Posted on 03/02/2007 5:53:43 AM PST by NYer
PORTLAND, OR, March 1, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - "It is categorically impossible for the same person to state that he or she believes simultaneously both what the Catholic Church teaches and that abortion is just a choice," says Bishop Robert Vasa in a column released today by the Catholic Sentinel, the diocesan newspaper of the Archdiocese of Portland and the Diocese of Baker.
Although Vasa, the Bishop of Baker, did not mention her by name, he was referring in his column to Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi specifically, and to all politicians of a similar ilk in general.
"Some months ago a prominent Catholic public person," says Vasa, "described as faithful to the church, was asked if being pro-choice or pro-abortion was an issue which conflicted with the Catholic Faith." He goes on to quote verbatim what Nancy Pelosi stated in a highly publicized interview with Newsweek in October last year. "To me it isn't even a question. God has given us a free will. We're all responsible for our actions. If you don't want an abortion, you don't believe in it, [then] don't have one. But don't tell somebody else what they can do in terms of honoring their responsibilities."
Vasa then adds a comment by Pelosi's daughter Alexandra Pelosi, calling her only a "close relative" of the unnamed prominent Catholic. Alexandra was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle on January 17 as saying that according to her Catholic school education neither abortion nor homosexuality were wrong, "They were just choices."
"It seems to me that there are just choices and there are unjust choices," counters Bishop Vasa. "Choices would be the preference for chocolate ice cream over vanilla ice cream or sherbet instead of ice cream. That is just a choice."
"A just choice would be to choose to pay a fair and living wage to employees as opposed to simply meeting the mandatory standard of minimum wage laws," he wrote. "An unjust choice would be to choose to terminate the life of another human being. This is not just a choice and it is not a just choice; it is an unjust choice."
"Furthermore it is an unjust choice which is diametrically opposed to the clear and consistent teaching of the Catholic Church as well as to the clear and consistent teaching of God Himself in the Ten Commandments. The direct, intentional taking of the life of an innocent human being is inhumane and unjust. It is not just a choice!," wrote the Bishop.
Although not referenced in Bishop Vasa's column, the younger Pelosi commented about her mother to the Chronicle saying: "My mother, throughout her entire life, has been faithful o the Church, even though the Church has not been that faithful to her because of her politics. And I think that takes a lot of perseverance. And still, people protest her right to go to her own church."
Bishop Vasa concludes his column "It is categorically impossible for the same person to state that he or she believes simultaneously both what the Catholic Church teaches and that abortion is just a choice."
See Bishop Vasa's full column:
http://www.sentinel.org/articles/2007-9/15257.html
See the San Francisco Chronicle article in question:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/17/...
See the Newsweek interview with Pelosi:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15387929/site/newsweek/ ;
Sounds like a condition of membership. As used to be commonly said (but no more), hey!, it's a free country! Nancy is free to associate with a church that doesn't place that condition on membership. And the church is free to accept or decline membership as it pleases as well. Or have we come to the point where there is no longer any such thing as voluntary association?
The bishop, bless him, makes a superb point here.
But Ms. Pelosi is a priestess of the Church of Liberalism, and that faith holds that anything is Oh-Kee-Doh-Kee. Period.
A Catholic who is pro-abortion is like a Red Sox' fan who roots for the Yankees. Even when the Yankees are playing the Red Sox.
Good for the Archbishop, but how long till charges are filed? I am only half kidding.
Ah, yes! The church that should be loyal to its heretics...
My, the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree... Perhaps in this case, a Durian fruit would be an appropriate anaolgy.
And if you don't know what it is, do a quick internet search... ;)
Pelosi is a heretic, Monsignor...
So, do you have the backbone to
excommunicate her?
Uh, hasn't Kerry and Teddy been getting away with the same thing?
"even though the Church has not been that faithful to her because of her politics."
So....the Church has to accommodate her beliefs, she doesn't have to accommodate the Church beliefs? What does Catholic mean then? Can one call themself a Catholic and believe as a Baptist? Jewish? muslim?
The Church is what it is. It need not be "faithful" to her beliefs or politics.
and no, i'm not a Catholic.
"Sounds like a condition of membership."
You are close, but I think the concept of "membership" is wrong.
Being a member of something implies a choice, true, but it does not convey the sacrosanct beliefs implicit in religion.
Not to be nitpicky ( -; I think adherent or follower would be a better description. If Pelosi and daughter adhered or followed Catholicism, they could not make statements opposed to the tenets and remain followers.
She is excommuncated 'latae sententiae'.
Stated purely for political reasons. She's not thinking of her faith she is thinking of VOTES! Apparently her Catholic faith is not something she thinks about very deeply. Go figure!
Not really, I don't think priestess Nancy believes that the woman who has the right to choose to kill her baby, has the right to choose to carry a gun to defend herself.
"A Catholic who is pro-abortion is like a Red Sox' fan who roots for the Yankees. Even when the Yankees are playing the Red Sox"
OOoooh! I like that!
Mind if I steal it and pass it on?
*APPLAUSE* Should be repeated loudly and often. Hypocrites!
"Not really, I don't think priestess Nancy believes that the woman who has the right to choose to kill her baby, has the right to choose to carry a gun to defend herself."
I hadn't considered that particular hypocricy before.
Excellent point!
women must "defend" themselves from these little babies/burdens, but should not be able to take out a would be rapist.
Sure. Just send a dollar to my PayPal account every time you use it. :)
Niederauer should be excommunicated too.
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