While Cardinal George, the president of the U.S. bishops conference, is otherwise occupied (see below), Denver's indefatigable archbishop, Charles J. Chaput, is continuing to take the lead (it seems to me) as the most visible and outspoken member of the American hierarchy.
Chaput is at it again today with a strongly-worded post at the First Things blog, where in an essay called "Vote for Real Hope and Change" (the archbishop doesn't disguise his intentions!) he takes aim at Obama's campaign slogan "Yes, we can" and says it might better be reversed to "No, we can't," as in no we can't allow abortion, and no policies to "reduce the need" for abortion are sufficient:
Obviously, we have other important issues facing us this fall: the economy, the war in Iraq, immigration justice. But we can't build a healthy society while ignoring the routine and very profitable legalized homicide that goes on every day against America's unborn children. The right to life is foundational. Every other right depends on it. Efforts to reduce abortions, or to create alternatives to abortion, or to foster an environment where more women will choose to keep their unborn child, can have great merit--but not if they serve to cover over or distract from the brutality and fundamental injustice of abortion itself. We should remember that one of the crucial things that set early Christians apart from the pagan culture around them was their rejection of abortion and infanticide. Yet for thirty-five years I've watched prominent "pro-choice" Catholics justify themselves with the kind of moral and verbal gymnastics that should qualify as an Olympic event. All they've really done is capitulate to Roe v. Wade.(He also gets a late-but-good lick at the Oba-messiah trend, saying, "The last thing we need in 2008 is the kind of bogus hope rooted in mystical good feeling.")
As noted in previous posts, he has taken on pro-Obama Catholics (like Doug Kmiec et al) and he has a book coming out just in time for the election's silly season, "Render Unto Caesar: Serving the Nation by Living our Catholic Beliefs in Political Life."
Chaput is taking some novel approaches to arguing his case. Matt Boudway over at dotCommonweal prompted an interesting discussion here about Chaput's challenge to Catholics who believe they have "proportionate" reasons for voting for Obama:
What is a "proportionate" reason when it comes to the abortion issue? It's the kind of reason we will be able to explain, with a clean heart, to the victims of abortion when we meet them face to face in the next life--which we most certainly will. If we're confident that these victims will accept our motives as something more than an alibi, then we can proceed.
Is there anyone else out there who matches Chaput--especially now that St. Louis's Burke has gone to Rome?
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Re the hootie1fan post: Chaput has written (scores of pieces) and spoken against the death penalty for three decades. He also opposed the U.S. intervention in Iraq.
with the sex abuse isssues over these years covered -up ..the whole world was outraged by the bishops actioons/or lack of....was screamed by many as it should have been....where was there pastoral leadership to expose these crimes...why then when a bishop/s do take a stand on the extreme moral issue like abortion...some of our intellectual catholics are pissed-off cause he is stepping into a private citizen personal arena....how dare he say this/that///how dare he withhold commmunion......isnt this what we expect from our bishops to take stands on these moral issues....am i confused?????
let be truthful...most abortion are actions of life style....that baby gets in the way of ones life....its not cause of any medical reason...lets be honest...about it....you hear it all the time..."i thought i was ok".or..my daughter is to young.. she is just starting her life"....40 million lives gone....
Nancy Danielson: I know where you are coming from, however, I don't believe life begins at conception and I do believe that human beings create other human beings, and that no invisible being does the creating.
That aside, a woman has the right to control her births, hopefully by preventing them by using birth control (not just using the approved "natural" RCC means) but if an unwanted pregnancy should occur, there should be the legal means for a safe and clean medical abortion.
All women should have the choice to continue a pregnancy or not...
The First Amendment said nothing about abortion. The people already here and those to come (after birth) have a right to life...the best that can be provided. Agree.
When some people in the U.S., get "offended" by comments made by ecclesial authorities, the first thing they do is attack the person, e.g., the abuse of priests, the scandal, blah, blah. Ad Hominem attacks are not even valid premises for arguments, they are just silly things to say. Prostestant pastors also abuse minors but is that even on the news? no of course not, that's boring and doesn't sell. The sad thing is they sometimes abuse their own daughters.
Abortion is intrinsically wrong, period. It is a morally bad act. It ends the life of a person. A person is a person even after the person is born, otherwise it would never be a person. Tissues don't become persons, if that was the case well maybe we should stop having sex and we should order our babies through Amazon.
Just because we want to live our life the way we want to, without a baby in the middle, consequence of having sex, comfortably , doesn't mean that we ought to kill that baby. Naming it something else than a human doesn't change the fact that babies are human, even at conception.
Women don't have a right to other people's lives, so a baby's life is not her owns so she or anyone else can't take it, otherwise maybe we shouldn't jail people who shoot other people, right? what the heck, they are not people anyway, they never were people in the womb of their mothers.
Chaput doesn't talk for himself, he is a minister of God and God speaks through him in this matters. Take your complaints to God, if you have the courage.
Pax tecum.
I am sadded that too few Bishops are as vocal as Chaput. This is not a matter of opinion. Cannon Law is clear on the matter of abortion. Regardless of your opinion what should be, the church has always said that the killing of innocent life (Abortion) is wrong. Is your intent to change Catholic teaching (which should be more widely taught?) or state how you yourself choose not to follow the faith. The Catholic Church is against abortion. There is no debate about that. If you are for abortion, then you may want to reconsider your commitment to the faith. I urge anyone who reads this to know your faith, enoucrage your priest to speak clearly on moral issues, and you yourself take up the task. Thank you.
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