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Biden experiencing troubled conscience over abortion, says Bishop Aquila
CNA ^ | November 22, 2008

Posted on 11/22/2008 3:51:20 PM PST by NYer

Vice-president elect Joe Biden

Fargo, North Dakota, Nov 22, 2008 / 02:14 pm (CNA).- Following the Fall meeting of the U.S. Catholic bishops in Baltimore, where they pledged not to yield ground to the incoming Obama administration on the issue of abortion, Bishop Samuel Aquila has revealed that vice president-elect Joe Biden is struggling with his conscience over his support for abortion.

Bishop Michael Hoeppner of Crookston, Minnesota and Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo, North Dakota are just two of the bishops who have increased their efforts to speak more forcefully and clearly on the issue of abortion over the last year.

In an interview with the Grand Forks Herald on Friday, Bishop Hoeppner explained the situation, saying, “We bishops are united in our teaching and our belief in the sanctity of all life. That’s not new, and it’s across the board, and some politicians have missed that.”

One particular threat to the unborn that the bishops are worried about is the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), which President-elect Obama said he would sign into law as his first act as president.

Bishop Aquila criticized Obama’s willingness to sign the Act in his most recent column for the Diocese of Fargo newspaper, writing that Obama “directly opposes the divine law of God concerning the dignity of each human life, and so he strongly disagrees with the position of the Catholic Church.”

Given the serious threats posed by FOCA and by Catholics with poorly formed consciences who vote in favor of keeping abortion legal, the U.S. bishops are redoubling their efforts to explain the Church’s teaching.  

In interviews with the Herald, both Aquila and Hoeppner pointed to vice president-elect Joe Biden, as an example of how some Catholics have become compromised on abortion.

During the recent presidential campaign, Joe Biden said that while he believes as a matter of faith that life begins at conception, he cannot impose his belief on others through law, and therefore can vote in favor of abortion.

Biden’s comments on NBC’s Meet the Press elicited reactionss from several bishops, one of whom was Charles Chaput of Denver.

“If, as Sen. Biden said, ‘I’m prepared as a matter of faith [emphasis added] to accept that life begins at the moment of conception,’ then he is not merely wrong about the science of new life; he also fails to defend the innocent life he already knows is there,” the archbishop said.

“Resistance to abortion is a matter of human rights, not religious opinion,” he added, arguing that law by nature involves imposing “some people’s convictions on everyone else.”

In his interview with the Grand Forks Herald on Friday, Bishop Aquila revealed that the soon-to-be vice president is experiencing pangs of conscience for his compromise.

“The nice thing about Biden, at least he says his conscience bothers him, which is good,” Aquila said.

Bishop Aquila argues that this stirring in their conscience needs to go further. “But they really should not be presenting themselves for Holy Communion because it is a scandal. And by us giving them Holy Communion, essentially what is communicated to them is that their position is fine.”

The Bishop of Tallahassee-Pensacola agrees with this as well. After a visit to his diocese by Biden during the presidential campaign, Bishop John Richard wrote to the politician and told him to examine his conscience about his support for laws that “fail to protect the unborn” before going to Communion.


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Moral Issues; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: 2020; abortion; aneurisms; biden; biden2020; bishopaquila; braindamaged; conscience; election2020; fargo; heartbeataway; joebiden; liars; nd; northdakota; splitpersonalities; vicepresident; vp
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To: EternalVigilance
If you’re a Republican, the spine comes out during the same procedure...

Don't forget the testicles.

21 posted on 11/22/2008 4:08:14 PM PST by Azzurri
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To: NYer
What about his plagiarism that caused him to drop out of the last presidential race?
22 posted on 11/22/2008 4:10:08 PM PST by SkyDancer ("Talent Without Ambition Is Sad, Ambition Without Talent Is Worse")
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To: NYer; All

You know, this strikes me as BS as I know of no priest that would even mention a discussion with someone on a private matter.

I’d say contrived. 100%


23 posted on 11/22/2008 4:13:34 PM PST by edcoil (Looking for a new tagline - do you have one I can use?)
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To: Azzurri

They take those out when they first decide to run...


24 posted on 11/22/2008 4:13:39 PM PST by EternalVigilance (Leo Donofrio: Citizen-Hero)
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To: FreeAtlanta

Note that n brain scans of the soon to be next in line’s head have been released. He and Obama BETTER reveal much more once elected, with the econ and the world on precipices.


25 posted on 11/22/2008 4:14:28 PM PST by PghBaldy (I shall call him President Little Squirt...)
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To: NYer
“The nice thing about Biden, at least he says his conscience bothers him, which is good,” But his conscience hasn't led him to change a vote. Actions speak louder than words.
26 posted on 11/22/2008 4:17:09 PM PST by kalee
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To: NYer
Quoting the U.S. Declaration of Independence, the bishop wrote: "The dignity of the human person begins at the moment of conception, not at birth. The dignity, as recognized by the signers of the Declaration of Independence, is bestowed by the Creator, and no one has the right to destroy innocent unborn life." http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=10434
27 posted on 11/22/2008 4:17:25 PM PST by RGPII (I wouldn't want to be bothered by an illegal president.)
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To: NYer

I doubt the ‘Say it ain’t so Joe’ Biden is experiencing anything close to conscience pangs. After a lifetime of leftist graft and subversion, he’s as hard as stone. Personally, I’d be suprised if he does any suffering over anything he’s done until Judgement Day.


28 posted on 11/22/2008 4:19:33 PM PST by WorkingClassFilth ($750 billion is nothing - surrender your children, wealth and gold fillings now to avoid the rush.)
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To: NYer
Biden experiencing troubled conscience over abortion, says Bishop Aquila

But probably not in the manner which the Bishop seems to be suggesting.

29 posted on 11/22/2008 4:21:50 PM PST by PAR35
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To: RGPII

Beautiful.


30 posted on 11/22/2008 4:26:57 PM PST by EternalVigilance (www.SelfGovernment.US)
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To: NYer

Joe Biden—what conscience?


31 posted on 11/22/2008 4:31:32 PM PST by Palladin (Obama on Ayers: "He's just a guy in my neighborhood." LIAR!!!)
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To: NYer

And if my uncle had wheels, he would be a truck.


32 posted on 11/22/2008 4:32:25 PM PST by gedeon3
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To: NYer
He's got quite a dilemma. If he changes to a pro-life position his political career is over. He'll never be President.

C'mon Joe. Do the right thing. Time to get in the game. Be part of the deal.

33 posted on 11/22/2008 4:36:25 PM PST by ItsForTheChildren
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To: jessduntno

““Careful, Bishop Aquila, Biden is a liar.”

And a Democrat...”

You are repeating yourself.


34 posted on 11/22/2008 4:36:43 PM PST by Montanabound
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To: NYer
Ahh poor baby.
I have an idea stop supporting the culture of death and support life.
35 posted on 11/22/2008 4:46:39 PM PST by svcw (Great selection of Christmas gift baskets: http://baskettastic.com/)
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To: NYer

Pray, pray, pray! Pray for Biden, and Obama! Imagine how great it would be if they had a true crisis of conscience, changed their minds on abortion, and said to the country, “you know what, abortion *is* murder and we’re going to act like it is too,” and then introduced legislation to ban it. He’d become my favorite president.

Keep praying. Abortion only became an article of left-wing faith because it is a necessity to radical feminism, which is an important SIG in left-wing politics. Without abortion, women of the same productivity as a man aren’t as hireable or as promotable in the workplace as that man because of the higher risk associated with them (women withdraw from the workplace after giving birth, sometimes for years). Radical feminists know this, and THIS alone is the reason why they are in favor of it. It’s purely about money. There’s nothing about left-wing politics in and of itself that makes it a “pro-abortion” platform, it’s simply an accident of history that it happened this way. We CAN change peoples’ minds on this, so don’t give up. Pray, pray, pray. Volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center. Spread the word. Educate yourself.


36 posted on 11/22/2008 4:58:23 PM PST by LifeComesFirst (Until the unborn are free, nobody is free)
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To: NYer

NOTHING Biden can do will wash the blood off his hands. Nothing.


37 posted on 11/22/2008 5:05:37 PM PST by combat_boots ("In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."Aldous Huxley)
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To: SaintDismas; SortaBichy
Let us pray for Joseph Biden, he may yet be saved.

Let us do it retroactively, once he demonstrates he is worthy of being saved....until then, no thanks.

38 posted on 11/22/2008 5:12:46 PM PST by ErnBatavia (Cuba got "Change"...in 1959)
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To: NYer
... Bishop Samuel Aquila has revealed that vice president-elect Joe Biden is struggling with his conscience over his support for abortion...

And to think I was considering going to confession for the first time in 30 years.

39 posted on 11/22/2008 5:22:21 PM PST by LiberConservative (Typical white guy)
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To: NYer

bttt


40 posted on 11/22/2008 6:07:02 PM PST by Mrs. Don-o ("It is our choices, far more than our abilities, that show us what we truly are. " -- J.K.Rowling)
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