S1111,-It is not my wish to correspond ad infinitum to refute Father St. John's statements. I cannot, however, resist a final reply to his letter (April 13).
He states: "Our evil deeds are intended by God but indirectly, because dependently on our rejection by fret will of the grace He gives us to avoid them. This is what is meant when we say that Gnd permits but does not cause sin."
As must be obvious by now, 1 disagree. Does God Who took on our human nature and the suffering that that entails. Who died on the Cross in reparation for our sins and rose from the dead, thus shattering Satan's bonds on man, intend that we commit evil deeds, even indirectly? If God intends, even indirectly, that we sin, why does He give us the grace to withstand temptation? Why did He
explicitly promise this grace to us?
I understand God, Goodness Itself, to be the author of all goodness and Satan in the world today to be the author of all evil. I see our free will to be the means of freely giving ourselves completely to God and that even though God foresees that man will at times use this gift to choose evil, He does not intend that we choose evil, nor did He ever intend it. We were created to know, love and serve God in this world and to be happy with Him in the next. Since this is God's intention in bringing us into being. I cannot agree that even indirectly God intends our evil deeds.
(Miss) Karen Gable London, W.C.I.
(This correspondence has strayed rather far from its starling point and has become a duel. Unless Fr. Sr. John partic.ularly wants a film! throw. correspondence on the principle of double effect in general had better come to an end. Letters on the morality of nuclear weapons, however, and on double effect in so Jar as it directly aflects this specific issue. will continue ir) be published. EDITOR.)