This book is a comprehensive examination of a range of issues pertaining to sexual ethics. An array of authors is used. It has been one of my most consulted texts in my moral theology studies. Excellent!

I feel obliged to write a review, as this book has been instrumental in enabling me to "catch" my alcoholism in its early stages. ~10%+ of the population are born alcoholics; heavy drinking, esp in teen years, can bring it out in others. Alcoholism really is a progressive disease, not a matter of willpower. Ask yourself: Do you handle your alcohol well? Drink more now than a year ago? This book explains that alcoholism really is a PROGRESSIVE disease. Most alcoholics -- and budding alcoholics -- were born with a predisposition to it. Learn why a "strong will" won't help overcome this biological affliction, unless you stop drinking altogether. Understand why "moderation" will not work for the born alcoholic.

Citing the latest hard, cold facts of the most modern scientific discoveries, authors prove beyond the reasonable doubt, and state both loud and clear: Alcoholism is NOT a flaw of character, NOT a weakness of will, but the physiological disease, over which a person, stricken with it, has no control! And it's an equal opportunity disease, striking good people from all walks of life: blue collar workers as well as admirals and generals, senators and congressmen, farmers and sailors, high school dropouts and college professors, beggars and millionaires, idiots, geniuses and our neighbor, everyday common man and woman... (...)

People are different, authors claim and prove in great detail. Some 10 to 15% of us have a gene, which creates different enzymes within our system, which in turn make highly addictive chemicals while processing the ingested alcohol within our bodies. Human brain is uncapable to resist the craving for alcohol, caused by those chamicals, which are never produced by the bodies of non-alcoholics. Therefore, alcoholics are not more guilty of having alcoholism, as cancer patients are guilty of having cancer, or diabetics being ill with diabetis.

The only solution to the disease of alcoholism is professional, medical treatment, followed by warm and sensitive care of the family, support groups, and society. Punishment, consisting of creation of severe stress, humiliation and application of strong mental and spiritual pain won't work, only making condition worse. Much worse! Primitive and superficial psychological counseling won't work, either. Only complex, modern, professional treatment will.

Great reading for anyone affected by or interested in the disease of alcoholism. A must for judges and prosecutors, busy sending ill people into the sewer pipe of industry of "corrections"! And those few members of MADD, who REALLY want to decrease incidents of drunk driving by fighting its causes, not symptoms, by helping alcoholics to get well, not just looking for an outlet of their hate and anger, which are the most destructive and counterproductive of all human emotions.

This is absolutely the best book I've ever read on alcohol & alcoholism. It's authoritative and all encompassing covering all aspects of the subject including medical, psychological, nutritional, educational, social, legislative, and spiritual. And it's written in an easy to understand manner that keeps you interested and wanting to find out what else the authors have to say.

Be forewarned. The "Catholic" here is a wooly blend of relativism, consequentialism, proportionalism and plain old pique from a theologian censured by the Vatican. For the real story, buy John Paul II's Veritatis Splendor.

This small book is a masterpiece. It is enlightening and thoughtprovoking and invites all Catholic readers to a critical examination of major moral themes and topics. It is a wonderful introduction to the fundamental moral theology of the Catholic church. Adequately presents dialogue going on among modern moral theologians and critizes some narrow views of the Vatican that will most likely change in the years to come.

This collection purports to be a scholarly study of the moral teaching of His Holiness Pope John Paul II. But all the authors dissent from the teaching of the Church on morals. The result is a trashing of the Pope's teaching: not very fair, not very convincing, not very noble. Give me Humanae Vitae any day.