The catholic Church has no stand on the appropriatness of using graphic images.Thus it is up to us to determine the morality of using these images.
Then there is no inherent reason to decide that because Fr. Pavone thinks it is a good idea that everyone else should think so as well? And no inherent reason to declare that those who oppose the use of these images in places accessible to children are any less moral or any less dedicated to ending abortion than those that would plaster them on every surface? That your opinion on the morality of it carries exactly the same weight as any other person’s?
Personally, I think the Church’s stance on who gets to determine what children are exposed to, whether others get to choose to usurp that determination in pursuit of their own ends, however worthy, and the role of the Church in supporting the decisions made by the parents about such matters is pretty clearly laid out in Pope John Paul’s “Familiaris Consortio”.
Section 36 “…The right and duty of parents to give education is essential, since it is connected with the transmission of human life; it is original and primary with regard to the educational role of others, on account of the uniqueness of the loving relationship between parents and children; and it is irreplaceable and inalienable, and therefore incapable of being entirely delegated to others or usurped by others.”
Section 40: “The right of parents to choose an education in conformity with their religious faith must be absolutely guaranteed. The State and the Church have the obligation to give families all possible aid to enable them to perform their educational role properly. Therefore both the Church and the State must create and foster the institutions and activities that families justly demand, and the aid must be in proportion to the families’ needs. However, those in society who are in charge of schools must never forget that the parents have been appointed by God Himself as the first and principal educators of their children and that their right is completely inalienable.”
Section 45 “Just as the intimate connection between the family and society demands that the family be open to and participate in society and its development, so also it requires that society should never fail in its fundamental task of respecting and fostering the family.”
Section 46:
For this reason, the Church openly and strongly defends the rights of the family against the intolerable usurpations of society and the State. In particular, the Synod Fathers mentioned the following rights of the family:
…
the right to exercise its responsibility regarding the transmission of life and to educate children; family life;
the right to bring up children in accordance with the family’s own traditions and religious and cultural values, with the necessary instruments, means and institutions;
Section 76:
Furthermore, because the means of social communication, like the school and the environment, often have a notable influence on the formation of children, parents as recipients must actively ensure the moderate, critical, watchful and prudent use of the media, by discovering what effect they have on their children and by controlling the use of the media in such a way as to "train the conscience of their children to express calm and objective judgments, which will then guide them in the choice or rejection of programs available …
I myself, on a similar occasion, pointed out that families “to a considerable extent need to be able to count on the good will, integrity and sense of responsibility of the media professionals- publishers writers, producers, directors, playwrights, newsmen, commentators and actors.”(177) It is therefore also the duty of the Church to continue to devote every care to these categories, at the same time encouraging and supporting Catholics who feel the call and have the necessary talents, to take up this sensitive type of work.
vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_19811122_familiaris-consortio_en.html
