Statement of the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:
"If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor; if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil." (Psalm 127, vs. 1)
The Bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States welcome this moment of historic transition and look forward to working with President-elect Obama and the members of the new Congress for the common good of all. Because of the Church's history and the scope of her ministries in this country, we want to continue our work for economic justice and opportunity for all; our efforts to reform laws around immigration and the situation of the undocumented; our provision of better education and adequate health care for all, especially for women and children; our desire to safeguard religious freedom and foster peace at home and abroad. The Church is intent on doing good and will continue to cooperate gladly with the government and all others working for these goods.
The fundamental good is life itself, a gift from God and our parents. A good state protects the lives of all. Legal protection for those members of the human family waiting to be born in this country was removed when the Supreme Court decided Roe vs. Wade in 1973. This was bad law. The danger the Bishops see at this moment is that a bad court decision will be enshrined in bad legislation that is more radical than the 1973 Supreme Court decision itself.
In the last Congress, a Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) was introduced that would, if brought forward in the same form today, outlaw any "interference" in providing abortion at will. It would deprive the American people in all fifty states of the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry. FOCA would coerce all Americans into subsidizing and promoting abortion with their tax dollars. It would counteract any and all sincere efforts by government and others of good will to reduce the number of abortions in our country.
Parental notification and informed consent precautions would be outlawed, as would be laws banning procedures such as partial-birth abortion and protecting infants born alive after a failed abortion. Abortion clinics would be deregulated. The Hyde Amendment restricting the federal funding of abortions would be abrogated. FOCA would have lethal consequences for prenatal human life.
FOCA would have an equally destructive effect on the freedom of conscience of doctors, nurses and health care workers whose personal convictions do not permit them to cooperate in the private killing of unborn children. It would threaten Catholic health care institutions and Catholic Charities. It would be an evil law that would further divide our country, and the Church should be intent on opposing evil.
On this issue, the legal protection of the unborn, the bishops are of one mind with Catholics and others of good will. They are also pastors who have listened to women whose lives have been diminished because they believed they had no choice but to abort a baby. Abortion is a medical procedure that kills, and the psychological and spiritual consequences are written in the sorrow and depression of many women and men. The bishops are single-minded because they are, first of all, single-hearted.
The recent election was principally decided out of concern for the economy, for the loss of jobs and homes and financial security for families, here and around the world. If the election is misinterpreted ideologically as a referendum on abortion, the unity desired by President-elect Obama and all Americans at this moment of crisis will be impossible to achieve. Abortion kills not only unborn children; it destroys constitutional order and the common good, which is assured only when the life of every human being is legally protected. Aggressively pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion.
This statement is written at the request and direction of all the Bishops, who also want to thank all those in politics who work with good will to protect the lives of the most vulnerable among us. Those in public life do so, sometimes, at the cost of great sacrifice to themselves and their families; and we are grateful. We express again our great desire to work with all those who cherish the common good of our nation. The common good is not the sum total of individual desires and interests; it is achieved in the working out of a common life based upon good reason and good will for all.
Our prayers accompany President-elect Obama and his family and those who are cooperating with him to assure a smooth transition in government. Many issues demand immediate attention on the part of our elected "watchman." (Psalm 127) May God bless him and our country.
Thank God that in this doument the bishops appear to be growing a collective spine. For a generation Catholics have been wandering in the desert,sheep without a shepherd. Perhaps God in his mercy, at this ultimate hour, will give us strong and worthy leaders at least, with a loud voice in American affairs. May God bless those who are on the side of life!
ReplyDeleteThe "anonymous" comment which begins "Thank God that in this document the bishops appear to be growing a collective spine..." must have been written by someone virtually unaware of what the American Catholic bishops have done, written and said for decades! It's not easy to imagine a more consistent voice on behalf of respect for life "from the moment of conception to natural death" than the American Catholic bishops. Catholics have in no way been "wandering in the desert, sheep without a shepherd."
ReplyDeleteWith due respect,Concord Pastor, this is the first election year in which bishops responded quickly and loudly to prominent politicians (Pelosi and Biden) who were misrepresenting the faith. It is the first time some 100 bishops came out and said the right to life was the foremost issue for Catholic voters. The first time, I believe, that some bishops had said they would withhold communion to a major-party candidate (Biden) because of his scandalous stand on the abortion issue. The statements coming out of the bishops conference also mark the first time that the bishops have named political action groups claiming to promote the "common good" as Catholics to be doing otherwise.
ReplyDeleteWe have long needed clear messages from the bishops. I believe the visit of Pope Benedict last spring is bringing forth fruit.
I do not believe that the Catholic bishops of the US have, in the past, been unclear on the matter of abortion. The passing of time will give us a better perspective on the impact (on the election) of some bishops' individual statements in which they appeared to set themselves at odds with the USCCB statement.
ReplyDeleteThe notion that these matters (theological, ecclesial and political) are not without some subtleties will, I believe, retard rather than advance the pro-life cause in the US.
As Bishop Blase Cupich of Rapid City, SD said this past week, “A prophecy of denunciation quickly wears thin. We need a prophecy of solidarity with the communities we serve and the nation we live in, which needs healing. We must be, and be seen to be, caring pastors as well as faithful teachers.”
And what do you make of this?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27705755/?gt1=43001
And what do you think it will do for church attendance numbers?
I think asking the attendance question is asking the wrong question. The questions to ask are:
ReplyDelete1) Does this pastor's letter reflect church teaching and canon law?
2) If the letter does reflect teaching and law, is this the best pastoral way to achieve his desired end?
Certainly, this pastor has gone beyond what the US bishops have said and written. In fact, this pastor's action, it seems to me, goes beyond even the strongest of comments made by individual bishops.
It's clear to me what this pastor hopes to achieve. While some will be attracted to his parish because of what he wrote, many others will not. As Bishop Cupich of Rapid City said last week, “A prophecy of denunciation quickly wears thin. We need a prophecy of solidarity with the communities we serve and the nation we live in, which needs healing. We must be, and be seen to be, caring pastors as well as faithful teachers.”
Your heart and your voice are a great teacher. Thank you for a thoughtful and loving response.
ReplyDelete-Still Anonymous
I wish that each bishop and pastor would put Bishop Cupich's wise words on his bathroom mirror. When he starts his day with a shave, he would be reminded that sharp attacks are not the most productive route to take with his community.
ReplyDeleteAh, there's the rub. (Apologies to the Bard."
ReplyDeleteBelow, Rev. Newman's words:
"Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exists constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ's Church and under the judgment of divine law."
First, note the phrase "when a plausible pro-life alternative exists" - to me and others, our minds and consciences did not see a "plausiblle pro-life alternative." There are many abilities needed for governing the US.
Second, Neither Rev. Newman, or anyone else, knows or commands my conscience. He cannot put his parishioners outside the full communion of the Catholic Church.
I have a friend who moved about a year ago to Greenville, SC in order to live closer to her twin sister and her brother-in-law. While they are white, they attend a Catholic church there that is primarily black. After reading Fr. Newman's letter, I think I understand why they made their choice. His letter certainly doesn't have much of a pastoral tone. If this is a typical approach, no wonder some have chosen to leave St. Mary's.
ReplyDeleteFather Newman extreme? Not entirely. Here's a cardinal from the Vatican:
ReplyDelete"His Eminence James Francis Cardinal Stafford criticized President-elect Barack Obama as “aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic,“ and said he campaigned on an “extremist anti-life platform,” Thursday night in Keane Auditorium during his lecture “Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II: Being True in Body and Soul.“
“For the next few years, Gethsemane will not be marginal. We will know that garden,” Stafford said, comparing America’s future with Obama as president to Jesus’ agony in the garden. “On November 4, 2008, America suffered a cultural earthquake.”
Then at the US bishops meeting just held, His Excellency Bishop Robert Hermann had this to say:
"Any bishop here would be willing, would consider it a privilege, to die tomorrow if it meant ending abortion," Hermann said. "We should dedicate the rest of our lives to taking any kind of criticism, whatever it is, to stop this horrible genocide."
The Rapid City, Iowa, Bishop Cupich's view was to the left of the final statement as set forth by Cardinal George.
Yes, Bishop Hermann acknowledges that Bishop Cupich, as well as all the other bishops, would be willing and consider it a privilege to die tomorrow if it meant ending abortion.
ReplyDeleteChrist died for our sins, but I hope I understand correctly that he would have known he would rise again - and soon, to inspire the centuries. Picturing one or all of the bishops dying to end abortion seems like a melodramatic scenario indeed - and unrealistic as well. No, I don't think it would work, and I don't believe they would rise again until this world ends adn we all do. So we would lose their teaching presence. Instead, I believe they should live in lving faith and try in that love to guide us gently on the right path.
ReplyDeleteIf his remarks reflect what he observed, I don't think Cardinal Stafford observed the same election campaign that I did. His angry remarks make him sound as if he might implode or explode at any minute. I don't understand who these over-the-top rantings appeal to, but they do nothing but lower my respect for the individuals who make them.
ReplyDeleteAs for bishops giving their lives for a noble cause, Bishop Oscar Romero immediately comes to my mind.
Just in case my last comment was misunderstood: I believe that Bishop Hermann's comment was genuine and sincere and certainly made clear that depths at which he and the other bishops, all of them, hold this concern.
ReplyDeleteI have just rejected yet another "anonymous" comment: this one recklessly attributing something to Bishop Cupich which he did not say - something no bishop would say.
ReplyDelete"This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." - John 15:12-13
ReplyDeleteAny Christian willing to give his or her life for another is worthy or respect and admiration. Many already revere Bishop Romero as a martyr. Bishops who count the lives of helpless innocents more than their own are to be respected on that account.
Regards the "anonymous" comment above on Bishop Stafford's remarks and the suggestion that he was about to explode or implode, Rocco has the
ReplyDeleteaudio of the pertinent sections of Stafford's presentation and listening to it will clarify his supposed excitability, even for those who may disagree with his content.
Thank you for the audio of Cardinal Stafford's remarks. His soft tone of voice certainly was a surprise. The words on paper seemed much more incendiary than listening to his delivery of them. Nonetheless, I wish that he had not used this verbal assault at all. John Allen has a very good piece on this at NCR.
ReplyDelete