October 16, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – More than a dozen Catholic cardinals, bishops, and priests have spoken out strongly against the pro-abortion presidential ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, not only because of their assault against the preborn but also because of their positions on marriage and religious liberty.
Although Catholic prelates cannot officially endorse a candidate for the upcoming election, they are able to form the consciences of the faithful by highlighting the most important issues and moral principles to consider while casting their vote. Sometimes they also point out how certain policies or party platforms relate to those issues. More rarely, they implicitly or explicitly attempt to dissuade people from voting for one or the other candidate.
The following is a list of Catholic clergy who make it clear how Catholics should form their consciences in the 2020 election.
Raymond Cardinal Burke: “A Catholic may not support abortion in any shape or form because it is one of the most grievous sins against human life, and has always been considered to be intrinsically evil” and any support of abortion is “a mortal sin.” Speaking in reference to Joe Biden, Burke said in the same interview: “And the person in question has not only been actively supporting procured abortion in our country, but has announced publicly in his campaign that he intends to extend that make the practice of procured abortion available to everyone in the widest possible form, and to repeal the restrictions on this practice which have been put in place.” Source
Gerhard Cardinal Mueller: "You cannot say ‘I am Catholic, I’m a Christian, I believe in God but I accepted the legislation which includes the possible killing of people in the mother’s womb and outside the mother's womb…And it’s better to vote for a good Protestant than for a bad Catholic. We must judge according to what they are doing and not only [according] to their words. That is biblical criteria. Look to the fruits.” Source
Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano: “Joe Biden does not have his own identity: he is only the expression of a power that does not dare reveal itself for what it truly is and that is hiding itself behind a person who is totally incapable of holding the office of President of the United States, also because of his weakened mental capabilities; but it is precisely in his weakness for pending complaints, in his ability to be blackmailed for conflicts of interest, that Biden reveals himself as a marionette maneuvered by the elites, a puppet in the hands of people thirsting for power and ready to do anything to expand it. We would find ourselves facing an Orwellian dictatorship desired by both the “Deep State” and the “Deep Church,” in which the rights that today are considered fundamental and inalienable would be trampled with the complicity of mainstream media.” Source
Bishop Thomas Paprocki (Springfield, IL):
- Biden and Harris “support the Democratic Party Platform promoting abortion and calling for the use of federal taxpayer funding of abortion and the appointment of pro-abortion judges. Biden also pledged to restore the Obama-Biden policy that mandates churches, businesses, colleges, and religious orders like the Little Sisters of the Poor to provide coverage for abortion pills in their employees’ health insurance plans.” Source
- “...voting for someone with the intent to support abortion is formal cooperation and is always sinful...It can be argued that the cooperation is mediate because that one person’s vote may not be essential to the procurement of abortion. But mediate cooperation in a grave evil requires a proportionately grave reason to be justified... It is hard to see how voting for someone who opposes the death penalty would be a proportionately grave reason to justify voting for that same candidate who promotes abortion.” Source
Bishop Thomas Daly (Spokane, WA): “But if abortion is intrinsically evil, which Bishop McElroy admits to, how can Catholics vote for a candidate like Biden? He has moved in an aggressive way to do all he can to make sure abortion is available. He has walked away from the Hyde Amendment. If elected, he will push for legislation that furthers abortion. He is not passive on this issue. There is no nuance. He has taken a strong stand.” Source
Bishop Richard Sticka (Knoxville, TN): “Don't understand how Mr. Biden can claim to be a good and faithful Catholic as he denies so much of Church teaching especially on the absolute child abuse and human rights violations of the most innocent, the not yet born. And he also praises his sidekick who has shown time and time again in senate hearings that she is an anti-Catholic bigot. So sad for this team.” Source See also Catholic bishop rebukes Biden for supporting ‘the ultimate child abuse’
Father James Altman:
- “You can not be Catholic and be a Democrat. Period! Their party platform absolutely is against everything the Catholic Church teaches.” Source
- “Joe Biden wants you to believe that he is a faithful Catholic. Faithful Catholics do not support expanding the ‘right’ to murder millions of unborn babies. Faithful Catholics do not personally celebrate same-sex ‘weddings’. Faithful Catholics do not vow to force nuns to provide contraception and abortifacients in insurance plans. And faithful Catholics do not remain silent while anarchists desecrate Catholic churches and statutes.” Source
Bishop Joseph Strickland (Tyler, TX): “As the Bishop of Tyler I endorse Fr Altman’s statement in this video. My shame is that it has taken me so long. Thank you Fr Altman for your COURAGE. If you love Jesus & His Church & this nation...pleases HEED THIS MESSAGE” Source
Bishop Thomas Tobin (Providence, RI): “Biden-Harris. First time in awhile that the Democratic ticket hasn’t had a Catholic on it. Sad.” Source
Fr. Kevin M. Cusick: “Joe Biden is not a practicing Catholic. And practicing Catholics cannot vote for Biden for president in good conscience.” Source
Fr. Stephen Imbarrato: “He (Biden) is a walking and talking scandal to his Catholic faith and has rightly been refused the Eucharist because he persists in ongoing mortal sin thus separating himself from communion with the Church. He scandalizes the Catholic faith in so many ways that objectively he actually seems “anti Catholic” in his beliefs.” Source
Fr. Frank Pavone: Biden’s “failure to protect the unborn puts him not only in conflict with the Catholic faith but with the Christian Gospel, the Founding principles of America, the very meaning of public service, and basic human decency. You can’t kill babies, and you can’t authorize anyone else to do so.” Source
Fr. Michael Orsi: “Joe Biden has stubbornly and contumaciously ignored Church teaching on abortion and Religious Freedom” Source
Fr. Edward Meeks:
- “Today we have a man running for the office of President of the United States who very publicly proclaims what a devout Catholic he is while proudly and aggressively advocating for abortion up to the moment of birth...He has chosen a running mate who holds even more extreme views than he does...And where are the bishops who for the benefit of this man’s immortal soul should be thundering with one unavoidable apostolic voice at this Catholic candidate, ‘How dare you! How dare you present yourself so publicly as a faithful Catholic while trampling on some of the Church’s most serious and most fervently held moral precepts!’” Source
- “On these [sanctity of life, marriage, and religious liberty] and other critical issues, there is one presidential candidate who stands in very public [and] very obstinate opposition to Church teaching — namely, former vice president Joe Biden.” Source
Related:
Priest devotes homily to dangers of a Joe Biden presidency for Catholics
Top US pro-life priests: ‘No Catholic can vote for Joe Biden’
Bishop Strickland echoes priest: ‘You cannot be Catholic and be a Democrat’
Catholic bishop rebukes Biden for supporting ‘the ultimate child abuse’
Bishop contrasts pro-abortion Biden with pro-life Trump to help voters decide
New Fr. Altman video explains why Joe Biden is a fake Catholic
Cardinal Burke: Joe Biden is not a Catholic in ‘good standing’, should not receive Communion