Full Text of Bishop Martino’s Letter to Sen. Bob Casey

Catholic Online ^ | 2/10/09

[tcg]

I vowed to be vigilant in correcting Catholics who are in error with regard to the sanctity of life. Your vote against the Mexico City Policy will mean the deaths of thousands of unborn children. This is an offense against life and a denial of our Catholic teaching on the dignity of every human being. This action is worthy of condemnation by all moral men and women.

Your release also says that you support “family planning . . . specifically because reducing unintended pregnancies reduces the number of abortions.” I remind you that it is never permissible to use immoral means (e.g., artificial contraception) to achieve a good end.

Senator, I urge you to consider that Church documents speak clearly and compellingly on the special responsibility that falls to you as a lawmaker to oppose abortion and other clear evils, including contraception, infanticide, euthanasia and embryonic stem-cell research. To that end, I refer you to two documents:

1.Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding The Participation of Catholics in Political Life. It says, “Catholics . . . have the right and the duty to recall society to a deeper understanding of human life and to the responsibility of everyone in this regard. John Paul II, continuing the constant teaching of the Church, has reiterated many times that those who are directly involved in lawmaking bodies have a ‘grave and clear obligation to oppose’ any law that attacks human life.”

2.Christifideles Laici. It states, “If, indeed everyone has the mission and responsibility of acknowledging the personal dignity of every human being and of defending the right to life, some lay faithful are given a particular title to this task: such as parents, teachers, health workers and those who hold economic and political power.”

[tcg]

Your vote against the Mexico City Policy will mean the deaths of thousands of unborn children.

[big'ol_freeper]

This is exactly what we need. Then when they ignore it they must be excommunicated publicly.

[Yorlik803]

Can you say “ Excommunicate”?

[ScottinVA]

Wasn’t Casey supposed to be pro-life?

[StonyMan451]

I fear that the good bishop, like his brother bishops in the U.S., has offered too little, too late. The damage to the Catholic Church’s credibility on this issue has already been done and is grave indeed. They should have begun talking like this in the late 1960’s, ramped it up a huge notch in 1973, and followed it up with interdicts and excommunications, if necessary. It’s the old adage that “actions speak louder than words”, and the bishops’ actions in this regard have been woefully inadequate.

[georgia peach]

I agree.It is time to refuse communion to all the “Catholics” in the congress that support abortion.Across the board.
Give them fair warning that this is coming and if they do not repent,then act.
Period.

[celtic gal]

While I agree with you, the problem is going to be the priests who disobey the order to refuse communion to these Catholics who deny Chruch Teaching.Cafeteria Catholics they are. They will one day face God and Lord in heaven knows we all have blotches on our souls for which we will have to answer. But this is not one I would like to have to face the Almighty about.

[mom-7]

Casey claims to be pro-life, but when it comes to the vote he goes with the party of death. His Father is probably spinning in his grave. After the way the demonrats treated his Dad I cannot understand why he is a demonrat.