South Dakota Bishop Challenges Daschle-NARAL Letter

Last week, the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) sent out by e-mail a national fundraising appeal written on NARAL's behalf by Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D, South Dakota). The text of the Daschle-NARAL letter appears at the bottom of this e-mail.

In response, the Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota (the western portion of the state), ordered the following letter to be read at all Catholic masses over this past weekend. In the Senate race in South Dakota, incumbent Democratic Senator Tim Johnson, who has voted to endorse Roe v. Wade and in favor of other pro-abortion legislation, is being challenged by pro-life Congressman John Thune (R). For further information on these matters, respond to this e-mail or call 202-626-8820.

Statement by Bishop Blase Cupich read at masses in the Diocese of Rapid City during the weekend of November 2-3, 2002

This Thursday, October 31, I learned that Senator Tom Daschle wrote a letter encouraging financial contributions to the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, NARAL, specifically as a means of helping it support the election of candidates with pro-abortion positions. In reading the letter carefully, it is clear that the senator has not only aligned himself with the strident position of NARAL, but he has also made abortion THE issue of this year's campaign.

Those who have known the senator for years consider this very public action a major shift in his moral position on this important issue. The senator regrettably has crossed the line and I cannot let it go unanswered.

My brother bishops and I have encouraged our people and all voters to form their consciences by taking into consideration all the issues that promote the dignity of the human person: bringing human life safely into the world and protecting it until natural death; educating and forming children; ensuring the rights of all to dignified labor, especially the immigrant and the marginalized; caring for the sick and elderly; respecting the prisoner and the stranger; protecting human life in our streets; and, most importantly, in the womb.

However, since Senator Daschle has now decided to frame this year's election uniquely as a referendum on abortion, he should know that there are citizens of good will in both parties who reject this extreme position and who cannot let it go unchallenged.

Catholic people are not single issue voters. We do care about the sick and the elderly, the homeless, the poor, education, security and world peace. But if the senator, as the leader of his party, wants to make abortion the single issue in this year's election, then we are ready to let him and those who support him know this week and in the months and years to come where we stand.

We know you are receiving many e-mails from NARAL during this election season. That's because pro-choice leadership of the Senate hangs in the balance. We appreciate your patience and support.

Rarely has so much been at stake for a woman’s right to choose in a U.S. Senate Election. If you and thousands of other pro-choice Americans like you don’t act today by giving to NARAL’s Save the Senate Campaign, the U.S. Senate could fall into anti-choice hands on November 6th - the first day after the election.

Anti-choice forces are organizing and mobilizing right now to defeat champions of reproductive rights, champions like Missouri Senator Jean Carnahan. The U.S. Senate’s pro-choice leadership cannot afford to lose an ally like Senator Carnahan. Please help now by making a donation to NARAL.

Maureen, right now, this - and several other key elections for pro-choice candidates – is too close to call, and pollsters say there is a strong chance we won’t know who will retain Senate leadership until late on Election Night. I’ve seen the difference NARAL can make, and I believe you and countless others can help Senator Carnahan and other pro-choice candidates facing tough races. If you make an urgent donation to NARAL’s Save the Senate Campaign today, it will make an important difference for these candidates. Just click here to make an immediate impact.

The Republican leadership in the U.S. Senate has said they plan to call for the immediate swearing-in of staunchly anti-choice Jim Talent (R) if he defeats Senator Carnahan (D) - even if Democrats maintain their majority after the election. So, we must succeed in getting out the pro-choice vote in this and other key states where pro-choice leadership could be lost.

Because Jean Carnahan is serving as an appointed Senator in place of her late husband, Mel Carnahan, Missouri’s current governor could be forced to immediately swear in Jim Talent, a strongly anti-choice conservative. This blatantly political maneuver would end our ability to protect a woman’s right to choose from harmful legislation.

As the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, I’ve stood up for a woman’s right to choose, and the pro-choice leadership of the Senate has made a difference by safeguarding women’s rights from the anti-choice agenda of the Bush administration. Please give to NARAL today, so NARAL can mobilize the resources to get out the pro-choice vote on Election Day.

In 2000, NARAL helped defeat John Ashcroft in his bid for re-election to the U.S. Senate thus putting Jean Carnahan in the Senate, and NARAL is even more committed to maintaining pro-choice leadership of the Senate this year. But none of us can do it without your help. Please click here now to give to NARAL.

And, if you haven't already, please tell your friends and colleagues how they can help keep pro-choice leadership in the Senate - click here.

If you would like to unsubscribe from NARAL's Choice Action Network, or update your account settings, please click here.

Pro-life Awareness Raised for Elections in U.S.
Candidates' Positions Listed on Web Site

DENVER, Colorado, NOV. 4, 2002 (Zenit.org).- On the eve of elections that could affect pro-life legislation and policy in the United States, Catholics were being urged not to leave their faith out of Tuesday's voting.

"There can never be a 'wall of separation' between our religious faith and our civic choices," said Archbishop Charles Chaput, in a letter read at Masses over the weekend.

"In the Scriptures today, God tells us that, 'A great King am I, the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations,'" the letter said. "If we really believe in the God we worship, then we must always be Catholic Christians first; we must always follow Jesus Christ and his Church first -- and only because of that, do we have anything valuable to offer to the political and economic life of our nation."

"We get the elected officials we deserve," the archbishop's letter continued. "We'll be judged by the choices we make. In every election year, every Catholic who can vote has the serious obligation to do so. And in this election year especially, where some candidates clearly disregard the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death, we need to build the culture of life by our actions. Before we vote, we need to remember our faith, and we need to act accordingly."

One political action committee, the We Vote Pro-Life PAC has set up a Web page that summarizes pro-life positions, candidate by candidate, state by state.

The page is at http://www.wevoteprolife.com

yes, I agree, have you signed the petition???

You can't be Catholic and Pro Abortion

http://www.nccbuscc.org/prolife/gospel.htm

Sign Petition to Excommunicate Ted Kennedy, Tom Daschle, etc.

http://www.cathfam.org/cfexcom/Excom.html

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200107/CUL20010717b.html

http://www.nrlc.org/Federal/Scorecard/index.html

http://capwiz.com/nrlc/election/

http://www.dailycatholic.org/issue/2001Apr/2001hh.htm

http://www.nrlc.org/Federal/Scorecard/

107th Congress 2001-2002

http://capwiz.com/nrlc/scorecard/?chamber=H&session=107&x=13&y=8

106th Congress 1999-2000

http://capwiz.com/nrlc/scorecard/?chamber=H&session=106&x=13&y=18

105 Congress 1997-1998

http://capwiz.com/nrlc/scorecard/?chamber=H&session=105&x=17&y=12

House of Representatives

http://www.dailycatholic.org/house.htm

Senate

http://www.dailycatholic.org/hhsengov.htm

http://www.nrlc.org/Federal/Scorecard/index.html

http://www.nrlc.org/Federal/Scorecard/senatescores.html

106th Congress 1999-2000

http://capwiz.com/nrlc/scorecard/?chamber=S&session=106&x=17&y=17

105th Congress, 1997-1998

http://capwiz.com/nrlc/scorecard/?chamber=S&session=105&x=18&y=14

Massachusetts

Kennedy, E. (D) 0%

Kerry, J. (D) 0%

South Dakota

Daschle (D) 11%

Johnson, T. (D) 11%

Can. 1398 -- A person who procures a successful abortion incurs an automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication.

The Latin original reads: Can. 1398 -- Qui abortum procurat, effectu secuto, in excommunicationem latae sententiae incurrit.

An excommunication is the heaviest spiritual sanction the Church can render. So long as it is in force, it bars the excommunicated person from the church community and from receiving most of the sacraments, as well as from all public associations affiliated with the Church. An automatic (or "latae sententiae") excommunication is an especially severe penalty. The nine or so latae sententiae excommunications in the Code are reserved for use against certain things the Church particularly wants to deter, like assaulting the pope (can.1370) and priests divulging matters heard in the confessional (can.1388). Most excommunications can only follow a tribunal trial (can. 1425, §1, 2°). But latae sententiae penalties operate like a bill of attainder in that there is no "process" for their imposition--the fact that the person voluntarily performed the proscribed act, in the absence of some exception provided in the law, means the penalty is incurred. An excommunication can usually be lifted by the local bishop (the "local ordinary") and sometimes by a priest during confession (can. 1354-1357).

The 1917 Code had a similar provision:

Canon 2350, §1 -- Persons who procure abortion, mothers not excepted, automatically incur excommunication reserved to the Ordinary at the moment the crime takes effect: if they are clerics, they shall also be deposed.

Though it is clear enough the Church has always regarded abortion as a serious sin, it was not always accorded a penal sanction in Canon Law equal to that given homicide (nor is it now, see can.1397, supra).

The first papal canon, Effraenatam, that universally imposed a penal penalty of excommunication for abortion was issued by Sixtus V in 1588. It applied to all abortions and was reserved to the Holy See. In 1591, the law was modified by Gregory XIV so that the penalty would not apply when a fetus was not "animated" or "ensouled" under the Aristo-Aquinan theory of when human life begins (not before 40 days) and gave the local bishops control of these cases. This was motivated, at least in part, by the sheer volume of litigation the law had produced ("reserved to the Holy See" meant that each case had to be taken to Rome for the excommunication to be lifted). In 1869, Pius IX rescinded the animation exception. The canons of the 1917 and 1983 Codes apply to all direct abortions. Abortions incident to otherwise lawful medical care that is required to save the life of the mother (e.g. chemotherapy, hysterectomy of a cancerous uterus) are given an interpretive exception from the rule under the priciple of "double effect."

As in all penal laws there are qualifications as to who is subject to a law--Canon 1321, and following, of the 1983 Code makes such provisions.

Irregularity

From the earliest days of the Church, men who had shed human blood, no matter how justifiable or blameless the act may have been, were excluded from entering the priesthood (e.g., Decretum Gratiani by Pope Innocent I in the year 404). This traditionally embraced abortion as a form of homicide. However, in 1211, Pope Innocent III issued the decree Sicut ex, which limited the irregularity incurred from abortion to abortions involving a fetus that was not "animated" or "ensouled." This exception was subsequently abrogated as both of the modern codes have provisions that apply to all abortions (can. 985, §4 in the 1917 Code, and can.1041, 4° in the 1983 Code).

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