Catholics on the fence once again
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
By Bryan Cones
Comments (4)
Both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal are running stories on the Catholic vote today. NYT is focusing on how abortion is again becoming the deciding issue in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. (The Tmes is even reporting that Biden's bishop, Michael Saltarelli of Wilmington, has forbidden Biden to receive Communion in the diocese because of his support for abortion rights, though I have been unable to confirm.) The Times reporter notes that five out of six former Hillary Clinton supporters are now voting for McCain--though his research seems only to extend to the small group around a single rectory table.
WsJ merely notes that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has requested meetings with the candidates, though both have yet to answer.
What's funny is that it is Catholic Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden who opened a new door on this issue by arguing that church teaching about the beginning of life has changed. They were right in their invocations of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas on the "quckening" of the fetus around the 14th week, but the bishops were equally right in responding that the church has still opposed abortion no matter when it thought a fetus got a soul.
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How against abortion is
By Timaree (not verified) on Monday, September 22, 2008How against abortion is McCain? Or the Republicans in government? I know they say they are pro-life but when they had control of the House, the Senate and the White House just what did they accomplish? Yay for partial birth ban. But what else? They had all the power and didn't really try to ban abortion. So how against it are they?
I am heartened to see the pro-life position at least being given the nod at the Democratic Convention. That is a step in the right direction and I applaud Obama for letting it be there. Will anything come of it? I don't know but the Dems do seem to help mothers who need help to keep their babies with medical care and early education.
How against abortion is
By Anonymous (not verified) on Thursday, September 25, 2008Was it not Republicans who enacted "Lacy's Law" - to recognize a murdered unborn child as a human being?
Did not the Republicans pass the "Infant Born Alive Act" requiring care for a baby born alive despite attempts to abort it, versus letting the child die with no medical attention in a back room somewhere?
Was it not the Republicans who were able to rereplace two Supreme Court justices with two who will fight for the life of an unborn child? All "Catholics" should be praying for one more morally sound and legally abiding justice so that Roe vs. Wade will in fact soon be overturned. America will have no moral authority in the world until it abolishes this heinous act. Pray, pray, pray.
Biden's bishop is not
By Anonymous (not verified) on Wednesday, September 17, 2008Biden's bishop is not Michael Saltarelli
Saltarelli correction
By Bryan Cones on Wednesday, September 17, 2008Thanks, and of course, you are right. The new bishop of Wilmington is W. Francis Malooly, as of Sept. 8. The secular press coverage is focusing on Saltarelli's remarks about Catholic politicians back in 2004. Archbishop Chaput of Denver has evidently called on Biden to refrain from receiving Communion. It doesn't look like Malooly has. Thanks for the correction.
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