for a place in the Church." (88) In other words, Grela had "discovered" and bought into the CFFC ideological nonsense that one can be pro-abortion, etc., and remain in good standing in the Church. In a recent article published in Argentina, Grela stated that "every woman who continues being Catholic, going to church and using family planning methods is a Catholic For A Free Choice member because these women have opted for this, with a clear conscience, disobeying the position of the hierarchy." (89)

Mary Hunt and Diann Neu, the directors of WATER, had brought the CFFC literature with them to this meeting in Argentina. (90) The New Age type spirituality common to groups like WATER seems to be the vehicle by which Grela and other Latin American women have become incorporated into Catholics For A Free Choice.

CFFC has been quite active in countries such as Mexico and Brazil. CFFC's comic book, published in Spanish in Mexico and distributed in Latin America, Y María fue consultada para ser Madre de Dios ("And Mary Was Consulted to be God's Mother"), depicts a young mother on its cover, asking the Virgin Mary what she can do about her unwanted pregnancy. (91) In this comic book it is said that abortion is not always a sin, but that it depends on each case; that many bishops have claimed that using contraceptives is a decision left up to the couple; that since the Pope has not made an infallible pronouncement on abortion, it is a matter left to the individual's conscience; that since there is disagreement concerning when personhood begins, it is a matter of doubt, and the Church teaches that where is doubt there is freedom of conscience; and finally that since God gave Mary the freedom to choose whether or not to be the Mother of God, that He gives every woman the freedom to decide whether or not to have an abortion. (92)

CFFC produced a video in Spanish, titled "Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir" ("Catholics for a Free Choice"), in which it distorts the teaching of the Church on human sexuality, abortion and contraception by repeating the same nonsense it set forth in the comic book. The video starts with a procession to the Blessed Mother and includes interviews of poor women who lament their economic inability to take care of their many children. (93) CFFC cleverly manipulates the situation of extreme poverty of Latina American women in order to "justify" abortion.

In Brazil CFFC published and distributed a booklet in Portuguese titled An Untold Story, in which it sets forth its own ideas on abortion where it concerns the teachings of the Catholic Church. The booklet lacks seriousness with respect to historical facts and distorts the position that the Church has had on abortion throughout history. (94) Also, CFFC joined other pro-abortion organizations in producing a film in favor of the legalization of abortion, which was shown at the Federal Senate in Brasilia during a public audience and debate, over a bill that proposed the decriminalization of abortion. Copies of the film were sent to the senators. (95)

Mujeres e Iglesia: sexualidad y aborto en América Latina ("Women and the Church: Sexuality and Abortion in Latin America"), is CFFC's first multi-author book in Latin America. (96) wing in the footsteps of the U.S. anti-life feminists, the authors attack the Catholic Church and promote their "right" to contraception, abortion and lesbianism.

In this book, one of its authors, Sylvia Marcos, praises pre-Colombian Aztec women priestesses of early "American sexual spirituality" who were "privileged celebrants". (97) She also claims that pre-Colombian pagan rites are "a source of inspiration for those of us who question the morals we received and believe that the experience of pleasure brings union with the divinity". (98) Cristina Grela, another author, speaks of "the myth of heterosexuality" and laments that women must "fall in love with the good looking man...", "What freedom do you have to fall in love with a woman?," she asks. (99) Another author, Ana María Portugal, speaks of "forced heterosexuality" as "an oppression of all women". (100) María Ladi Londoño E., who also authored this book, states that the Vatican condemns abortion not as the result of a "doctrine of love" but "as a consequence of a definite misogyny and discrimination against women, who they do not accept as an equal and of whom it taught, up until the Council of Trent, that she had no soul." (101)

The book presents a "new ethic" beyond the right to abortion and contraception to "give ourselves permission to live out, without guilt, the desire, the pleasure and the enjoyment of the body... without obligations or commitments". (102) The book also promotes the Women-Church communities "to question the plan that God supposedly had for us." (103) In its conclusion, Frances Kissling, the author of the Epilogue, urges that "we [women] unite in the Women-Church movement to celebrate our lives, to study and work toward change in the institutional Church. This book came out of this movement." (104)

CFFC Networks with Other Anti Life Organizations

CFFC is definitely not alone in its crusade against life and family. It works closely with other anti-life/family organizations such as the International Women's Health Coalition, the Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights, the Women-Church Convergence, the Unitarian Universalist Association, Planned Parenthood, the National Organization for Women, the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, the National Abortion Federation and the National Abortion Rights Action League. (105)

CFFC has also worked closely with other "Catholic" groups such as Catholics Speak Out, Chicago Catholic Women, Institute of Women Today, Loretto Women's Network, National Coalition of American Nuns, Women in Spirit of Colorado Task Force, Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER) and Women's Ordination Conference. (106)

CFFC has joined other anti-life organizations, such as the Women's Environment and Development Organization and the Women's Health Coalition, in promoting its anti-life agenda. It gathered some 40 women's groups in preparation for the United Nations' Conference on Population and Development, which took place in September 1994 in Cairo, Egypt. (107)

CFFC has joined other anti-life feminist organizations in the Hispanic countries in establishing the Latin American Women's Health Network, whose objective is to promote "reproductive health" and "reproductive rights". (108)The Network publishes a newsletter in Spanish, titled Revista de la Red de Salud/Isis Internacional ("Magazine of the Health Network/Isis International") in Santiago, Chile and distributes it in Latin America through its information service, Isis International, that continent's main anti-life feminist organization. (109)

Conclusion

CFFC's leaders should be publicly exposed as anti-Catholics, anti-life, anti-family and, in reality, anti-women. With respect to the teaching authority of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, that is, of the Pope and the Bishops in communion with him, all must be made aware that: "The task of authentically interpreting the Word of God, whether written [the Bible] or handed on [Tradition], has been entrusted exclusively to the living teaching office of the Church, whose authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ". That authority extends also to the teachings of the Church on faith and morals. (111)

With respect to dissent from Church doctrines, the Magisterium clearly teaches that, "The freedom of the act of faith cannot justify a right to dissent. In fact this freedom does not indicate at all freedom with regard to the truth, but signifies the free self-determination of the person in conformity with his moral obligation to accept the truth." (112) Likewise, "argumentation appealing to the obligation to follow one's own conscience cannot legitimate dissent". (113)

Submission to Church teaching on the part of the faithful extends not only to infallible teachings, but to other serious teachings as well that have not yet been declared infallible by the Pope. "This religious submission of will and of mind must be shown in a special way to the authentic authority of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra [i.e., infallibly]." (114)

Where it concerns abortion, the Church clearly teaches that, "From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a `criminal' practice (GS 27, 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life." (115) Moreover, Pope Paul VI taught that, "This teaching has not been changed and is unchangeable". (116)

Referring to its doctrine on sexual ethics, the Church teaches that "In this domain there exists principles and norms which the Church has already unhesitatingly transmitted as part of her teachings, however much the opinions and morals of the world may have been opposed to them. These principles and norms in no way owe their origin to a certain type of culture, but rather to knowledge of the divine law and of human nature. They therefore cannot be considered as having become out of date or doubtful under the pretext that a new cultural situation has arisen." (117)

With respect to homosexuality, the Church teaches that "In the pastoral field, these homosexual persons must certainly be treated with understanding and sustained in the hope of overcoming their personal difficulties and their inability to fit into society". (118) But then it adds that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered and can in no case be approved". (119)

And with respect to contraception and sterilization the Church teaches that "Equally to be excluded, as the teaching authority of the Church has frequently declared, is direct sterilization, whether perpetual or temporary, whether of the man or of the woman. Similarly to be excluded is every action which, either in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible". (120)

With regard to New Age ideology and practice, Pope John Paul II himself has said that, "New Age ideas sometimes make inroads into [Church] preaching, catechesis, conferences and retreats, and in this way come to influence even practicing Catholics, who may not be conscious of the incompatibility of such ideas with the faith of the Church". (121)

Finally, the Word of God Himself says: "Make sure that no one traps you and deprives you of your freedom by some secondhand, empty, rational philosophy based on principles of this world instead of on Christ" (Col 2:8). And: "If anybody does not keep within the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, he cannot have God with him: only those who keep to what he taught can have the Father and the Son with them. If anyone comes to you bringing a different doctrine, you must not receive him in your house..."(2 John 9-11).