Posted on 10/29/2004 4:50:14 AM PDT by SLB
CHEYENNE (AP) -- A Roman Catholic congregation is being told that voting for pro-choice candidates in next week's election would be a mortal sin.
The Rev. Tom Cronkleton, of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, said he has a moral obligation to remind his parishioners of their duty as citizens and as Catholics to vote for people who will represent them.
"There are five pre-eminent issues -- abortion, euthanasia, fetal stem-cell research, human cloning and so-called homosexual marriage," Cronkleton said. "How the candidates stand is a reason to vote for or against them."
In a bulletin insert on Sunday, Cronkleton said, "Being a Catholic sometimes is difficult, and being a Catholic voter is not an exception. We have to live by faith and moral principles and not by political affiliation or personal like or dislike."
He encouraged the congregation to stop by the church to pray before voting.
But at least one member of the congregation dislikes being told how to vote.
Joan Easley said at least one person walked out of the church during Sunday's sermon, and she would have walked out had she not been there with her 80-year-old mother.
"It was disturbing," she said. "I don't support abortion, but I also don't support going over and bombing and blowing up families either."
A lifelong Catholic, Easley said it is not the first time she has felt out of synch with the church's positions. But she said she has dealt with her disagreements quietly.
"They (the church) are the ones who have introduced me to the love of Jesus Christ, and I feel that they have the ability to give me the complete faith," she said.
"As far as the church doctrines, sometimes I have a problem with them. But you've got to suck that kind of stuff up."
But the language she heard Sunday was too hard to swallow.
"They're actually putting their personal feelings on our religion," she said. "I don't think we should be judged on the personal feelings of a priest."
As a nonprofit organization, the church walks a fine line in its ability to speak to voters about the morality of their choices. The Internal Revenue Service does not permit nonprofit groups to endorse candidates or try to influence the outcome of elections.
A Roman Catholic pro-choice group based in Washington, D.C., Catholics for a Free Choice, has gone on the offensive against the archdiocese in Denver to try to halt its expressions of politics from the pulpit. The group is challenging the archdiocese's tax-exempt status.
"Nonprofits can't get away with this by avoiding the candidate's name and using the word 'pro-life,'" said the group's president, Frances Kissling. "There are two candidates -- one is pro-life and one is pro-choice. By saying to vote pro-life, they have said to vote for George Bush.
"If they say you cannot vote pro-choice, that is a statement of opposition, and that is illegal."
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
This has always been the Church's position when the choice is between a pro-life and a pro-abortion candidate.
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
Oops, sorry about the double post. It didn't show up for a long time.
my daughter is a sophomore in an allgirls private catholic HS in DC. she brought the catechism into class today to discuss that very passage because their discussion of this issue on Weds in religion class did NOT reference the cathechism. it is taught by a NUN! my daughter set them straight in there today.
The Church says that direct abortion is not permitted, under any circumstances.
Does George W. Bush allow for exceptions to the Church's position on abortion? Yes, or no?
Is the child aborted after an incestuous act any less dead than the child aborted through convenience?
My point, Siobhan, is that it is too facile to simply declare that anyone who votes for John Kerry is in mortal sin and one who votes for George W. Bush is not.
I support George W. Bush and have already voted for him, and believe he is pro-life compared to Kerry. But he is not 100% pro-life, according to the Church. You can call this "word games" if you wish, but the teaching of the Church is clear.
Bishop Loverde of the Arlington diocese in this week's pastoral letter to the faithful about the election in the Arlington Catholic Herald, says YOU CANNOT BE A FAITHFUL CATHOLIC AND BE PRO-CHOICE. says it clearly and unambiguously.
To vote any other way has to be wrong in God's Eyes and their Church's Eyes.
In government, politics, and civil discourse, the Church teaches us not to expect 100 per cent conformity with the teachings of the Church but to work with those who cooperate with the Church's teachings to the highest possible level. Your focus on the difference between the Church's teaching and Bush's position is in some sense antithetical to the Church's ultimate goal with regard to the Gospel of Life, the ending of abortion, and the process of alliance and support with those outside the Church who share a certain commonality in recognizing the Life issues and working toward the highest possible common goal. The clearest point is that Kerry the Catholic is in total opposition to the Church's teachings and goals and voting for him is a danger for us all.
Excellent news!
Give your daughter a high-five and a thumbs-up for me. I am so proud of her!
God bless both of you!
No. I was not. I was establishing the fact that neither Kerry nor Bush adhere fully to the Church's position on abortion, though Bush represents it more than Kerry.
Your focus on the difference between the Church's teaching and Bush's position is in some sense antithetical to the Church's ultimate goal with regard to the Gospel of Life, the ending of abortion, and the process of alliance and support with those outside the Church who share a certain commonality in recognizing the Life issues and working toward the highest possible common goal.
There IS a difference between Bush's position and the Church's position, which is why no priest or bishop can declare that those who vote for a Democrat in this election is committing a mortal sin, especially since it's possible, according to the Church, to vote for pro-choice politicians when they're running against each other.
thanks!!
AmChurch fades. Sea change for the Church. A tough time for those nursed on the zeitgeist of Vatican II.
On what basis? There must be a proportionate reason. There was a pro-life candidate running in that election, as well.
Every household should have a catechism. (You just gave me a great idea for what I can give all my kids for Christmas!)
As I said before! God bless!
Unless someone can come up with a proportionate reason for doing so, I cannot agree.
Well, you and I disagree on this. No pastor should presume to declare someone in mortal sin when even the Church itself is not willing to go that far.
McClintock had zero chance of winning that election. A vote for McClintock was a vote for Cruz.
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