The Chainsaw vs. The Count

My hometown Inquirer is really impressing me.... Two days, two excellent Catholic articles.

Yesterday's front page covered the heretofore ignored issue of laicized priests booted over abuse. And today, we have a treatment of the evolution question, featuring DiLo -- known to the world as Frank DiLorenzo.

With kudos to Marty Woodall, check out these differing views:

Catholic educators, including those in Philadelphia and Camden, are monitoring the debate but do not expect changes.

"Evolution should be taught as one of many theories," said Louis P. DeAngelo, who oversees curriculum for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. "But the one true principle above all is there's one creator."

Karen Ristau, president of the National Catholic Educational Association, which represents Catholic schools, does not expect a shift in science instruction "unless this changes from theory to dogma."

Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo of Richmond, Va., chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Science and Human Values, said Schonborn was reiterating that the Catholic Church has always linked evolution to God.

The bishop said the essay did not contradict a December letter to U.S. bishops in which DiLorenzo advised: "Assured that scientific truth and religious truth cannot be in conflict, Catholic schools should continue teaching evolution as a scientific theory backed by convincing evidence."

OK, so we have one vote for evolution as "one of many," and two votes for "theory with convincing evidence." Fascinating.

I get lost on any and all kinds of scientific questions, so this one is for the comment box to fight out. Though it may not seem so from time to time, I do know my limits.

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