What You [Catholics] Need to Know: Abortion

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[Salvation]

What You Need to Know:

Abortion

Abortion is the greatest single scourge of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, claiming far more innocent lives than any other threat, including war, poverty, starvation and natural disasters. This grave moral evil is also the centerpiece of the contemporary culture wars which divide most Western nations, particularly the United States, which is split almost evenly.

The abortion problem has so many medical, psychological, political, economic, and cultural ramifications—including its contribution to a growing culture of death—that it is impossible to cover all important aspect of it in three documents. Still, it is wise to begin an examination of this question with a definition of abortion, including the distinction between direct and indirect abortion, and a clear statement of the Church’s unchanging moral position.

It is also necessary to understand that the evil of abortion can be known not only from Church teaching but from the natural law. In fact, the natural law provides all that we need to know to determine the immorality of direct abortion and the morality of indirect abortion in certain circumstances. Closely related to abortion in this regard are such matters as euthanasia, in vitro fertilization, embryonic stem cell research, and human cloning (which merit separate topics).

Some Catholic dissidents, who have been too influenced by the surrounding culture, have tried to justify abortion by arguing that the Catholic tradition on this issue is confused or unclear. A careful look at the history of the Church’s position easily refutes this claim, and is important for discussions within the Church herself.

Many other considerations are also very apt, making the “If you have more time” section unusually important in this case.

If you only have time to look at three things, LOOK AT THESE.

1. What Is Abortion?
2. Abortion: Correct Application of Natural Law Theory
3. The Roman Catholic Church and Abortion: An Historical Perspective

And if you've got more time...

Abortion is closely related to sterilization and contraception; the psychological well-being of women, men and children; the health of the family; socio-economic patterns, materialism and consumerism; and of course politics. Here are four related documents which will provide brief orientations to several of these subsidiary topics:

• Contraception and Abortion
• Post-Abortion Grief
• The Effects of Abortion on Men
• On Voting for Pro-Abortion Candidates

Other areas which bear study include the general relationship between abortion and what Pope John Paul II called the “culture of death”, the question of whether pro-abortion politicians should be denied communion, the use of government funds for abortion, the West’s determination to export an abortion culture to the third world, and so on. Information on these related issues may be found by searching the library.

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Adding to the series: What You [Catholics] Need to Know

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What You [Catholics] Need to Know: Abortion

What You [Catholics] Need to Know: Baptism [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

What You [Catholics] Need to Know: Penance (Reconciliation, Confession) [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

What You [Catholics] Need to Know: Priesthood (Holy Orders) [Catholic-Orthodox Caucus]

What You {Catholics} Need to Know: Celibacy [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

What You {Catholics} Need to Know: Mass (Sacred Liturgy) [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

What You [Catholics] Need to Know: The Vatican (or Holy See) [Catholic-Orthodox Caucus]

What You [Catholics] Need to Know: Marriage

What You [Catholics] Need to Know: Eucharistic Mystery [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

What You [Catholics] Need to Know: Eucharist (Real Presence) [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

[What Every Catholic Needs to Know about] Gaining Indulgences [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

What You [Catholics] Need to Know: Deacons and the Diaconate[Catholic-Orthodox Caucus]

[Aliska]

It is never permissible for a Catholic to vote for a pro-abortion candidate because the candidate is pro-abortion. Such a vote would be formal cooperation in the serious sin of the candidate who, upon being elected, would vote for legislation making possible the taking of innocent human life through procured abortion.

None of our archbishops/bishops have spoken with such unequivocation about the issue from what I've read although kudos to the handful who have attempted to clarify the issue.

Are we the only country that is so divided over it? I don't read about pro-lifers or picketing/message boards in foreign countries where it is now legal in most once-Christian countries, but I don't read everything out there.

[Salvation]

**Are we the only country that is so divided over it?**

At the present time I would say that we are the only country that is arguing about this issue. For that, God is happy. However, there is much too much abortion going on in the United States.

We need to change our ways. Pray the Rosary — especially on October 4th.

[Salvation]

Many Bishops have spoken out about abortion -- especially the stand that Pelosi and Biden took. It applies to all REAL Catholics (although I don't call them REAL Catholics!)

Updated: American Bishops who have spoken against Pelosi

Here is the complete list of American bishops who have responded to Nancy Pelosi's comments so far:

1. Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver was the first American bishop to respond
2. ... Bishop James Conley, his auxiliary, joined him
3. Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington DC responded twice, first in a press release and second in a statement to The Hill. He has also appeared on Fox News, I am told.
4. Cardinal Justin Regali of Philadelphia, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued this statement through the USCCB website...
5. ... Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, chairman of the Committee on Doctrine, joined him
6. Cardinal Edward Egan of New York publised a strongly worded statement of his own
7. Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo issued a letter correcting Pelosi's claims
8. Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh and...
9. ... Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs have chimed-in
10. Archbishop Jose Gomez of San Antonio, CNA reports has added his voice ...
11. ... Bishop Oscar Cantu, his auxiliary bishop, has joined him
12. Bishop William Murphy of Rockville has published an extensive letter
13. Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa has a detailed response
14. Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas has joined the USCCB's efforts
15. Bishop Gregory Aymond of Austin is on-board
16. Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston mentions the USCCB on his blog
17. Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando has written at length
18. Archbishop John Nienstedt of Saint Paul/Minneapolis challenges Pelosi's statement
19. Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the US Bishops, has weighed-in
20. Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, OR publishes in the Catholic Sentinel
21. Bishop Jerome Listecki of La Crosse, WI responds in a word document
22. Bishop Richard Lennon of Cleveland, OH will comment in his September 5th column (PDF)
23. Bishop Ralph Nickless of Sioux City, IA has one of the very best responses I've read
24. Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco has invited Pelosi to a "conversation"
25. Bishop Glen Provost, LA: "Catholic Church clear on when human life begins"
26. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn: "Judging the Candidates"

{Last updated on September 10th.}

Notes:

• Previous #23 has been removed. Bishop Joseph Gossman of Raleigh, NC is actually the bishop emeritus, and the new bishop, Michael Burbidge has not, to my knowledge, made a personal statement.
• Previous #16 has also been removed, it was an erroneous duplication of current #13.
• #26 was added September 10th, although he published his column September 6th

[Salvation]

[diamond6]

What is happening on Oct. 4?

[Salvation]

Rosary-Prayers Aiming to Break Record [Catholic Caucus]

[al_c]

**Are we the only country that is so divided over it?**

At the present time I would say that we are the only country that is arguing about this issue. For that, God is happy. However, there is much too much abortion going on in the United States.

Didn't Mexico just legalize abortion on demand? I'd say it's more widespread than within our own borders.

[Aliska]

Many Bishops have spoken out about abortion

That's a higher number than I realized. Thank you. My only point was that what was bolded was as clear as day to one such as myself. Sometimes there is some ambiguity in church writings (to me like Chaput until I had read the whole thing and asked what is he really saying, like is he leaving wiggle room?), comes across like they just don't want to come right out and lay it on the line and offend someone. So often the talk sounds like they are walking on eggs. This one, the pope?, didn't is all I was trying to say.

That's just my take on it, and it wasn't meant to offend. I had just received in the mail a clipping about Burke sent by my friend who is not Catholic. That clipping annoyed me because I saw it for what it was. He infuriates her, but it was mainly about that Polish? church. Well, he's gone now. So I felt a duty to clarify my position about Burke. I've been solidly behind him on his stance about abortion wrt pro choice politicians.

Maybe other countries have accepted abortion more passively than ours. Sometimes with all the flak, I wonder if God is on our side or not from the looks of things. I accept on faith, but try very hard not to be self-righteous, that he is and pray in anguish about it very often. It's a difficult subject to debate in an even-handed manner with those who are opposed elsewhere, and a lot of times I just stay out of it because it ends up like so much else, getting shouted down, insulted, and intimidated by those who oppose us.

Here we are more or less preaching to the choir and getting positive support from like-minded individuals. Usually.

Here is a video FWIW I just stumbled across, but it's appropos, don't know if you've seen this or similar or not:

Obama Gets Shouted Down... "Abortion is an Abomination"

[Aliska]

Didn't Mexico just legalize abortion on demand? I'd say it's more widespread than within our own borders.

Yes, I believe so, but don't have a handle on any reactions by the people, just church leaders. I hope you are right and would guess that I might find a lot of opposition in Poland, can't remember if it is legal there yet or not.