"Having Over Being"

Many date the crisis, (or rather, the current waves of crises, for it has taken many forms,) in the Faith, and in the practice of the Faith from the issuance of Humanae Vitae.
I would date it not from the encyclical itself, but from the dissident reception accorded it, by those most bound to promulgate, by shepherds who failed in their duty, by deceitful hired men masquerading as as shepherds.
As the 40th anniversary of HV approaches, its wisdom becomes ever clearer, as we see the consequences of living evermore as if human beings had no divine model; as if each life's value was assigned externally, by its fellows, (such infallible judges of quality are we...)

http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vis/dinamiche/a1_en.htm

In remarks over the weekend the Holy Father acknowledged the difficulty of spreading the Gospel of Life "in a culture suffering from the prevalence of having over being."
Doesn't that phrase absolutely nail us?
I am part of that problem.
The little Bavarian has a tough row to hoe...