The strong stuff, taken neat

By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | May 23, 2003

If you've been reading this blog today, and you haven't yet read the full text of Cardinal Arinze's commencement speech at Georgetown, shame on you!

But if you really need to be persuaded, how's this:

In many parts of the world, the family is under siege. It is opposed by an anti-life mentality as is seen in contraception, abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. It is scorned and banalized by pornography, desecrated by fornication and adultery, mocked by homosexuality, sabotaged by irregular unions and cut in two by divorce.

Or maybe you'd prefer this?

This Church has produced Saints from every state of life, men and women who, open to God's grace, have become signs of hope. But this same Church also has sinners in her fold. Far from discouraging and rejecting them, the Church offers them hope, wholesome Gospel teaching, saving sacraments and the invitation to abandon the food of pigs, make a U-turn and return to the refreshing joy of their Father's house, like the prodigal son.

Now come on. Read the full text.