Love, Marriage, Bioethics, new member of the CDF unafraid to discuss the thorny issues

On Wednesday, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Roland Minnerath of Dijon, France and Archbishop Anthony Colin Fisher OP of Sydney, Australia, as members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.  Following his appointment, Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP very kindly gave Vatican Radio an interview where he discussed his new role, as well as contemporary issues facing the Church and the world such as love, bioethics, marriage and family, personhood and dignity.

Click below to listen to the extended interview:

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

The Archbishop spoke of the importance of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and mentioned that he has done work for the dicastery in the past, where he was asked to provide an informed opinion regarding contentious and perplexing issues relating to Bioethics and the Church,

Bioethics

While mentioning a range of contentious bioethical issues, including IVF, Cloning and HIV, the Archbishop said, “particularly in Bioethics, there are constantly new issues arising which require a response … every month every, year there are new questions  for the Church’s theological advisers to consider.”  Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP holds a Doctorate from Oxford University in Bioethics, and mentioned that Australia has been particularly involved with recent medical developments and bioethical debates concerning certain practices. 

Marriage and Family

On marriage and family, Archbishop Fisher “The synod of last year and the synod forthcoming, are not expected to be doctrinal synods, but are very much pastoral Synods, but we know the issues they consider also have their doctrinal implications, what do we regard as a marriage? Is the whole idea of marriage, something that is infinitely flexible?  Or is there an intrinsic meaning to marriage, or something about the anthropology of human beings and the way they relate that rightly puts a limit on what we consider a marriage?”  Continuing on the theme, the Archbishop spoke of the real questions which do affect people’s lives such as children in the family, those who experience a same-sex attraction, those whose marriage have failed and may have attempted another marriage, and how the Church can best love and care for the people involved.

Personhood and Dignity

Stating the Church’s position clearly regarding human beings, personhood and dignity, The Archbishop commented, “We believe human beings are made for the good life in this life and for eternal life, they are made for immortality, they are made for greatness in this life and the next.” Contrasting the view of the Church and other contemporary views, regarding human beings and their dignity, he continued “and that’s very different to an approach that says human being are basically consumers of resources … we take the view that they are of immeasurable value and made for greatness.”

Love

Not afraid to tackle the thorny issue of love in the Church and in this world, the Archbishop mentioned that, “We are easily distracted… one of the big questions these synods raise is ‘How to love.’” He continued, “Modernity talks about love, there are love songs, people talk about making love, … but deep down people know that they are actually not very good at loving, the self-giving sacrifice it takes, and that they are afraid of the commitment it might take and the vulnerability that comes with loving, the consequences of it failing, and so for all the talk and sentimentalising and romanticising about love, I think that people in the modern world are actually not very good at it.”