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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: PAR35

It appears that most of the Bishops will do or say anything to put off taking a stand.


41 posted on 11/22/2008 6:21:39 PM PST by ardara
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To: NYer

I don’t know what makes the good bishop think Biden is “struggling” with anything; he’s certainly given no indication of any struggle whatsoever in his many years in Congress, busy voting for pro-abortion legislature whenever he can.

He won’t “struggle” until there are some consequences - that is, earthly, visible, and potentially politically costly - for his continued defiance of Church teaching. Then he might be forced to give it some thought. But now? Nah.


42 posted on 11/22/2008 6:31:58 PM PST by livius
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To: livius

I personally don’t care whether he struggles with his conscience or not. He still supports abortion on demand. IMO this makes it worse not better.

It is ridiculous to think that somehow our sins are less serious if we feel guilty about them. All this indicates is that a person has been properly educated in church teaching, yet has disregarded it for the purpose of political benefit.


43 posted on 11/22/2008 7:00:07 PM PST by ga medic
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To: NYer
None of us are omnisciencient and we don't know what's in his heart, but you'd think if Biden’s conscience was bothered he'd have a different voting record.
44 posted on 11/22/2008 7:03:16 PM PST by Desdemona (Tolerance of grave evil is NOT a Christian virtue (I choose virtue. Values change too often).)
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To: NYer

Pray for their conversion from cafeteria Catholicism to real Catholicism.


45 posted on 11/22/2008 7:51:15 PM PST by Salvation ( †With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Pray for LIFE!

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46 posted on 11/22/2008 7:52:25 PM PST by Salvation ( †With God all things are possible.†)
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To: NYer; informavoracious; larose; RJR_fan; Prospero; Conservative Vermont Vet; ...
+

Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:

Add me / Remove me

Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.

Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment

Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”

47 posted on 11/22/2008 9:44:10 PM PST by narses (http://www.theobamadisaster.com/)
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To: Coleus; nickcarraway; narses; Mr. Silverback; Canticle_of_Deborah; TenthAmendmentChampion; ...
At this point Biden’s words are worse than useless.

He is lying and playing a game; and in the process making a mockery of the genocide of 50+ million babies slaughtered since Roe.

He and the thousands of wicked “Catholic” politicians around the world should be publicly and formally excommunicated post haste.

They should be regularly condemned as the heretical barbarians that they are.

They should never be allowed to set foot on ANY Catholic property, especially not desecrating Churches with their unholy presence, until they repent.

They are mortal enemies of the Church, The State and of Humankind itself.

One day Christendom will have to come to the realization that the time for diplomacy ended when the first baby was ripped apart under Roe v Wade. This is a war; with more real blood and guts than all the wars in history combined.

Fight the Freedom of Choice Act (Unlimited Abortion) Sign the Fight FOCA Petition ASAP & Get Involved!!

ONE NATION UNDER GOD

Pro-Life PING

Please FreepMail me if you want on or off my Pro-Life Ping List.

48 posted on 11/22/2008 11:32:08 PM PST by cpforlife.org (A Catholic Respect Life Curriculum is available FREE at KnightsForLife.org)
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To: NYer; informavoracious; larose; RJR_fan; Prospero; Conservative Vermont Vet; ...
+

Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:

Add me / Remove me

Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.

Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment

Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”

49 posted on 11/23/2008 12:19:05 AM PST by narses (http://www.theobamadisaster.com/)
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To: edcoil

Yes, no priest would do that, except if asked to do so. Maybe Joe knows something we don’t know.


50 posted on 11/23/2008 6:59:47 AM PST by adc (Rush '08All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently oppos)
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To: NYer

It is important to pray for their conversion.


51 posted on 11/23/2008 10:11:09 AM PST by TAdams8591 (He's not MY President!)
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To: NYer

The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
(Proverbs 21:1 KJV)


52 posted on 11/23/2008 10:30:58 AM PST by P-Marlowe (LPFOKETT GAHCOEEP-w/o*)
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To: NYer
Bishop Aquila doesn't pull any punches.
 
Kerry: Abortion, HELL is a Reality and we are Free to Choose it, Bishop Samuel J. Aquila, Fargo

53 posted on 11/23/2008 4:04:06 PM PST by Coleus (Abortion and Physician-assisted Murder (aka-Euthanasia), Don't Democrats just kill ya?)
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To: DBCJR

54 posted on 11/24/2008 1:34:08 PM PST by DBCJR (What would you expect?)
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To: NYer
Biden should either get himself right with the Church on abortion, or else STOP receiveing communion.

His present course heaps up more sin on his soul every single day and, for a guy not long for this world, he'd be wise to take advantage of God's mercy now....
55 posted on 11/24/2008 1:43:28 PM PST by Antoninus (America didn't turn away from conservatism, they turned away from many who faked it. - Mark Sanford)
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To: LiberConservative

Confessions are sealed, while political discussions may not be. I am sure that Biden agreed to having some of the talk ‘leaked’.


56 posted on 11/24/2008 7:44:38 PM PST by Patriotic1 (Dic mihi solum facta, domina - Just the facts, ma'am)
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To: Salvation

If God gave St. Paul an opportunity for ‘change’, he can surely do it for Biden.


57 posted on 11/24/2008 7:46:01 PM PST by Patriotic1 (Dic mihi solum facta, domina - Just the facts, ma'am)
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