Catholic bishops plan to forcefully confront Obama

Chicago Tribune on-line ^ | November 11, 2008 | Manya Brachear, Tribune staff reporter

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

BALTIMORE - America's Roman Catholic bishops, long one of the leading political forces against abortion, vowed on Tuesday to accept no compromise for the sake of unity until there is legal protection for the unborn.

About 300 prelates gathered here for their national meeting adopted a formal blessing for a child in the womb and advised Chicago's Cardinal Francis George as he drafted a post-election letter to America's Catholics. The moves were meant to tell the incoming Obama administration, which supports keeping abortion legal, that the nation's Catholic bishops are stepping up their opposition to abortion.

"This is not a matter of political compromise or a matter of finding some way of common ground," said Bishop Daniel Conlon of Steubenville, Ohio. "It's a matter of absolutes. Either you didn't have slavery or you did have slavery. So it is with abortion."

Bishops Thomas Paprocki of Chicago said the Freedom of Choice Act could threaten conscience clauses, putting Catholic health care institutions in jeopardy.

"There are grave consequences," Paprocki said. "If Catholic hospitals were required by federal law to perform abortions, we'd have to close our hospitals."

[virgil]

The March for Life has got to be huge next year

[Antoninus]

Too much talk and too far past the election. And I AM a faithfully practicing Catholic.

Then you must have had your head in the sand over the past 6 months. By election day, over 100 bishops had spoken out forcefully on the election and abortion. Some, Like Bishop Gracida, went as far as naming names.

[Zionist Conspirator]

But doesn’t this criticism make the bishops “racists?” Especially since “people of color” seem so enamored of killing their children (way to show “whitey,” btw).

[traumer]

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

Yeah I’ve seen that also.

What people don’t realize that there are a LOT of people whom call themselves Catholic that don’t practice in any way shape or form.

If they polled Catholics whom attend Mass at least once a week the numbers would have been quite a bit different.

[mware]

I have decided to attend the march for life instead of CPAC this time around.

It will be something very special this year since the obama crowd will still be in the area.

I may take the train down if our parish does not have a bus going.

[Radl]

It wasn’t just Catholics that voted for him.

[Prole]

Exactly.

I want to see Joe Biden excommunicated IMMEDIATELY if not sooner.

[Mercat]

These guys are shocked, shocked, that Catholics voted for Obama? Give me a break! Bunch of liberal queens. I’m a practicing Catholic who is totally fed up with these guys.

[Emmett McCarthy]

I’m not unaware of them, but the Conference of Bishops meeting and speaking out would have gotten a lot more attention and I still have questions about the ACORN donations.

[jstolzen]

Well, as much as this is LONG overdue, I have to ask..what “teeth” does this have?

Will the Bishops finally do the right thing, and ex-communicate pro-abortion politicians? (They should). Refuse them Communion? (Ditto).

Doubt it. The Catholic Church is also a political entity IMHO (unfortunately), and they don’t want to “make too many waves”. Hence, the “wiffing” on REAL support for the unborn.

We’ve been attending Catholic Mass for over 15 years now..I think I can count on ONE hand the number of Homilies I’ve heard on the topic. What’s THAT tell ya?

[IrishCatholic]

Who will know about it?
Two gay protesters on the Supreme Court steps will get wall to wall coverage.
Hundreds of thousands marching for life won’t get a mention.

[VRWCer]

They’ve made this Catholic proud. God Bless them!!!

[Americanchild]

Bye bye tax exempt status.

I really hate this excuse. A church has every right to preach what it believes! Like it or not, some politicians are going to disagree. So what? Is a church supposed to keep silent about what it sees as evil? They may as well all close if that's the case.

[Safrguns]

Yeah... what are they gonna do now? hold up a cross and bag of garlic cloves???

Not to belittle bishops, but what kind of clout do they think they really have with this guy???

They should have forced the issue with voters a LONG TIME AGO!
OHHH... but nooooo.... gotta protect that precious tax free status of the church now dont we? Just like the Trinity Church of Christ and Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam protects theirs right???

Give me a break.

[teletech]

Either we Christians serve God or we serve man. We can’t have it both ways.

[Mmmike]

Yes, and in general we need to conspicuously affirm our religious faith in public, rejecting the secular ideology that casts a presumptive shade of suspicion over anything “religious”. As always, the Christmas season is probably the most effective time to do so.

[Just Lori]

"If Catholic hospitals were required by federal law to perform abortions, we'd have to close our hospitals."

Well, of course! Those closed hospitals will be reopened under the National Health Care Act! Just don't expect to be paid for the buildings or the equipment therein.

[Just Lori]

Yer kiddin’, right? These men have had their heads firmly planted in the sand for decades.

If they’re finally waking up, great. However, sometimes “late” is “too late”.

[frogjerk]

I’m not unaware of them, but the Conference of Bishops meeting and speaking out would have gotten a lot more attention and I still have questions about the ACORN donations.

The Catholic Bishops have asked the FBI to investigate ACORN's relationship with the CCHD.