The "lesser of two evils" is an important concept from the Catholic moral tradition that is being applied in a new way in the diocese of Albany, as RNS's Daniel Burke reports in this story of its needle-exchange program. (In the past few decades a few theologians have argued that that traditional moral stance could be applied to the use of condoms in countries where AIDS is rampant.) In any event, here is the story from Albany.
In launching its needle-exchange program earlier this week, the Catholic Diocese of Albany, N.Y., said the decision came down to choosing the lesser evil. Illegal drug use is bad, but the spread of deadly diseases is worse. The medical evidence is clear, the diocese argued on Monday (Feb. 1) when it began “Project Safe Point” in two Upstate New York locations through its local branch of Catholic Charities. Public health studies document that exchanging used syringes for new ones can effectively stanch the spread of blood-borne diseases such as AIDS, and even lead drug abusers to treatment and recovery. “To guide us, the church provides us with the principles of licit cooperation in evil and the counseling of the lesser evil,” the Albany diocese said in a statement. “The sponsorship of Catholic Charities in Safe Point, then, is based upon the church’s standard moral principles.”
For more on the bible check out my new blog...
While I agree sometimes we are left determining the '' eviler of two lessers'' ( a common occurrence on the first Tuesday of each November) perhaps in a future blog you can expand on the concept as how it falls within the Catholic moral tradition and the risks of following it too closely or not. What better place then a Jesuit blog to talk '' means'' and ''ends''.
The linked article highlighted the valid concern of seeming to support an evil while trying to do a good. It's a slippery slope and I am not sure it is as straightforward as you infer that it is within our moral tradition to justify such actions.
enjoy the snow.... Joe
Needle distribution seems like giving up on the hope of salvation. It seems like saying: we just cannot fight this battle anymore-we give up. I don't know. My Aunt, who was a Sister of Charity, was the Director of Catholic Charities in Albany for many years. I can only imagine what her thoughts my be. She is home in heaven. Hmm. There is no weeping in heaven, is there?
My aunt was a Good Shepard Nun -may all our beloved RIP.
While I also am not a moral theologian ( thanks be to god, too - the letters after my name are CPA, not PhD ) my initial reaction to this case is to question if distributing safe needles is really an evil. It has to be an evil to be a lesser evil.