Dear Derek:

The purpose of guilt is to motivate us to repentance and reform. If you feel guilty about not doing something about the world's problems, then DO SOMETHING.

Christ calls us to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, to take care of the poor, to comfort the sick, to promote justice and love, etc. St. James says that faith without works is dead. So, put good works to your faith.

We can volunteer our time and talents to organizations that offer services to the poor, hungry, naked, and sick. If we cannot do that we can contribute money to those organizations. We can pray for them. We can support legislation that will help the poor and resolve injustice. There are many things we can do.

You need to be careful, however, about missing the tree for the forest. If you look at the whole forest it seems overwhelming. Instead, pick just one tree and nurture it. Then when that one tree has been nurtured, go to the next tree. It is one tree at a time, one day at a time.

We can help a old lady across the street today, give a donation check to an organization tomorrow, volunteer to feed the poor the next day. One person at a time, one day at a time, be what Christ has called us to be, bring Christ to this world. That is how we make the world a better place.

When we do this, however, we must bring truth to the world, not error. You mention that the pope refuses to allow condoms to deal with the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Well, the Pope cannot authorize condoms because the use of condoms is immoral, evil, and an affront to God. The Pope does not have the authority to authorize immoral acts.

One of the central tenets of the Christian faith is that the ends do not justify the means. We cannot solve a problem by using an immoral method. Artificial contraception is a moral evil, and thus it is NOT a solution to the AIDS problem.

To begin with condoms DO NOT prevent the transmission of AIDS. The AIDS virus is smaller than the space between the molecules in the latex of condoms. That means that the virus can move through a condom.

In any event, the AIDS epidemic is a moral issue. The solution to the AIDS epidemic, as is with all sexually transmitted diseases, is for people to act morally in their sexual lives. To remain chaste until married, and faithful during marriage is a guarantee against sexually transmitted diseases. AIDS, and all sexually transmitted diseases are sourced in fornication and other sexual perversions. Even when innocent persons contract AIDS from a blood transfusion or the like, that happens because someone somewhere fornicated.

The solution to moral problems is to live morally.  One might say, well that is fine but people are not going to do that. I reply, we need to teach them to be moral and encourage them to be moral, but we cannot be immoral or fight against immorality.

Besides that logic that people will do what they do anyway is bad logic. If we were to use such logic on other matters we can see its silliness. For example, people are going to cheat and steal anyway, so let us not bother to teach them honesty and respect for other's property. Let us give people a license to steal since they will do it anyway.

That is not what a civilization does, let alone a Christian civilization. In order to be civilized we must assert moral values that reflect natural law and divine truth. The Pope cannot change natural law or divine truth, rather all he can do is affirm it and preach it.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary