The Observer

Ethically Speaking

Father Kenneth Wasilewski

Diocesan Ethicist

June 24, 2021 - Conscience and Freedom
June 10, 2021 - Politicians, Communion and the Bishops’ Meeting
May 27, 2021 - Catholics and Communion
May 13, 2021 - Are There Garage Sale Ethics?
April 22, 2021 - Same-Sex Blessings and the Church
April 8, 2021 - Blessings and the Question Of Same Sex Unions
March 25, 2021 - Declining a Vaccine Doesn’t Remove Responsibility
February 25, 2021 - Vaccines and the Pandemic of Misinformation
February 11, 2021 - Moving Out of Ordinary Time
January 28, 2021 - One Fight Can Be Won Without Another Life Lost
January 14, 2021 - Ongoing Conversion
December 24, 2020 - Christmas and the Moral Life
December 10, 2020 - Fostering Christmas Virtue
November 26, 2020 - Advent and Repeated Sins
November 12, 2020 - Taking Any COVID-19 Vaccine Will Not Be an Immoral Act
October 22, 2020 - Media in the Eyes of the Church
October 8, 2020 - Refrain from Boasting and Bragging
September 24, 2020 - Flatter and Praise Prudently
September 10, 2020 - Being Discreet Can Be Difficult
August 27, 2020 - Discretion is Not Lying
August 13, 2020 - Telling the Truth is the Best Goal
July 23, 2020 - The Eighth Commandment: Lying
July 9, 2020 - Sloth and Diligence and Summer
June 25, 2020 - Racism and Being ‘Catholic’
June 11, 2020 - Faith, Science and COVID-19
May 21, 2020 - How We Must Consider ‘Reopening’
May 7, 2020 - Honoring the Sabbath in the Pandemic
April 23, 2020 - Virtues for a Pandemic
April 9, 2020 - Dignity, Medical Treatment and COVID-19
March 26, 2020 - COVID-19 and the Common Good
March 12, 2020 - Should I Eat ‘Impossible Meat’ During Lent?
March 12, 2020 - Do Not Bear False Witness
February 27, 2020 - Reputation and Rash Judgment
February 13, 2020 - Do Not Bear False Witness
January 30, 2020 - Untruth Offends God Himself
January 16, 2020 - Gambling: Amoral or Amusing?
December 12, 2019 - Destruction is Not Loving
November 21, 2019 - Vatican Theft and the Seventh Commandment
October 24, 2019 - Seventh Commandment and Society
October 10, 2019 - We Should Not ‘Steal’ Nature from Each Other
September 26, 2019 - The Seventh Commandment and St. Francis
September 12, 2019 - Work and the Seventh Commandment
August 22, 2019 - ‘Thou Shall Not Steal’
August 8, 2019 - Addiction and Morality
July 25, 2019 - The Ethics of Recreational Drug Use
July 11, 2019 - Legal Doesn’t Mean Good
June 27, 2019 - My House, My Rules
June 13, 2019 - Commandment is not Just about Parents
May 23, 2019 - Parents and Teaching Faith
May 9, 2019 - Honor Your Father and Mother
April 25, 2019 - Divorce and Communion
April 11, 2019 - We Must Care for God’s Creation
March 21, 2019 - Solidarity and the Common Good
March 7, 2019 - Workers Have Rights, Consumers Can Help
February 21, 2019 - Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
February 7, 2019 - Loving Consistently
January 24, 2019 - Living the ‘Option for the Poor’
January 10, 2019 - Don’t Forget Rights Come from God
December 13, 2018 - Rights and Responsiblities
November 22, 2018 - Make Christ a Member of All of Your Communities
November 8, 2018 - The Family is Where We Learn How to Love
October 25, 2018 - Life and the Dignity of The Human Person
October 11, 2018 - The Church’s Social Teachings
September 27, 2018 - Reconciliation and Repair
September 13, 2018 - When You Can’t Avoid Bad People, Take a Chance to Practice Virtue
August 23, 2018 - Bad Company Can Breed Bad Habits
August 9, 2018 - Is ‘Venting’ Ever All Right?
July 26, 2018 - Gossip Hurts God’s Children
June 7, 2018 - David Goodall and Autonomy
May 24, 2018 - Cremation and Respect for the Body
May 10, 2018 - We Must Show Respect to the Body in Death
April 26, 2018 - Necessary Work on Sunday
April 12, 2018 - What about Working on Sunday?
March 22, 2018 - Why Can’t I Just Pray by Myself?
March 8, 2018 - Being at Mass Links Us to God’s Covenant
February 23, 2018 - ‘Keep Holy the Lord’s Day’
February 8, 2018 - Obeying the Speed Limit
January 25, 2018 - More on Driving with the Commandments
January 11, 2018 - Practice Ethics, Not Road Rage
December 21, 2017 - Mocking Christmas Can Lead to Blashphemy
December 7, 2017 - Two Areas Tempt Us Toward Blasphemy
November 23, 2017 - What are the Ethics of Eating Competitions?
November 9, 2017 - Keeping Second Commandment Unites Us to God
October 27, 2017 - Editing Embryos is Wrong
October 16, 2017 - Moral Courage (or Lack Thereof)
September 22, 2017 - Sacred Images Evoke Respect, Love
September 7, 2017 - All Forms of Sacrilege Dishonor God
August 24, 2017 - Don’t Risk Tempting God
August 10, 2017 - Horoscopes and Fortune Tellers Divert Us from God
July 27, 2017 - Superstition Puts ‘Powers’ Before God
July 13, 2017 - Indifference and Ingratitude Both Offend the Lord
June 22, 2017 - Hating God Breaks 1st Commandment
June 8, 2017 - First Commandment Requires Belief in the Truth
May 25, 2017 - Keeping God First in Our Lives
May 11, 2017 - 10 ‘Words’ Shape Our Catholic Moral Code
April 27, 2017 - Sports and Spirituality ... Can We Mix Them?
April 13, 2017 - Beware the ‘Cult of the Body’
March 23, 2017 - Caring for My Health Helps Promote Justice for Others
March 9, 2017 - Caring for the Gift of Body Is The Self Love God Wants for Us
February 23, 2017 - Is Physical Fitness a Moral Issue?
February 9, 2017 - Sometimes We Hang on to Guilt Too Long
January 26, 2017 - Freedom of Choice Means We Are Not Often Responsible for Another’s Guilt
January 12, 2017 - Misplaced Guilt Is Unhealthy
December 22, 2016 - Conscience Works through Our Past to Help Us Now
December 8, 2016 - We Must Never Stop Listening to Our Conscience
November 24, 2016 - Let’s Base Conscience Formation on Moral Truth
November 11, 2016 - What is Conscience?
October 27, 2016 - Building a Culture of Life ... ‘Brick by brick’
October 13, 2016 - Catholics for Choice?
September 22, 2016 - Pray for Victims of Suicide
September 8, 2016 - Be Careful of What Lies Ahead …
August 25, 2016 - Fear and Love Assist Our Choices
August 11, 2016 - Assisted Suicide and Redemptive Suffering
July 21, 2016 - Dignity and Death
July 7, 2016 - We Must See the Truth Behind ‘Assisted Suicide’
June 24, 2016 - June 9 Has Become Another Day of Moral Infamy
June 9, 2016 - Don’t Misread Simplicity of the ‘Golden Rule’
May 26, 2016 - Church Teaching Isn’t Meant to ‘Fit In’
May 12, 2016 - Distance from God = Distance from Reality
April 21, 2016 - Can We Alter the Bodies of Disabled Children?
April 7, 2016 - To Avoid ‘Lesser Evil,’ Always Choose the ‘Good’
March 25, 2016 - Build Your Fortitude One Challenge at a Time
March 11, 2016 - Justice Starts with Giving God What is Due Him
February 26, 2016 - Temperance is About Using Something Well
February 12, 2016 - Prudence is the ‘Charioteer of the Virtures’
January 29, 2016 - Grow the Theological and Cardinal Virtues in Your Heart
January 15, 2016 - The Moral Life is About More Than Avoiding Sin
December 11, 2015 - Don’t Let Despair Stand Between You and God’s Mercy
November 27, 2015 - The Gift of Mercy
November 13, 2015 - Thou Shalt Not Kill
October 9, 2015 - Surgery Should Save the Temple that is the Body
September 25, 2015 - Transgender? ‘Our Bodies Reveal Our Identity’
September 11, 2015 - What Difference Does It Make?
August 28, 2015 - All Christians Must Bear the ‘Cross’ of Chastity
August 14, 2015 - Our Christian Goal is to Seek Order over Disorder
July 24, 2015 - Can Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ Really Be Equal?
July 13, 2015 - We Have a Choice to Follow Jesus’ Teaching
June 26, 2015 - Does ‘Understanding’ Mean a Behavior is OK?
June 12, 2015 - ‘Same-sex’ Marriage: What the Church Says
May 22, 2015 - Being Tolerant is About Behavior, Not Belief
May 8, 2015 - Pro-Life Means Pro-Charity �" for Everyone
April 24, 2015 - Organ Donation an Ethical Option for Catholics
April 10, 2015 - Well-Formed Conscience and Divine Mercy
March 27, 2015 - Rights of Conscience Threatened in Illinois
March 13, 2015 - Moral Relativism, Fruit from the First Tree
February 27, 2015 - The Church and the Just War Theory
February 13, 2015 - The Church Allows Self Defense
January 30, 2015 - Know Your Stem Cells Before Supporting, Objecting to Research
December 12, 2014 - What is to Be the Fate of ‘Extras’?
November 14, 2014 - IVF Children Not Always Treated as Gifts from God
October 10, 2014 - IVF Shows No Respect for Marriage
September 12, 2014 - The First Human Cost of IVF Pregnancies
August 8, 2014 - Why is Something that Seems Good Wrong?
June 13, 2014 - Church Offers Consistency in Life Issues
May 9, 2014 - During Season of New Life, Appreciate New Life
March 14, 2014 - Lent and Free Will: How My Sacrifice Helps Me
February 14, 2014
- Don’t Let Despair Stand Between You and God’s Mercy