Among Catholics, Political Rifts Over Abortion Have Grown

The Washington Post ^ | Sunday, October 19, 2008 | Krissah Williams Thompson and Jacqueline L. Salmon

[presidio9]

Mary Anne Burke's voice was full of emotion as she left her 31st message of the night, this one for a parishioner of the Church of Immaculate Conception.

"I'm a member of Our Lady Help of Christians in Abington," she said, "calling with a request that you support McCain-Palin on one nonnegotiable issue. The issue is life -- life from birth to death. Hopefully, prayerfully, you will consider it."

Burke, 76, a volunteer for the Pro-Life Union of Southeastern Pennsylvania, has been an active opponent of abortion rights for three decades, but "it's never been this intense," she said, putting the phone down. "They are muddying it up."

By "they," she means Democrats who are reaching out more aggressively to Catholics than she can ever remember. Rather than argue over the morality of abortion, these Democrats contend that the church's teachings on social justice and such issues as poverty, the environment, health care and unjust warfare should guide Catholic voters as much as abortion.

The Democratic effort includes antiabortion Catholic scholars who have come out in favor of Sen. Barack Obama, a proliferation of progressive Catholic organizations that have sprung up contending that Catholic teachings do not forbid voting for a pro-choice politician, and such high-profile Catholic Democrats as Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., the party's vice presidential nominee, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

"The stakes here are just so much greater," said Alan Wolfe, director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life at Boston College. "If you're one of those Catholics who makes abortion the absolute priority -- the issue of all issues -- and Obama wins, you could say goodbye for the rest of your life to Roe v. Wade being overturned.

-SNIP-

[presidio9]

For the record, when liberal reporters suggest that there is division among Catholics about abortion, they are not telling the whole story. People who call themselves "Catholic" are opposed to abortion by about 55% to 45% percent. However, about 80% of people who go to Church (in other words, "actual Catholics") oppose all forms of abortion, and about 90% oppose it with the exceptions for rape, incest, and the "health" of the mother. Catholicism is not an ethnicity. Nobody is born Catholic. Nobody stays Catholic unless they practice it. And if you are a politician who facilitates abortion, you are no longer practicing Catholicism. It is entirely possible to stop being a Catholic whithout even realizing it. And that's exactly what happened to Joe Biden, and Nancy Pelosi, and a lot of the other Democrat "Catholics" this article mentioned.

[prolifefirst]

Right now I can’t bear being around my parents and siblings mostly for stuff like this.

[Mrs.Z]

Unfortunately Obama says over and over that he is pro-life, the MSM covers up his actual position, and the gullible public swallows it all.

I hope to see even more of the leadership of the Catholic Church hold up the truth about Obama/Biden.

[FormerLib]

This just isn’t surprising here in the US. Far too many Christians believe they can pick-and-choose what Christian teachings they will follow and those which they can cast aside.

The Roman Catholic Church is an easy target for this sort of journalism because the Church leadership will not waiver from their traditional teachings and that makes the Leftist journalists very, very angry.

[madprof98]

Catholics are fairly divided over the issue of legalized abortion, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, with slightly more saying it should be legal in most or all cases.

Apparently they only polled Catholic politicians.

[353FMG]

“It is entirely possible to stop being a Catholic whithout even realizing it. And that’s exactly what happened to Joe Biden, and Nancy Pelosi..”

Not so — they knowingly gave unto Ceasar more than Ceasar is worth. It’ll bite them in the ass in the end, and they know it. I want to see them if they’re still convinced on their deathbeds. Hopefully, just like Voltaire, who maligned the Catholic Church all his life was screaming for a priest in the end they will have one at their sides. However, they’d better not bet their asses on it.

[Ann Archy]

Are your parents Pro-Abortion?

[prolifefirst]

Are your parents Pro-Abortion?

They would say they are except when it inconveniences them or their family or friends.

[pray4liberty]

Send them this:

http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=30132

If they persist in their sin, their blood will not be on your hands. I am your witness.

[presidio9]

ping

[Ann Archy]

When a child finds out their mother is Pro-Choice (pro-ABortion)it can cause a “seed of doubt”. Very sad for you.

See my tagline.

[wagglebee]

Moral Absolutes Ping!

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[wagglebee]

Pinged from Terri Dailies

[informavoracious]

I loathe the eupemism abortion ‘rights.’ Natural and Supernatural law give you no such ‘right.’

[informavoracious]

eupemism=euphemism

sigh

[MHGinTN]

Placemarker

[informavoracious]

"I have trouble being around my parents and siblings..."

Our Lord Jesus Christ said it would be thus.

[presidio9]

I loathe the eupemism abortion ‘rights.’ Natural and Supernatural law give you no such ‘right.’

Good news: It's no longer "abortion rights." It's not "right to reproductive privacy."

[RKBA Democrat]

What a bunch of bull. What rift? If you’re a practicing Catholic, the chances are overwhelming that you’re against infanticide as well.

This article is a red herring designed to provide psychological cover to former Catholics who want to vote for pro-infanticide politicians.

[SunkenCiv]

What the free market needs
[no President Obama]
Los Angeles Times | October 21, 2008 | Claire Berlinski
Posted on 10/21/2008 8:31:26 AM PDT by nosofar
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2111199/posts

Obama to hold jobs summit in Fla. with governors
AP | 10-21-2008 | JENNIFER LOVEN
Posted on 10/21/2008 1:54:17 AM PDT by My Favorite Headache
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2110975/posts