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Posted on 10/19/2010 3:28:10 PM PDT by NYer
NEW YORK, October 18, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – New York’s Catholic Bishops are telling the state’s Catholics this year that the right to life must be their first concern when they step into the voting booth in November, not party loyalty or other issues where good people may differ in opinion or judgment.
The pastoral letter “Our Cherished Right, Our Solemn Duty,” signed by New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan and seven other New York state bishops, says Catholics must be “cautious” when they cast votes this election, so as “not to be guided solely by party loyalty or by self interest.”
While state and national officials will have great influence on issues important to the voting Catholic, such as foreign policy, war and peace, the right to life, education, and “how we treat the poor and the vulnerable,” the bishops emphasize that “not every issue is of equal moral gravity.”
In fact, the bishops make clear that while it is “rare” for a candidate to agree with the Church on all these issues, it is the right to life that has to rank number one in Catholics’ minds at the voting booth.
“The inalienable right to life of every innocent human person outweighs other concerns where Catholics may use prudential judgment, such as how best to meet the needs of the poor or to increase access to health care for all,” they state.
“The right to life is the right through which all others flow. To the extent candidates reject this fundamental right by supporting an objective evil, such as legal abortion, euthanasia or embryonic stem cell research, Catholics should consider them less acceptable for public office,” they continue. “As Faithful Citizenship teaches, ‘Those who knowingly, willingly, and directly support public policies or legislation that undermine fundamental moral principles cooperate with evil.’”
The letter admits that the job of investigating where the candidates stand on the issues is no easy task.
“Yet our state is facing many critical issues which are of vital concern to faithful Catholics,” they emphasize. “Thus it is absolutely necessary for good citizens to take a careful look at every candidate and to vote accordingly for the better candidates.”
The letter also provides a whole list of questions for Catholics to consider in forming their consciences before entering the voting booth, under the following headings: “The Right to Life,” “Parental Rights in Education,” “Protecting Marriage,” “Immigration Reform,” “Access to Health Care,” “Protecting the Poor,” and “Religious Liberty.”
The bishops provide a list of all candidates for elected office at the website for the New York Catholic Conference. www.nyscatholic.org
The letter is signed by Timothy Dolan Archbishop of New York; Howard Hubbard Bishop of Albany; Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn; Edward U. Kmiec, Bishop of Buffalo; Terry R. LaValley, Bishop of Ogdensburg; Robert J. Cunningham, Bishop of Syracuse; Matthew H. Clark, Bishop of Rochester, and William F. Murphy, Bishop of Rockville Centre.
The letter is available both in English and Spanish.
See related coverage by LifeSiteNews.com:
Midwest Catholic Bishops Exhort Flocks to Fight for Marriage
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/sep/10092109.html
Cuomo: Gay ‘Marriage’ Coming to New York
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/oct/10101511.html
Vatican Archbishop Burke: Public Repentance is Required for Pro-Abort Politicians
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/oct/10101504.html
Of course it is an easy task.
Generally speaking, if they have a "D" after their name, they are pro death - not always but it's still not difficult to find out.
I commend the Bishops for telling the truth.
Dolan is one of the Catholic churches finest leaders.
I hope they can get it distributed/read. Unfortunately, their own people will be the ones to try to stifle it/water it down.
He is a fine man too bad theres not too many real Catholics in NY
Who is Cuomo’s bishop?
Freegards, thanks for all the pings
I’m thinking, “A Little Too Late To Do the Right Thing Now”
Rep brian higgins Buffalo NY dem, needs this. Has been lectured to from the Alter on a Sunday, left in a hissy fit during Mass. zer0 supporter on abortion, never said no to any spending increase, latest so called accomplishment, bring federal money to build a bridge from nowhere to nowhere in Buffalo. His second bridge, the first in Springville NY. 80 million tax dollars and the road stops right after it.
But the tax eating, baby killing, no talking to anyone, will be re elected and the NY GOP runs no body.
Bishops need to start taking these PRO_ABORTION and GAY MARRIAGE Politicians to the WOODSHED!!
I know.....but really, WHAT SANE PERSON ON THE RIGHT WANTS TO GET PUT THRU A WRINGER????? HARDLY ANY!! I wouldn’t want my husband running for office as a Republican....the Media MURDERS YOUR REPUTATION!!
/s
Your right, But so do Republicans.
Hey the Bishops are getting on board here!
NY Catholic Bishops: Right to Life Outweighs other Concerns in Voting
Time to Vote
It reminded me of a famous old anonymous poem I semi-recently wrote:
A message for the kids out there heading back to school,
make note of the Hiltons and Lohans on how to be cool.
It's true when they say that sex is a thrill,
and fret not of the consequence for Convenience is licensed to kill.
And for those precious of you still on the inside,
buck up, I say, and swallow your pride.
Don't kick your mom right smack in her womb,
for she alone holds the key to your tiny little tomb.
That's what I was thinking. Where were they, and the bishops in all the other states, when Obama was running for President? Most of them did nothing to inform their flocks about Obama's fanatical support for abortion, to the extent that he voted four times to murder any child who survives an abortion.
Oh well, at least they are speaking up now. Still, too little too late.
Not sure where he officially resides. Ultimately, it is Dolan who oversees all the bishops of the state and his voice that counts.
WOW!
In the 13th CD Mike Grimm is trying to kick out Michael McMahon a Catholic Democrat with a 100% NARAL rating and a 16% National Right To Life rating. This is a chance to get back at least one seat in New York City ( Staten Island/part of Brooklyn).
We can win here, If you want to see a Pro Life Congressman from New York City please help. Contact Grimm HQ at 718 887 3732. We need phone and door to door people plus people who will hand out an explanation of McMahon’s record in front of churches.
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