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Address For National Consultation on Obscenity,
Pornography and Indecency
Cincinnati, Ohio
Joseph Cardinal Bernardin
September 6, 1984
First let me express my gratitude
for the invitation to address you this evening. It
is always a pleasure to return to Cincinnati and my
many friends here even if for only a few hours.
I would like also to commend the National Leadership
Team for their dedicated work on behalf of the Consultation
on Obscenity, Pornography and Indecency. It is indeed
gratifying to hear that many church and civic leaders
have shown their deep concern about the challenges
that face our society on these issues.
I want to be clear at the outset that I do not come
before you as a politician or a legal expert, an art
critic or a psychologist. I am a believer and a pastor
in the Catholic Church. Although there are behavioral,
aesthetic, legal and political dimensions to the issues
this Consultation seeks to address, my concern is
primarily theological and religious and will reflect
the Catholic heritage.
I am aware that this year's Consultation is especially
geared to action. I agree that sharing ideas without
acting upon them can be an exercise in frustration
and futility. Nonetheless, our experience suggests
that before, during, and after taking action we need
to continue reflection upon the basic vision and values
that have motivated our actions. This helps ensure
that we are clear about our purpose and that our actions
are guided by our values.
That is why my reflections will seek to address the
broader perspective of our vision and values and how
these should shape our strategies for facing the problems
of obscenity, pornography, and indecency in our society.
My reflections are basically twofold: (1) the theological
basis of our opposition to these problems and (2)
some guiding principles that relate to our strategies
for action.
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