Catholic Family Campaign

Response to 18 Democrats

Sister Mary Ann Walsh, RSM
Director of Media Relations
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

In an unfortunate May 10 statement, 18 of the 88 Catholic Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives criticized Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks concerning Mexican lawmakers legalizing abortion. The Representatives’ statement misrepresents the Holy Father’s remarks and implies that the Church does not have a right to voice its teaching in the public square.

The Holy See has made clear that neither the Mexican bishops nor the Holy Father have excommunicated any legislator. Rather, the Holy See reiterated longstanding Church teaching that anyone who freely and knowingly commits a serious wrong, that is, a mortal sin, should not approach the Eucharist until going to confession.

“The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision of society.” (United States Catechism for Adults, p. 442) Consequently, every Catholic is obliged to respect human life, from conception until natural death.

To suggest that the Church should not clearly voice its teaching and apply it in a pluralistic society is to attack freedom of speech and freedom of religion. The Catholic Church always will and must speak out against the destruction of innocent unborn children. The right to do so is guaranteed by the Constitution that all legislators are elected to uphold. Speaking and acting against abortion is not a matter of partisan politics. It is a matter of life and death.

The bishops urge all Catholics, especially those who hold positions of public responsibility, to educate themselves about the teaching of the Church, and to seek pastoral advice so that they can make informed decisions with consistency and integrity.

Tags: Pro-Life, Religious Freedoms
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Here is a great article from Spero News about the incompatibility of Catholicism and the practice of yoga.

Tags: Catechism, Family Values
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for those that have not seen the original press release.

Washington, D.C. – Catholic members of the U.S. House of Representative, including Representatives Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3), Joe Baca (CA-43), Tim Bishop (NY-1), Joe Courtney (CT-2), Anna Eshoo (CA-14), Maurice Hinchey, (NY-22), Patrick Kennedy (RI-1), James Langevin (RI-2), John Larson (CT-1), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-4), Betty McCollum (MN-4), Jim Moran (VA-8), Bill Pascrell (NJ-8), Tim Ryan (OH-17), Linda Sanchez (CA-39), José Serrano (NY -16), Hilda Solis (CA-32), and Mike Thompson (CA-1) issued the following statement in response to Pope Benedict’s warning that Catholic elected officials risked excommunication from the Church and should not receive communion for their pro-choice views. The majority of these Members also supported the Statement of Principles issued on February 28, 2006, that expresses the signers’ commitment to the dignity of life and their belief that government has moral purpose.

“We are concerned with the Pope’s statement warning Catholic elected officials that they risk excommunication and would not receive communion for their pro-choice views.

“Advancing respect for life and for the dignity of every human being is, as our church has taught us, our own life’s mission. As we said in our Statement of Principles, ‘We envision a world in which every child belongs to a loving family and agree with the Catholic Church about the value of human life and the undesirability of abortion – we do not celebrate its practice. Each of us is committed to reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies and creating an environment with policies that encourage pregnancies to be carried to term.’ That is precisely what some of us are doing with our initiative ‘The Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act’ – which includes policies that promote alternatives to abortion, such as adoption, improve access to children’s healthcare and child care, as well as encourage paternal and maternal responsibility.

“The fact is that religious sanction in the political arena directly conflicts with our fundamental beliefs about the role and responsibility of democratic representatives in a pluralistic America – it also clashes with freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution. Such notions offend the very nature of the American experiment and do a great disservice to the centuries of good work the church has done.”

Tags: Family Values, Pro-Life
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Washington, May. 15, 2007 (CWNews.com) – Eighteen Democratic members of the US House of Representatives have joined in criticizing Pope Benedict XVI for his statement that pro-abortion politicians should not receive Communion.During a conversation with reporters on May 9, as he was flying to Brazil, the Holy Father had said that he fully supported the decision of some Mexican bishops to bar politicians from receiving the Eucharist after the lawmakers voted to legalize abortion in Mexico City. The Mexican bishops, the Pope said, had “simply announced to the public what is stipulated by the law of the Church.”But the Democratic legislators, led by Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, charged that the Pope’s stand (and by implication the laws of the Church) “offend the very nature of the American experiment.”

A move to exclude pro-abortion legislators from receiving Communion would be “a great disservice to the centuries of good work the Church has done,” the 18 Congressmen argued.

I think Rep. DeLauro has it wrong. Maybe she needs to look inward to see what impact she is having on the work of the Church.

Tags: Family Values, Pro-Life
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A report to be published soon by the Optimum Population Trust will state that having a large families should be frowned upon as an environmental misdemeanour in the same way as frequent long-haul flights, driving a big car and failing to reuse plastic bags.  They are defining a large family as more than 2 kids.  They say that having 2 kids instead of 3 will allow families to cut their carbon dioxide output.

They state that even though most of the population growth will be in developing countries, rich countries should be the most concerned about family size as their children have higher per capita carbon dioxide emissions.  Hmmm…Maybe they are on to something here.  Maybe the problem isn’t the number of kids but that the kids in the rich countries have too much and waste too much!  The folks producing the carbon dioxide emissions is who we need to be concerned about.

Tags: Family Values, General
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Senator McCaskill was uninvited from St. Joseph’s Academy, a private Catholic high school her daughters attend.  Sen. McCaskill was scheduled to deliver the commencement address but was later contacted and informed that she would be able to  make the speech.

In a prepared statement, McCaskill said she was “thrilled” that she was invited to speak at the school and was “disappointed that (St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke) has made this decision.”

However, an Archdiocese spokesperson and officials with the Catholic Education Office insist that it was not Burke who made the decision.  In fact, they said he was never consulted on the matter.

What does it matter who made the decision?  She shouldn’t have been invited in the first place!  These schools and Catholic organizations need to get the point that they should not give these pro-life politicians a forum.

Tags: Family Values, Pro-Life
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