U.S. bishops issue strong retort to Catholic Democrats' conscience statement

The bishops of the United States have countered a “statement of principles” issued by 55 Catholic Democrats with a statement of their own by calling on all Catholics to “shape our consciences in accord with the moral teaching of the Church,” Our Sunday Visitor has learned.

“As the Church carries out its central responsibility to teach clearly and help form consciences, and as Catholic legislators seek to act in accord with their own consciences, it is essential to remember that conscience must be consistent with fundamental moral principles,” said the bishops’ statement, which was released March 10 on the website of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The “Statement on Responsibilities of Catholics in Public Life” was signed by Cardinal William Keeler of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities; Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C., chairman of the Task Force on Catholic Bishops; and Catholic Politicians; and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Domestic Policy.

Their 682-word document was a direct response to the 55 of 73 Catholic House Democrats’ statement last month that said while they seek the Church’s guidance on moral issues, they also believe “in the primacy of conscience” that can lead them to dissent from the Church’s position.

That statement, released Feb. 28 on the website of Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), was widely seen as a thinly veiled defense of Catholic legislators who support laws that protect or expand legal abortion.

The representatives said they “agree with the Catholic Church about the value of human life and the undesirability of abortion” and would work to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and promote alternatives to abortion. However, they also said they “acknowledge and accept the tension that comes with being in disagreement with the Church in some areas.”

The 55 Catholic legislators said they were “committed to making real the basic principles that are at the heart of Catholic social teaching,” including “helping the poor and disadvantaged,” “reducing the rising rates of poverty,” “pressing for increased access to health care” and “protecting the most vulnerable among us.”

But the bishops and the legislators, most of who support the pro-choice position on abortion, part company on whether unborn children must be counted among those most vulnerable and thus warrant legal protection.

“We encourage and will continue to work with those in both parties who seek to act on these essential principles in defense of the poor and vulnerable,” the bishops said. “At the same time, we also need to reaffirm the Catholic Church’s constant teaching that abortion is a grave violation of the most fundamental human right — the right to live that is inherent in all human beings and that grounds every other right we possess.”

The teaching of the Church, they said, “calls all Catholics to work actively to restrain, restrict and bring to an end the destruction of human life.”

The exchange of statements is in part a sequel to the very public debates that took place across the country during the national election of 2004 over the role of faith and conscience in arriving at political positions. The debate was sparked in part by the nomination of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), a Catholic who supports legal abortion, as the Democratic nominee for president.

While individual bishops have taken different stances on whether pro-choice Catholic politicians should be allowed to receive Communion, the U.S. bishops were unanimous in urging all Catholic politicians to form public policy positions that are informed by Catholic moral and social teachings.

“As bishops, we too are bound by our own consciences to teach faithfully and to recommit ourselves to continued reflection and discussion on how Catholic faith and public service can work together to promote human life and dignity and advance the common good,” their statement said. “Through dialogue, especially the irreplaceable dialogue between Catholic political leaders and their own bishops, we hope to promote a better understanding of how the Church’s teaching on human life and dignity challenges us all.”

Bishops' Statement on Responsibilities of Catholics in Public Life (March 10, 2006) (on the U.S. Bishops' web site)

Here is another article on how pro-choice politicians are excommunicated. (The person posting this blog entry for the magazine's blog is the author of the 1/17/06 WORLD story it refers to)...

January 09, 2004

Pro-abort politicians excommunicated

The new Roe v. Wade anniversary issue of WORLD details how church-discipline is being contemplated for politicians in pro-life churches who support the killing of the unborn. The Roman Catholic bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin, Raymond Burke, had issued stern warnings to two state legislators and one U.S. Congressman in his jurisdiction. Now he has taken the next step: They are excommunicated.

After the politicians spurned his pastoral letters and indignantly refused to meet with him, going public with the private exchange so as to create a media outcry, the bishop issued a binding decree, this time to all priests under his authority:

Catholic legislators who are members of the faithful of the diocenses of La Crosse and who continue to support procured abortion or euthanasia may not present themselves to receive Holy Communion. They are not to be admitted to Holy Communion, should they present themselves, until such time as they publicly renounce their support of these most unjust practices

"This is the first time this has ever happened in the history of the pro-life movement," said Judie Brown, president of the American Life League. Other Catholic pro-abortion activists have been disciplined, but never elected officials.

La Crosse is a small province, but the scope will soon get bigger. On January 26, Bishop Burke will be installed as the Archbishop of St. Louis, a far more powerful office in a region that has far more pro-abortion politicians. Posted by Veith at January 9, 2004 07:58 AM

More from the article...

Bishop Burke told a reporter that if the politicians did not change their pattern of voting, "I would simply have to ask them not to present themselves to receive the sacraments because they would not be Catholics in good standing."

This would be "self-excommunication." The step after that, presumably, according to historic Catholic practice, would be the formal rite of excommunication, in which the person would be ritually cast out of the church.

Bill Pascrell was on Religion On The Line yesterday.(WABC Radio) saying how he has sturggled with the issues and came about his decisions in good faith.
Here is his voting record for just some of the issues in three years. All I can say he he sould stop trying to be a "practicing" Catholic and become one.

Representative Bill Pascrell

Fetal Protection. HR 1997 (Roll Call 31 ) This bill made it a criminal offense to injure or kill a fetus during the commission of a violent crime. The bill was passed (254-163) ACU supported this bill This member voted in opposition to ACU's position

International Abortions. HR 1950 (Roll Call 362 This bill would maintain the long-standing ban on using taxpayer funds for international population organizations that promote abortion. ACU supported this amendment. It was adopted 216-211 on 15 July 2003. The bill was passed (216-211) ACU supported this bill This member voted in opposition to ACU's position

Military Abortions. HR 1588 (Roll Call 215) The House defeated this measure to allow abortions to be performed in U.S. military hospitals at taxpayers expense. ACU opposed the amendment. It was defeated 201-227 on 22 May 2003. The bill was defeated (201-227) ACU opposed this bill This member voted in opposition to ACU's position

Ban on Human Cloning. HR 534 (Roll Call 37) This "compromise" amendment would have allowed cloning of human embryos to initiate a pregnancy. ACU opposed the amendment. It was rejected174-231 on 27 February 2003. The bill was defeated (174-231) ACU opposed this bill This member voted in opposition to ACU's position

Pledge of Allegiance. HR 2028 (Roll Call 467) The House passed legislation preventing most federal courts from hearing cases challenging the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance. The bill was passed (247-173) ACU supported this bill This member voted in opposition to ACU's position

'Marriage Penalty' Relief. HR 4181 (Roll Call 138) This bill permanently eliminated provisions in the tax code penalizing two-income couples who marry. The bill was passed (323-95) ACU supported this bill This member voted in opposition to ACU's position

Court Review of Defense of Marriage Act. HR 3313 (Roll Call 410) The House passed legislation prohibiting the courts from reviewing a provision of the 1996 "Defense of Marriage Act" that allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriage licenses issued in other states or jurisdictions. The bill was passed (233-194) ACU supported this bill This member voted in opposition to ACU's position

Partial-Birth Abortion Ban. HR 4965 (Roll Call 343) The bill would ban the grisly abortion procedure known as "partial-birth abortion." ACU opposes this method of abortion and supported the bill, which passed by a vote of 275-151 on 24 July 2002. The bill was passed (275-151) ACU supported this bill This member voted in opposition to ACU's position

"Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban. S. 3 (Roll Call 530) This bill would ban "partial-birth" abortion, a procedure in which the baby is almost completely delivered, then killed. ACU supported the bill. It passed 281-142 on 2 October 2003. The bill was passed (281-142) ACU supported this bill This member voted in support of ACU's position

Religious Freedom. HR 2357 (Roll Call 429) The bill would restore the right of tax-exempt religious organizations to participate in politics, so long as such participation is not a "substantial part" of their work. ACU supported this effort to loosen government control over churches, but the bill The bill was defeated (178-239) ACU supported this bill This member voted in opposition to ACU's position

Fetal Protection HR 503 (Roll Call Vote No. 89 ) Passage of a bill making it a criminal offense to injure or kill a fetus during the commission of a violent crime. This bill excludes consensual abortion and the death penalty could not be imposed under the bill. The bill was defeated (252-172) ACU supported this bill This member voted in opposition to ACU's position

Family Planning Funding HR 1646 (Roll Call Vote No. 115 ) Hyde (R-IL) amdnement to the State Department Bill maintaining President George W. Bush's restrictions on funding for international family planning groups that provide abortion services, counseling or advocacy The bill was passed (218-210) ACU supported this bill This member voted in opposition to ACU's position

School Vouchers HR 1646 (Roll Call Vote No. 135 ) Armey (R-TX) amdnement to the Education Bill that would provide scholarships for students from consistently low-performing of dangerous schools. Scholarships could be used at private, including religious schools. The bill was defeated (155-273) ACU supported this bill This member voted in opposition to ACU's position

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