"...The fundamental good is life itself, a gift from God and our parents. A good state protects the lives of all. Legal protection for those members of the human family waiting to be born in this country was removed when the Supreme Court decided Roe vs. Wade in 1973. This was bad law. The danger the Bishops see at this moment is that a bad court decision will be enshrined in bad legislation that is more radical than the 1973 Supreme Court decision itself."
"In the last Congress, a Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) was introduced that would, if brought forward in the same form today, outlaw any "interference" in providing abortion at will. It would deprive the American people in all fifty states of the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry. FOCA would coerce all Americans into subsidizing and promoting abortion with their tax dollars. It would counteract any and all sincere efforts by government and others of good will to reduce the number of abortions in our country."
"Parental notification and informed consent precautions would be outlawed, as would be laws banning procedures such as partial-birth abortion and protecting infants born alive after a failed abortion. Abortion clinics would be deregulated. The Hyde Amendment restricting the federal funding of abortions would be abrogated. FOCA would have lethal consequences for prenatal human life."
FOCA would have an equally destructive effect on the freedom of conscience of doctors, nurses and health care workers whose personal convictions do not permit them to cooperate in the private killing of unborn children. It would threaten Catholic health care institutions and Catholic Charities. It would be an evil law that would further divide our country, and the Church should be intent on opposing evil."
On this issue, the legal protection of the unborn, the bishops are of one mind with Catholics and others of good will. They are also pastors who have listened to women whose lives have been diminished because they believed they had no choice but to abort a baby. Abortion is a medical procedure that kills, and the psychological and spiritual consequences are written in the sorrow and depression of many women and men. The bishops are single-minded because they are, first of all, single-hearted."
The recent election was principally decided out of concern for the economy, for the loss of jobs and homes and financial security for families, here and around the world. If the election is misinterpreted ideologically as a referendum on abortion, the unity desired by President-elect Obama and all Americans at this moment of crisis will be impossible to achieve. Abortion kills not only unborn children; it destroys constitutional order and the common good, which is assured only when the life of every human being is legally protected. Aggressively pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion...."
Catholic ping!
Blame the 45% or more Catholics who voted for the baby killer. Hypocrites. Sadly for the bishops and cardinals about half of the congregation are morons.
Unborn baby ping!
Does this mean that the bishops will excommunicate any Catholic representatives or senators who vote for such a bill? Not just tell them that they shouldn't receive Communion, but formally excommunicate them?
FOCA -- especially if it overrides conscientious objection -- is part of the hubris that will put an end to Obamamania.
I fear that the Catholic church is quietly experiencing the same kind of schism that the Episcopal church is having. Over half of American Catholics defied the church in voting for Obama. In doing so, a case could be made that they have accepted Obama as an anti-pope.
It is not just unfortunate heterodoxy, is has, or soon it shall have reached the point of heresy.
Just today, a Maryknoll Priest defied the Holy Office in favor of advocating that female Priests be ordained. In the last decade, the number of “demand excommunications” has jumped, as have self excommunications.
As with the Episcopalians, this de facto schism cannot remain hidden long.
Episcopalian Archbishop Gene Robinson met 75 Catholic Priests at a secret meeting unknown to their bishops, to encourage them to defy the Vatican, and to advocate for women Priests as a way of opening the door to homosexual Priests. And to defy their vow of celibacy and seek a libertine lifestyle like his.
The only question that remains is how many of these fallen Catholics can be redeemed to the doctrines of the church.
Jill Stanek: Moving On After Barack Obama, How a Disabled Boy Restored My Pro-Life Fire
Catholic Bishops Urge Huge Anti-FOCA Campaign to Stop Abortion Expansion (Might Close Hospitals)
To accept abortion is to challenge God, Lord of all things...
USCCB: Church should oppose FOCA 'early and often,' Niederauer (Pelosi's Archbishop) says
Cardinal [George]: Obama's Presidency Heals Racism, Now Time to End Abortion
CNN’s Rick Sanchez: Does the GOP ‘Have to Be Anti-Abortion’?
Catholic bishops plan to forcefully confront Obama
Niece of Martin Luther King Jr.: "The Dream" Is Not Yet Fulfilled
Barone: Media wanted Palin abortion
New York Subway Riders Respond to Ad and Share Post-Abortion Grief, Agony
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's Niece{Dr. Alveda King]: Abortion Means Obama Doesn't Fulfill Dream
Bishops to present concerns on abortion, other issues to politicians
Kneeling Before the World [Catholic Caucus]
Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life Receives Post-Election Death Threat
Barone: 'Liberal media' wanted Palin to abort
BISHOPS APPROVE BLESSING FOR CHILD IN THE WOMB
FIRST THINGS: Obama and the Bishops
Head of U.S. bishops says no compromise on abortion
Washington Post Admits Bias for Obama, Calls Pro-Life Policies "Offensive"
Washington Post Admits Bias for Obama, Calls Pro-Life Policies "Offensive"
Novena for the Protection of the Unborn
Carving Out a Better Respect Life Position
Prez Herod (post election reflection)
Wash Post: Pro-Life Views "Ideologically Offensive"
Election of Obama a Disaster for Pro-Life Fight in EU and Africa: Prominent Kenyan Physician
Bishops will not skip debate on abortion and politics
Obama's Startling Reaction to Funeral Service for Baby Killed After Failed Abortion
MCCL [MN's largest pro-life organization] achieves nearly all pro-life goals in 2008 election
No "Presidential sleight of hand" on stem cells
Voting for Reproductive Freedom (NYT pro-abort alert)
Abortion Groups Confident Obama Will Push His Pro-Abortion Agenda
Obama reviews Bush orders on stem cells, drilling
Obama reviews Bush orders on stem cells, drilling (Be prepared for the gas prices to go up)
Let us Celebrate Barrack Obama, Let us Celebrate Life
Obama Positioned to Quickly Reverse Bush Actions Stem Cell, Climate Rules
Pro-Life Dem Breakthroughs (Bad News for FOCA?)
Stopping FOCA: EWTN TV w/ Gianna Jessen, Sister Nirmala, Archbishop Burke, among others(?)
Dr. Alveda King to Pro-Lifers: Forward, March
What America Has Done (Was the election about racial equality or the right to life?)
The Freedom of Choice Act: Radical Attempt to Prematurely End Debate over Abortion
Becket Fund to Award Canterbury Medal to Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, OFM Cap.
Doug Kmiec to give election ‘post-mortem’ at Calif. seminary [Catholic Caucus]
Fighting FOCA (the time to act is now!)
Billy Graham Won't Advise Obama Because of Strong Pro-Abortion Position
Bishop Carlson: Our witness must grow stronger (Statement on election results)
Back to the Drawing Board (several bishops calling for Faithful Citizenship to be overhauled)
On Eucharistic Consistency (Florida bishop urges Biden to examine conscience before Communion)
Future Obama abortion legislation will violate conscience rights, PRI president says
THERE IS STILL A GOD IN HEAVEN!
Bill Berkowitz: Religious Right Down but Not Out
Freedom of Choice Act - Election Implications
A Post – Election Reflection: Pray, Plan and Participate
Payback Time: What Planned Parenthood Expects from Barack Obama
Life will not go on
Catholic Leaders React to Obama Victory, Offer Advice
Archbishop Chaput Eager to See Kmiec Deliver a Pro-Life Obama
History, Hyperbole and Horror (Eye opening)
[Electing Obama] A Grave Mistake and an Abiding Hope
Fight FOCA (Unlimited Abortion) Sign the Fight FOCA Petition ASAP Get Involved!!
Douglas W. Kmiec on 'Obama's Miracle'
"The Killing Must End”: Christian Defense Coalition to Launch Major Post-Inaugural Pro-Life Campaign
Pro-Life Advocates Urged to Renew Efforts Against Abortion After Election Loss
Obama Pushes Abortion on Day One With Emanuel Pick
Warriors with Our Eyes Fixed on Heaven (Bishop Finn's Excellent Column) [Ecumenical]
If the bishops had been doing their jobs for the last 40 years, we wouldn’t have had a generation of Catholic voters thinking it was okay to vote for someone like Obama.
Y’all need to stop giving communion to RATS that are pro-death.
IMHO, that would make a VERY strong statement.
I,for one,am not ready to play the blame game. It’s too late for that, not only in the political and cultural arena, but certainly in the spiritual arena.
We are headed—and soon—for a confrontation quite unlike any this country has experienced before. It isn’t one of racial problems, or union brawls or war on foreign soil, or economic crises. It is clearly a growing storm of moral issues that has hit critical mass and may very well be the underlying cause for all the other problems we face in this country.
There isn’t time left to point out whose to blame for what is happening now.
The only good that can be acoomplished now is for those with moral courage to stand up and be counted-—and to have the fortitude to stand by what they truly believe and are truly committed to in their lives.
For me, that means the right to life from conception to death, a halt to embryonic stem cell research, the constitutional protection of marriage between one man and one woman, and to protect our young people by initiating a common effort to bring back responsibility and accountability to our culture.
If the bishops want to begin a forward movement in this direction, I will welcome it and because of it, will look to the future with hope.
May Christians of all denominations be ready to stand with the bishops and the Catholic Church. We welcome and need each other.