Q: Father, you made a terrible error in the July issue. We read the newsletter not to receive liberal viewpoints, but rather to receive good conservative and orthodox teaching.
A: I am sorry to disappoint you, but I disagree with your perception of my response. I didn’t offer a liberal directive. I offered a sensible and pastoral directive. My answers to all the questions I’m asked are anchored firmly in the orthodox, traditional, and pastorally sound practices of the Church. I would never stray from this perspective, because it would be a disservice to our readers.
Q: I read that serious cruelty to animals is a mortal sin. When I see things on the road that could be small rodents, snakes, or turtles, I try to avoid them, but sometimes itÕs impossible. Is that cruel, and therefore a mortal sin?
A: No, not by any stretch of the imagination. You are not engaging in cruelty to animals in any manner. What about the millions of microbes that are routinely dying on your skin, on the ground in front of you, on the chair that you are sitting on at this moment? The only difference is that you can see the dead animals on the road, but you cannot see the dead microbes. Both were living beings at one time. It’s not cruelty but rather a harsh reality of life, and it’s unavoidable.