Vatican Condemns Margaret Farley's "Just Love", A U.S. Nun's Ground breaking book on Sexual Ethics/Future Best-Seller!

Thanks to the CDF, (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith), now everyone will want to read "Just Love" so it is probably on its way to the best-sellers list.
Congratulations, Margaret Farley. I plan to order a copy today! Yet again the Vatican keeps on being the gift that keeps on giving! 
Bridget Mary Meehan
sofiabmm@aol.com
www.arcwp.org
http://ncronline.org/blogs/grace-margins/no-justice-margaret-farley-and-just-love
Jamie L. Manson/ National Catholic Reporter

Only weeks after taking a broad swipe at the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has returned to its more typical routine of taking aim at individual theologians.
The latest target is Mercy Sr. Margaret Farley, professor emeritus of Christian ethics at Yale Divinity School, and her 2006 book Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics.
On Monday morning, the CDF published a notification that states Just Love does not reflect the official teaching of the Magisterium and, therefore, "cannot be used as a valid expression of Catholic teaching, either in counseling or formation, or in ecumenical or interreligious dialogue."
As Farley herself said in her response to the notification, Just Love "was not intended to be an expression of current official Catholic teaching, nor was it aimed specifically against this teaching." The goal of this book was to engage discussion about issues in sexual ethics, knowing that fruitful discussion becomes possible only if critical questions are pressed.
It has become abundantly clear that, particularly in matters related to the pelvic zone, the hierarchy is not interesting in exploring questions or engaging in dialogue. That's a loss for the hierarchy, who would benefit greatly from a close reading of Farley's framework for sexual ethics. But their loss is the Catholic laity's gain, particularly those who have not yet been exposed to Farley's work.
As we learned from the 2005 censuring of Jesuit theologian Roger Haight for his book Jesus Symbol of God and last autumn's condemnation of Sr. Elizabeth Johnson's Quest for the Living God, Roman Catholic bishops have a knack for garnering public interest in some of the most groundbreaking theological and ethical texts being written today.
In the interest of full disclosure, I mention that as a student at Yale Divinity School I had the honor of serving as Farley's research assistant for two years. In the decade since my graduation, she has been a mentor and friend. In recent years when I have taught sexual ethics on a college level, Just Love has been our textbook.

Just Love was not only a lifesaver to me as a professor, but a life-giver to our students who are part of a generation born into a society where sexual norms are in flux and the old sexual taboos are rapidly fading away.
Most young adults in the United States were raised in a culture saturated in sexual imagery and references. They did not grow up in a "village model" of society in which the community constructed and handed down moral norms. And, in most cases, young adults no longer find moral credibility in the church, especially its teachings on sexuality.
As a result, new generations are saddled with the overwhelming task of developing for themselves new norms for sexual ethics. Unfortunately, many find themselves adrift in a morally relative culture where often the only imperative seems to be: "What is good for you isn't necessarily good for me, but if it works for you, who I am to judge?"
As my students searched for a basis for developing their sexual ethic, Just Love proved invaluable. Farley applies criteria for justice to sexual relationships and activities, offering readers a seven-point framework for evaluating whether a sexual relationship is true, loving and just.
The first two norms consider whether the relationship is harmful and whether both partners have freely consented to the relationship. The framework then asks whether the relationship is marked by mutual desire, trust and self-disclosure. Building on that is the norm of equality, which requires that both partners share an equality of power that in no way entails an unequal vulnerability, dependence or limitation of options.
The final three norms consider whether there is a true commitment, which Farley defines as a union marked "by knowing and being known, and loving and being loved." If there is commitment, the question must be asked whether the relationship fulfills the sixth norm of fruitfulness. That is, does the commitment bring about new life by nourishing other relationships and by providing goodness and beauty to the wider community?
Finally, Farley asks whether a relationship is marked by social justice. By social justice, she not only means justice between sexual partners, but respect for all persons in a community. For an individual relationship to be just, it must respect every person's needs for acceptance, well-being and spiritual safety..."

[Jamie L. Manson received her Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School, where she studied Catholic theology and sexual ethics. Her columns for NCR earned her a first prize Catholic Press Association award for Best Column/Regular Commentary in 2010.]

NCR coverage of the Vatican's criticism of Margaret Farley's Just Love: Vatican criticizes US theologian's book on sexual ethics, by Jerry Filteau, June 4 Theologian's book a wide-ranging study, by Joshua J. McElwee, June 4 Full reactions from the Vatican, Farley, McDermott, and other theologians: The Notification of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith concerning Mercy Sr. Margaret Farley's Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics Statement by Mercy Sister Margaret Farley Statement by Mercy Sister Pat McDermott Statements by theologians and other academics in Vatican Farley case