Knights of Columbus Ads: Biden, You Violate Catholic Teaching on Abortion

LifeNews.com ^ | September 19, 2008 | Steven Ertelt

[rhema]

The pro-life group Knights of Columbus is running newspaper ads in several leading paper saying Obama running mate Joe Biden is out of step with the Catholic Church on abortion. Biden, who is Catholic, has a long pro-abortion voting record and came under fire for some recent statements.

In a recent interview, Biden said he personally believes that human life begins at conception but wouldn't make public policy protecting unborn children from abortion based on those views.

Several Catholic bishops corrected Biden saying he misrepresented Church teaching.

The ads will run in such leading newspapers as USA Today, the Washington Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and his hometown Delaware News Journal.

The Knights of Columbus ads feature an open letter that remind Biden that "abortion is a grave sin to be avoided at any time during a pregnancy" and he has a "unique responsibility" to make correct statements about Catholic teaching.

"Sen. Obama stressed your Catholic identity repeatedly when he introduced you as his running mate, and so your statements carry considerable weight, whether they are correct or not. You now have a unique responsibility when you make public statements about Catholic teaching," the letter says.

Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, signed the letter.

"Statements that suggest that our church has anything less than a consistent teaching on abortion are not merely incorrect; they may lead Catholic women facing crisis pregnancies to misunderstand the moral gravity of an abortion decision," the letter warns.

"I recognize that you struggle with your conscience on the issue, and have said that you accept the church's teaching that life begins at conception – as a matter of faith. But modern medical science leaves no doubt about the fact that each person's life begins at conception. It is not a matter of personal religious belief, but of science," Anderson writes.

Anderson's letter also cites Abraham Lincoln's anti-slavery arguments.

"Lincoln's reasoning regarding slavery applies with equal force to children who are minutes, hours, days away from birth," the letter concludes. "You have a choice: you can listen to your conscience and work to secure the rights of the unborn to share in the fruits of our hard-won liberty, or you can choose to turn your back on them."

Biden's own bishop eventually suggested that he skip communion because of his pro-abortion views.

[rhema]

On the campaign trail, maybe a serious Catholic could slip Joe a copy of Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics as he's kissing the babies who are in this world despite his efforts to assure that they could just as easily not have been.

[itsthejourney]

said that you accept the church's teaching that life begins at conception – as a matter of faith.

No facts to back up this faith thing? What planet do these folks live on?

[rhema]

. . .But modern medical science leaves no doubt about the fact that each person's life begins at conception. It is not a matter of personal religious belief, but of science," Anderson writes.

The church itself isn't ambivalent, either on the Biblical or the scientific aspects of life. Biden, on the other hand, respects neither in personal practice.

[Yorlik803]

Like Biden cares. He is a pick and choose Catholic.

[lmc12]

Joe”Commited Catholic” Biden is blowing up in the Messiah’s face, how fitting.

[rhema]

Like Biden cares. He is a pick and choose Catholic.

The important thing is that the church cares enough to publicly reprove him for his hypocrisy:

The ads will run in such leading newspapers as USA Today, the Washington Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and his hometown Delaware News Journal.

[livius]

Biden doesn’t care, but this might make some Catholics take another look at it. Also, coming on top of the bishops’ statements, it makes it impossible for him to claim he wasn’t told that his position is wrong, un-Catholic, and that he shouldn’t pretend it’s okay or that he’s a “good Catholic” in asserting it.

[Rockiette]

The Church has an obligation to excommunicate Biden, Pelosi, Leahy and the rest of that group calling themselves “Catholic”.

[hoosierham]

One can hardly be be a “good Democrat” and a good Catholic ;the two organizations’ currently stated goals aren’t compatible.

[Salvation]

What the bishops are saying about Pelosi, Biden et al who claim to be Catholic, but are merely CINOs. Supposedly there are 55 bishops who have spoken out; this list includes less.

Updated: American Bishops who have spoken against Pelosi

Here is the complete list of American bishops who have responded to Nancy Pelosi's comments so far:

1. Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver was the first American bishop to respond
2. ... Bishop James Conley, his auxiliary, joined him
3. Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington DC responded twice, first in a press release and second in a statement to The Hill. He has also appeared on Fox News, I am told.
4. Cardinal Justin Regali of Philadelphia, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued this statement through the USCCB website...
5. ... Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, chairman of the Committee on Doctrine, joined him
6. Cardinal Edward Egan of New York publised a strongly worded statement of his own
7. Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo issued a letter correcting Pelosi's claims
8. Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh and...
9. ... Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs have chimed-in
10. Archbishop Jose Gomez of San Antonio, CNA reports has added his voice ...
11. ... Bishop Oscar Cantu, his auxiliary bishop, has joined him
12. Bishop William Murphy of Rockville has published an extensive letter
13. Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa has a detailed response
14. Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas has joined the USCCB's efforts
15. Bishop Gregory Aymond of Austin is on-board
16. Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston mentions the USCCB on his blog
17. Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando has written at length
18. Archbishop John Nienstedt of Saint Paul/Minneapolis challenges Pelosi's statement
19. Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the US Bishops, has weighed-in
20. Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, OR publishes in the Catholic Sentinel
21. Bishop Jerome Listecki of La Crosse, WI responds in a word document
22. Bishop Richard Lennon of Cleveland, OH will comment in his September 5th column (PDF)
23. Bishop Ralph Nickless of Sioux City, IA has one of the very best responses I've read
24. Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco has invited Pelosi to a "conversation"
25. Bishop Glen Provost, LA: "Catholic Church clear on when human life begins"
26. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn: "Judging the Candidates"

{Last updated on September 10th.}

Notes:

• Previous #23 has been removed. Bishop Joseph Gossman of Raleigh, NC is actually the bishop emeritus, and the new bishop, Michael Burbidge has not, to my knowledge, made a personal statement.
• Previous #16 has also been removed, it was an erroneous duplication of current #13.
• #26 was added September 10th, although he published his column September 6th

[Salvation]

New video from CatholicVote.com

Powerful

http://www.creativeminorityreport.com/2008/09/new-video-from-catholicvotecom.html

[Salvation]

They have excommunicated themselves. They cannot receive Communion because they support abortion, the killing of children. This is a mortal sin. They need to go to Confession, repent, and promise to change their ways. Somehow, I don't think that will happen with these dimocrats!

1:

CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2271  (618 bytes )  preview document matches 1 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2271.htm

97%

2:

CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2272  (580 bytes )  preview document matches 2 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2272.htm

96%

3:

CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2322  (290 bytes )  preview document matches 2 From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a "criminal" practice (GS 27 § 3), URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2322.htm

96%

4:	CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2274  (554 bytes )  preview document matches gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2274.htm