Situation Ethics - Condemned by Venerable Pope Pius XII in 1952

Venerable Pope Pius XII condemned so-called “situation ethics” in 1952.

The quote featured in this meme is taken from 44 Acta Apostolicae Sedis (Acts of the Holy See) 417 (1952), in which the Holy Father warns that few dangers are so great or so heavy in foreboding as those which this “new morality” creates for faith. Here is the complete quote in context in which Pius XII refutes situation ethics and upholds the Church’s authentic teaching on moral absolutes:

“From the essential relationships between man and God, between man and man, between husband and wife, between parents and children; from the essential community. relationships found in the family, in the Church and in the State, it follows (among other things) that hatred of God, blasphemy, idolatry, abandoning the true faith, denial of the faith, perjury, murder, bearing false witness, calumny, adultery and fornication, the abuse of marriage, the solitary sin, stealing and robbery, taking away the necessities of life, depriving workers of their just wages, monopolizing vital foodstuffs and unjustifiably increasing prices, fraudulent bankruptcy, unjust maneuvering in speculation - all these are gravely forbidden by the divine Lawmaker. No examination is necessary. No matter what the situation of the individual may be, there is no other course open to him but to obey.”

The English translation of this passage is taken from an excellent article by Aidan M. Carr from 1959 entitled, The Morality of Situation Ethics.