PING.
This article is full of false assertions. I'm surprised the WSJ would go with something like this, which is slanted toward letting Catholic kerry supporters off the hook. And right before the election, too.
Nonsense. Try selling that BS to the Pope.
I don't see how any Catholic --- or anyone who believes that God is the giver of Life, can believe in abortion or support pro-abortion fanatics like Kerry. He doesn't just believe that women should obtain abortions for any reason whatsoever -- he believes the taxpayers should have their money confiscated from them to pay for abortions. He wants the government to ensure people have their abortions.
This view is NOT correct. Few sins are "graver" (mortal) than voting for a candidate who endorses--especially at the level Kerry endorses--a sin specifically defined as serious, grave, mortal by the Church. The "excommunication" in a sense is automatic: mortal sin is a temporary version of excommunication, relieved only by Penance, which in turn requires a GOOD Act of Contrition. A GOOD Act of Contrition depends, among other things, on a firm purpose of amendment--NEVER TO COMMIT the same sin again. Formal excommunication requires more than Penance for relief. It is patently obvious that Kerry's record proves no firm purpose of amendment, and those who vote for him (OR Republican pro-aborts) cannot receive absolution in Confession if they continue to vote for pro-abort candidates (but of course only God and the penitent know whether the contrition was genuine). Excommunication also frequently involves the problem of scandal. Someone VOTING for a pro-abort candidate, unless he calls a press conference, is unlikely to incur public excommunication; whereas a legislator, whose votes are known, is at least more likely to incur it.
War is outside the realm of Bishops' pronouncements--even the Pope's pronouncements, thusfar. War and abortion aren't comparable. Hitler was not excommunicated for invading Czechoslavakia or Poland or France. Henri 1v WAS excommunicated--but not for warring, performed a grueling penance, and the bull was recalled. What's more--who's excommunicated (if unjust wars WERE excommnicable offenses) when a democracy declares war? Nations can't be excommunicated.
This inserts in this Saturday evenings Mass church bulletin:
PERSPECITVE: ABORTION VS. TERRORISM
If a candidate who supported terrorism asked for your vote, would you say, "I disagree with you on terrorism, but where do you stand on other issues?"
I doubt it.
In fact, if a terrorism sympathizer presented him/herself for your vote, you would immediately know that such a position disqualifies the candidate for public office- no matter how good he or she may be on other issues. The horror of terrorism dwarfs whatever good might be found in the candidate's plan for housing, education, or health care. Regarding those plans, you wouldn't even ask.
So why do so many people say, "This candidate favors leagal abortion. I disagree. But I'm voting for this person because he/she has good ideas about health care (or some other issue)."
Pope Joun Paul II put it this way. 'Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights-for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture - is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination" (Christifideles Laici, 1988).
False and illusory. Those are strong and clear words that call for our further reflection.
The Catechism, section 2271 to be exact, addresses "direct" abortion not "therapeutic" abortion which is allowed. Borse ought to try actually reading the Catechism sometime before definitively commenting on it.
2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:
You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.75
God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.76
75 Didache 2,2:SCh 248,148; cf. Ep. Barnabae 19,5:PG 2 777; Ad Diognetum 5,6:PG 2,1173; Tertullian, Apol. 9:PL 1,319-320.
76 GS 51 § 3.
doesn't matter what he "thinks." He obviously doesn't understand his own catechism. Abortion trumps war every time.
Finally, careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands of those public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law. Who will blame a government which in its attempt to resolve the problems affecting an entire country resorts to the same measures as are regarded as lawful by married people in the solution of a particular family difficulty? Who will prevent public authorities from favoring those contraceptive methods which they consider more effective? Should they regard this as necessary, they may even impose their use on everyone. It could well happen, therefore, that when people, either individually or in family or social life, experience the inherent difficulties of the divine law and are determined to avoid them, they may give into the hands of public authorities the power to intervene in the most personal and intimate responsibility of husband and wife.
HUMANAE VITAE
Catholic Ping - please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
This fellow has a Ph.D. in English.
1. He should stick to teaching English. His logic and moral theology are sorely wanting.
2. He really ought to take a refresher course in writing.
"...the flowering of the work of the Second Vatican Council"
It is one of the sad results of this heretical council that demons like Kerry, Kennedy and Pelosi can maintain their beliefs and still call themselves Catholic!
Kerry isn't getting the Catholic Vote!
President Bush and John Kerry: On the Issues Important to Catholics
"Seismic" Catholic Shift to Bush [Insight ]
Analyst cites abortion stance as some Catholic voters shift to Bush
Poll: Catholics Trending Towards Bush
Kerry Losing Ground Among White Catholics
Voting Our Conscience, Not Our Religion [Catholic Prof Says "Vote Kerry"]
Vatican: Kerry guilty of heresy; incurrs automatic excommunication
Should a Catholic Vote for Bush or Kerry?
Why is Bush getting the bishop's blessing?
Ambassador Ray Flynn in Cleveland 10/16/2004- "Vote 2004: The Catholic Factor"
John Kerry Flip-Flops on When to Use His Catholic Belief on Politics
Abortion is Turning Democrats Off to Kerry
Planned Parenthood Unveils TV Ads Backing John Kerry on Abortion
The army of God marching for Bush
The Catholics for Bush website is now live!
(Clinton Apointee Raymond)Flynn: Catholics must vote for culture of life
Priest: It's a sin to vote pro-choice