The Pope, the President, and the Right to Life

Pope Francis and President Obama met in Rome today, and the meeting has naturally generated commentary, both before and after the fact, including by the President himself at the National Prayer Breakfast last month.

I am confident that the meeting itself will bear good fruit. I am not so confident that the commentary about it will bear as much fruit.

What I mean is that I believe we are heading for a media and blogosphere circus in which commentary after commentary will reinforce the error that we can promote “human rights” and “social justice” while ignoring the most fundamental right of the most vulnerable people: the right to life of the children in the womb.

It’s not because I think the Pope or his advisors aren’t fully committed to protecting them. They certainly are. And I have had the privilege of conversing with the Pope about the pro-life efforts of the Church.

But there is a profound contradiction between Obama’s position in favor of abortion and the Church’s position against it, and my concern arises from the fact that so much commentary makes light of this contradiction, either by saying it’s not important, or by pretending it’s not there.

I agree completely! Even Obama and his cronies MUST admit - if they are being honest (IF) - that the right to life comes before any other rights. It becomes pointless to ruminate about poverty and social justice if the poor and socially unjustified have no life to begin with. Planned Parenthood began with the idea of eugenics - eliminating the poor, the downcast, the dregs of society and presuming that everything else in the world would be wonderful once that "element" was removed. It was a demonic pipe dream then and still is today - no matter who is puffing it.

Unfortunately, the Pope and President never discussed Life issues. Just their common views on Liberation Theology. Did you see the article on how Obama got his community organizer start with the help of the Chicago archdiocese?

Actually, you're wrong. From the Holy See:

This morning, 27 March 2014, the Hon. Barack H. Obama, President of the United States of America, was received in audience by His Holiness Pope Francis, after which he met with His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States. During the cordial meetings, views were exchanged on some current international themes and it was hoped that, in areas of conflict, there would be respect for humanitarian and international law and a negotiated solution between the parties involved.
In the context of bilateral relations and cooperation between Church and State, there was a discussion on questions of particular relevance for the Church in that country, such as the exercise of the rights to religious freedom, life and conscientious objection, as well as the issue of immigration reform. Finally, the common commitment to the eradication of trafficking of human persons in the world was stated.

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