Bishop of Scranton pledges vigilance in correcting pro-choice Catholic politicians

CNA ^ | October 2, 2008

[NYer]

Bishop Joseph F. Martino

Scranton, PA, Oct 2, 2008 / 04:12 am (CNA).- Bishop Joseph F. Martino of the Diocese of Scranton has directed a pastoral letter on pro-life matters to be read at all weekend Masses of the upcoming Respect Life Weekend, saying Catholic efforts on such issues have “more significance than ever.” Discussing the societal breakdown in the wake of the sexual revolution, Bishop Martino explains Catholic teaching, and pledges “vigilance” in correcting Catholic pro-abortion rights public figures.

The pastoral letter, which is also to be circulated with all parish bulletins this weekend, could have political ramifications for the Catholic vote in Pennsylvania, a key swing state in the 2008 presidential election.

In his letter Bishop Martino explained the origin of Respect Life Sunday in 1972, saying Catholics continue to observe the date with devotions and pro-life activities “in order to advance the culture of life.”

“Never have we seen such abusive criticism directed toward those who believe that life begins at conception and ends at natural death,” he remarked.

Noting Pope Paul VI’s 1968 predictions that widespread use of contraceptives would lead to increased marital infidelity, lessened regard for women, and a general lowering of moral standards especially among the young, he said the Pope’s teaching has proved accurate.

“As if following some bizarre script, the sexual revolution has produced widespread marital breakdown, weakened family ties, legalized abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, pornography, same-sex unions, euthanasia, destruction of human embryos for research purposes and a host of other ills,” Bishop Martino wrote.

Turning to abortion, he said laws that protect abortion “constitute injustice of the worst kind.” Saying science confirms that human life begins at conception, he denounced “several false claims” that the beginning of life is uncertain.

Because of abortion, the bishop wrote, “the weakest and most vulnerable are denied, because of their age, the most basic protection that we demand for ourselves. This is discrimination at its worst, and no person of conscience should support it.”

Noting that there are other important areas of political consideration, such as health care, education, economic security, immigration, and taxes, he stated “the solutions to problems in these areas do not usually involve a rejection of the sanctity of human life in the way that abortion does.” Being correct on other issues “fails to make up for the error of disregarding the value of a human life.”

“The finest health and education systems, the fairest immigration laws, and the soundest economy do nothing for the child who never sees the light of day,” Bishop Martino commented. “It is a tragic irony that ‘pro-choice’ candidates have come to support homicide – the gravest injustice a society can tolerate – in the name of ‘social justice’.”

“National Right to Life reports that 48.5 million abortions have been performed since 1973,” he continued. “One would be too many. No war, no natural disaster, no illness or disability has claimed so great a price.”

Bishop Martino explained that though the Church assists the State in promoting justice, her primary concern is to assist men and women in achieving salvation.

“For this reason, it is incumbent upon bishops to correct Catholics who are in error regarding these matters. Furthermore, public officials who are Catholic and who persist in public support for abortion and other intrinsic evils should not partake in or be admitted to the sacrament of Holy Communion,” he said, adding that he will be “vigilant” on this subject.

Bishop Martino characterized the Church’s role as that of a “prophet in our own country” reminding Americans of the Declaration of Independence’s assertion that all men are “created equal” with the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

“The Church’s teaching that all life from conception to natural death should be protected by law is founded on religious belief to be sure, but it is also a profoundly American principle founded on reason,” he continued. “Whenever a society asks its citizens to violate its own foundational principles – as well as their moral consciences – citizens have a right, indeed an obligation, to refuse.”

As an example of moral conscience, the bishop cited Bishop of Munster Gustave von Galen’s delivery of a 1941 homily condemning the Nazis’ murder of the mentally ill by euthanasia.

“My dear friends, I beg you not to be misled by confusion and lies,” Bishop Martino added. “Our Lord, Jesus Christ, does not ask us to follow him to Calvary only for us to be afraid of contradicting a few bystanders along the way. He does not ask us to take up his Cross only to have us leave it at the voting booth door.”

Noting Pope Benedict XVI’s comments that “God is so humble that he uses us to spread his Word,” the bishop said that Catholics are privileged to proclaim the “gospel of Life” which “resonates in the heart of every person – believer and non-believer – because it fulfills the heart’s most profound desire.”

“Let us with one voice continue to speak the language of love and affirm the right of every human being to have the value of his or her life, from conception to natural death, respected to the highest degree,” Bishop Martino concluded, exhorting his flock to pray the Rosary for “the strength and fortitude to uphold the truths of our faith and the requirements of our law to all who deny them.”

[NYer]

Catholic Ping
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[renosathug]

Heavily Catholic area, but as BLUE as the sky.

Probably a lot of voters are not voting FOR Obama as against the Bush Administration. Sad.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Beautiful letter. I hope we have something like that in our church...too many Bishops are too timid.

[ArrogantBustard]

On page 50 of the Democrat Party Platform, we find the following:

Choice

The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right.

The Democratic Party also strongly supports access to comprehensive affordable family planning services and age-appropriate sex education which empower people to make informed choices and live healthy lives. We also recognize that such health care and education help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and thereby also reduce the need for abortions.

The Democratic Party also strongly supports a woman’s decision to have a child by ensuring access to and availability of programs for pre- and post-natal health care, parenting skills, income support, and caring adoption programs.

A vote for a Democrat ... any Democrat ... is a vote for abortion.

[pray4liberty]

He does not ask us to take up his Cross only to have us leave it at the voting booth door.

May the Holy Spirit continue to speak boldly through this courageous Bishop. In the Name of Our Lord Jesus, Amen.

[Cricket24]

“Heavily Catholic area, but as BLUE as the sky.”

Just west of there (approx 50-60 miles) is all red though.

[pray4liberty]

A vote for a Democrat ... any Democrat ... is a vote for abortion.

A vote for evil is evil in itself.

[OPS4]

God Bless all who believe in the right to Life and all those who do not, please Lord take the scales off thier eyes.

[Cicero]

An excellent statement, that goes far beyond the kind of hedging we saw in the Bishops’ letter last summer, which condemned abortion but several times seemed to equate abortion with “racisim.”

As I said at the time, I’ll bet that was a compromise struck with the liberal bishops, who were pumping for Obama and the Democrats.

No, there has never been an election since Roe v. Wade where any Republican candidate threatened a grave evil “proportionate” to the abortion holocaust.

If anyone can be said to offer such a threat, it is Obama, who threatens to destroy America and the protection it offers Wester civilization against evil threats. In other words, you could argue that Obama represents a double evil.

[epow]

He does not ask us to take up his Cross only to have us leave it at the voting booth door.”

Amen to that, very well stated bishop.

According to a 2004 study I read there are roughly 190 million people in the US who are members of or attend at least 12 services per average year at either a Catholic, evangelical/fundamentalist, or mainline protestant denomination or church. If that figure is anywhere within the general area of being even half way accurate, why in God's holy name do we have a majority of pro-abortion members of Congress and the judiciary? How did those pro-abort lawmakers get where they are without the votes of millions of supposed-to-be Christians? Answer, they didn't.

For millions of professing Christians their union or the size of their their paycheck or the price of gas has more influence over who they vote for than their pastor's or priest's sermons on the ungodly evil of abortion, and for millions more "Christians" it's their investment portfolio, their business, or the state of the national economy that decides their vote. How are they any more obedient to the teaching of Christ and the church than the other 100 million Americans who make no pretense of being Christians?

My aunt was the pastor's secretary at a large suburban Protestant church when Clinton was running against Bush 41 in 1992. A prominent local businessman who was an official of some kind in the church asked her who she intended to vote for. Although she didn't think it was proper for him to ask she told him Bush, and then asked if he was for Bush as well and he said no, he was voting for Clinton. She then asked why he would vote for a pro-abortion president who would put pro-abortion judges and USSC Justices on the bench, and he said, look, my business is in trouble because of the bad economy and I need a president who can get the economy going again or I could lose my business.

My aunt was too polite to say what the was thinking, but I have to wonder how well his explanation will go over with Jesus Christ when he stands before His judgment seat.
Matt 8:36, " For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"

[kitkat]

***“As if following some bizarre script, the sexual revolution has produced widespread marital breakdown, weakened family ties, legalized abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, pornography, same-sex unions, euthanasia, destruction of human embryos for research purposes and a host of other ills,” Bishop Martino wrote.***

How right the Bishop is on the above, too. Free Sex! It was NEVER free, it caused so much pain to so many people. The only thing the Bishop didn’t mention is all the fatherless children as a result of the “sexual revolution.”

[kitkat]

NYer, thank you for this beautiful letter from the Bishop.

[epow]

BTW, the figure I quoted in #11 of 190 million nominal Christians in the US seems too high to me even though it came from what purports to be a well researched study. I probably should have checked out the people or organization who made the study, but even if you reduce it by 1/4 or 1/3 it’s still a very large percentage of the total population.

[NYer]

A vote for evil is evil in itself.

Be sure to share that thought with the Orthocox, Evangelical and mainstream Protestants and Jews who plan to vote for Obama.

[NYer]

For millions of professing Christians their union or the size of their their paycheck or the price of gas has more influence over who they vote for than their pastor's or priest's sermons on the ungodly evil of abortion, and for millions more "Christians" it's their investment portfolio, their business, or the state of the national economy that decides their vote.

This is an excellent commentary on the state of affairs amongst ALL christians today. While at church, they may profess one belief, once home, they exercise their total distrust in God, as evidenced from the story you cited. Thank you for the post!

[Salvation]

Another one to add to this list.

Updated: American Bishops who have spoken against Pelosi

Here is the complete list of American bishops who have responded to Nancy Pelosi's comments so far:

1. Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver was the first American bishop to respond
2. ... Bishop James Conley, his auxiliary, joined him
3. Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington DC responded twice, first in a press release and second in a statement to The Hill. He has also appeared on Fox News, I am told.
4. Cardinal Justin Regali of Philadelphia, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued this statement through the USCCB website...
5. ... Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, chairman of the Committee on Doctrine, joined him
6. Cardinal Edward Egan of New York publised a strongly worded statement of his own
7. Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo issued a letter correcting Pelosi's claims
8. Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh and...
9. ... Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs have chimed-in
10. Archbishop Jose Gomez of San Antonio, CNA reports has added his voice ...
11. ... Bishop Oscar Cantu, his auxiliary bishop, has joined him
12. Bishop William Murphy of Rockville has published an extensive letter
13. Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa has a detailed response
14. Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas has joined the USCCB's efforts
15. Bishop Gregory Aymond of Austin is on-board
16. Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston mentions the USCCB on his blog
17. Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando has written at length
18. Archbishop John Nienstedt of Saint Paul/Minneapolis challenges Pelosi's statement
19. Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the US Bishops, has weighed-in
20. Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, OR publishes in the Catholic Sentinel
21. Bishop Jerome Listecki of La Crosse, WI responds in a word document
22. Bishop Richard Lennon of Cleveland, OH will comment in his September 5th column (PDF)
23. Bishop Ralph Nickless of Sioux City, IA has one of the very best responses I've read
24. Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco has invited Pelosi to a "conversation"
25. Bishop Glen Provost, LA: "Catholic Church clear on when human life begins"
26. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn: "Judging the Candidates"

{Last updated on September 10th.}

Notes:

• Previous #23 has been removed. Bishop Joseph Gossman of Raleigh, NC is actually the bishop emeritus, and the new bishop, Michael Burbidge has not, to my knowledge, made a personal statement.
• Previous #16 has also been removed, it was an erroneous duplication of current #13.
• #26 was added September 10th, although he published his column September 6th