Catholics on Abortion

[TonyD]

I am very pleased to open this thread by announcing that I just attended an Arlington County Republican Committee meeting in Virginia and had a chance to hear from our candidates running for Congress against ultra liberal Jim Moran in the 8th District. Moran claims to be Catholic but he supports abortion. One Republican candidate for Congress, Jane Eshagpoor, repeatedly expressed her pro-life position and her opposition to abortion. I have signed on for her over four other candidates even though I am already a George W. Bush Team Leader.

I am a member of the Knights of Columbus as I have been since 1986. I also chaired the KofC Family Committee two years in a row.

My brother Knights and millions of others in the Catholic Church are opposed to abortion and hailed the signing of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act by President Bush on November 5, 2003. Republican Rick Santorum of PA introduced the bill and pushed it through Congress. Almost all the opposition to this very reasonable law came from Democrats. In the Senate 25 of the 34 Senators voting against the bill were Democrats. John Kerry voted against the bill and John Edwards did not even vote. In the House, a wopping 137 out of 142 Congressmen voting against it were Democrats. Killing a baby is one thing, but voting to kill a viable infant while it is being born is barbaric. Our great Catholic Congressman in VA, Jim Moran, voted against it as expected. He should be excommunicated.

I would like to hear other views on this issue. I think it is a touchstone issue in this election year.

Tony DeStefano

 

[Aaron-Aggie]

Welcome to OBOB

to your efforts

 

[panterapat]

According to "The Proclaimation on Procured Abortion" issued by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the (Catholic) Faith:

"One may not obey a law that is intrustically unjust, such as a law legalizing abortion. One may not vote in favor of such a law or participate in a campaign to approve such a law."

In other words, Catholics are not permitted, under penalty of sin, from voting for a candidate who supports abortion. If all Catholics adhered to the above teachings, there would be no pro-abortion people elected to public office. Catholics are the swing vote. The proportion of Catholics who voted for Bush(pro-life) and Gore
(pro-abortion) is almost 50/50. I am ashamed to admit that so many Catholics voted for a pro-abortion candidate.

 

[boughtwithaprice]

I am very pleased to open this thread by announcing that I just attended an Arlington County Republican Committee meeting in Virginia and had a chance to hear from our candidates running for Congress against ultra liberal Jim Moran in the 8th District. Moran claims to be Catholic but he supports abortion. One Republican candidate for Congress, Jane Eshagpoor, repeatedly expressed her pro-life position and her opposition to abortion. I have signed on for her over four other candidates even though I am already a George W. Bush Team Leader.

I am a member of the Knights of Columbus as I have been since 1986. I also chaired the KofC Family Committee two years in a row.

My brother Knights and millions of others in the Catholic Church are opposed to abortion and hailed the signing of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act by President Bush on November 5, 2003. Republican Rick Santorum of PA introduced the bill and pushed it through Congress. Almost all the opposition to this very reasonable law came from Democrats. In the Senate 25 of the 34 Senators voting against the bill were Democrats. John Kerry voted against the bill and John Edwards did not even vote. In the House, a wopping 137 out of 142 Congressmen voting against it were Democrats. Killing a baby is one thing, but voting to kill a viable infant while it is being born is barbaric. Our great Catholic Congressman in VA, Jim Moran, voted against it as expected. He should be excommunicated.

I would like to hear other views on this issue. I think it is a touchstone issue in this election year.

Tony DeStefano

Hi Tony

I am a Catholic in Virginia Beach, and I will not vote for a candidate that is Pro-choice. That is my view, I am Republican, but I will vote for a Pro-life democrat, such as Bob Casey was reported to be, over a Pro-choice republican. I wish all Catholics felt the same

Jerome

 

[DJ B.K.]

According to "The Proclaimation on Procured Abortion" issued by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the (Catholic) Faith:

"One may not obey a law that is intrustically unjust, such as a law legalizing abortion. One may not vote in favor of such a law or participate in a campaign to approve such a law."

In other words, Catholics are not permitted, under penalty of sin, from voting for a candidate who supports abortion. If all Catholics adhered to the above teachings, there would be no pro-abortion people elected to public office. Catholics are the swing vote. The proportion of Catholics who voted for Bush(pro-life) and Gore
(pro-abortion) is almost 50/50. I am ashamed to admit that so many Catholics voted for a pro-abortion candidate.

You mean I have to vote for Bush in the upcoming election unless the democratic candidate is pro-life somehow. I really don't like President Bush too much. I wonder if the Green Party is pro-life.

 

[Bastoune]

That's a tough call. Maybe abstain from voting period and just LOBBY against abortion, or if you like a major candidate, express your opinion as to why you WON'T vote for him/her.

 

[ProCommunioneFacior]

You mean I have to vote for Bush in the upcoming election unless the democratic candidate is pro-life somehow. I really don't like President Bush too much. I wonder if the Green Party is pro-life.

I think I recall that Ralph Nader, who was the Green Party candidate in 2000 was pro-abortion. Although I disagree with George Bush on some things, I do believe that it is my duty as a Catholic christian to always vote for pro-life candidates because, everything is secondary to the fact that 43 million babies have been killed since 1973, what issue is more important than that?

 

[panterapat]

I think I recall that Ralph Nader, who was the Green Party candidate in 2000 was pro-abortion. Although I disagree with George Bush on some things, I do believe that it is my duty as a Catholic christian to always vote for pro-life candidates because, everything is secondary to the fact that 43 million babies have been killed since 1973, what issue is more important than that?

AMEN!

 

[karla]

Isn't Bush pro death penalty? It would be so much easier if pro life meant pro LIFE. I am really not a fan of GW, but I will vote for the canidate that is against abortion.

 

[ProCommunioneFacior]

Unfortunately, yes George Bush is pro death penalty, but there is a difference in the graveness of the death penalty and abortion.

 

[JeffreyLloyd]

Vivat Jesus brother!

 

[JeffreyLloyd]

Unfortunately, yes George Bush is pro death penalty, but there is a difference in the graveness of the death penalty and abortion.

Yup

Death Penalty = Guilty Person who has taken someone else's life.
Abortion = innocent baby

 

[ps139]

I believe that the Catechism says that the death penalty is permissible in certain circumstances when it is determined that the aggressor is beyond rehabilitation, and will ALWAYS be a danger to society. However, I do not think that the agents of the state are capable of making that determination. So I will always be anti-death penalty, in all cases, as long as the government is making the decision.

 

[MattMMMan17]

I'm pretty sure that it isn't permissible in any circumstance UNLESS there is no way to properly detain that person from doing the harm that they would most likely do again. But with todays prison systems, that argument just doesn't fly. So I'd have to agree always anti-death penalty.

 

[ps139]

CCC #2267
Assuming that the guilty party's identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.


If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person. Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm - without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself - the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity "are very rare, if not practically non-existent."

 

[MattMMMan17]

there you go

 

[karla]

Unfortunately, yes George Bush is pro death penalty, but there is a difference in the graveness of the death penalty and abortion.

I totally agree. There is a huge difference between taking the life of an innocent unborn baby and taking the life of someone on death row. If there has to be a choice made those opposing abortion will always get my vote.

 

[Amandine]

Oi vay. So even though the candidate will probably never vote on an abortion issue, I still still must vote for someone who claims to be pro-life? Even politicians change their minds under pressure. Think how many lives are destroyed by pollution and war... not to say it takes precedence, but I don't think politics is as easy as single issue voting. It seems I can not vote for anyone at all... unless anybody wants to join a rich pro-life Green Party ticket?
-Catherine

 

[Aaron-Aggie]

Oi vay. So even though the candidate will probably never vote on an abortion issue, I still still must vote for someone who claims to be pro-life? Even politicians change their minds under pressure. Think how many lives are destroyed by pollution and war... not to say it takes precedence, but I don't think politics is as easy as single issue voting. It seems I can not vote for anyone at all... unless anybody wants to join a rich pro-life Green Party ticket?
-Catherine

personally while I don't trust most politians I not sure I can trust any one that thinks its ok to kill an unborn child with repersenting my other postions either

 

[ps139]

While on the topic....whats the deal with the partial-birth abortion ban? I know that a few months ago it was passed...only to be challenged in courts within 24 hours of passage - effectively putting the ban at least on hold - where is it now? What is its status?

Regarding pro-life candidates - I agree with cbrickell in that we cannot always trust them to actually vote against abortion, it might be a front they put up to gain conservative votes. But I think it is EXTREMELY important to vote for a pro-life president, because he has the important job of appointing Supreme Court justices, who serve for life, and whose opinions (unfortunately) are often the basis of legislation in this country.