Bishops criticize Biden’s abortion remarks for flawed reasoning

CNA ^ | September 8, 2008

[NYer]

Archbishop Charles Chaput / Bishop Robert Morlino

Washington DC, Sep 8, 2008 / 04:33 pm (CNA).- Bishop of Madison Robert C. Morlino and Archbishop of Denver Charles J. Chaput have responded to Democratic vice-presidential nominee Sen. Joseph Biden’s characterization that the point when life begins is a religious belief, criticizing him for “flawed moral reasoning,” confusing the Catholic faithful and confusing the differences between faith and natural law.

In a Sunday interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Sen. Biden had said that he is “prepared as a matter of faith to accept that life begins at the moment of conception” but would not impose that belief on anyone through law. He claimed that to do so would be “inappropriate in a pluralistic society.”

Bishop Morlino made impromptu remarks in his Sunday homily, saying he had thrown away his prepared homily “for other considerations.”

Explaining that his point was not “to speak against Democrats,” but to address people who “claim to be Catholic,” he discussed Sen. Joseph Biden and Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s remarks about abortion.

“They are roughly my age… so that means that Speaker Pelosi and Sen. Biden were educated just about the same time I was,” he noted.

Stating he could not speak to the exact details of Pelosi’s Catholic education, Bishop Morlino said “I have to believe that she was taught that abortion was always wrong.”

After the Second Vatican Council, Bishop Morlino said, “certain theologians and some priests and some bishops” started to allow the kind of teaching Rep. Pelosi received, and “allowed her to be confused.”

“She doesn’t know church history, doesn’t know the theology of the Church Fathers about abortion at this moment,” he said.

If she knew it at one time, Bishop Morlino asserted, “she doesn’t know it now.”

Turning his remarks to Sen. Biden, Bishop Morlino said he and the senator shared as their hometown Scranton, Pennsylvania.

“I am positive of what Sen. Biden was taught in Scranton. And it’s the same thing that I was taught,” he declared.

While Rep. Pelosi may be confused, he said, he claimed Sen. Biden doesn’t understand the difference between “religious faith and natural law.”

“Any human being -- regardless of his faith, his religious practice or having no faith -- any human being can reason to the fact that human life from conception unto natural death is sacred,” he argued. “Biology -- not faith, not philosophy, not any kind of theology --  Biology tells us, science [says], that at the moment of conception there exists a unique individual of the human species.”

“It's not a matter of what I might believe. What my faith might teach me,” he said.

“Sen. Biden has an obligation to know that. And he doesn’t know it.”
Charging that some theologians, priests, and bishops also allowed Biden to become confused, Bishop Morlino then criticized politicians for confusing the Catholic faithful.

“They're supposed to believe in separation of church and state. They're violating the separation of church and state by confusing people about what I have an obligation to teach,” he charged, though he did not hold them culpable.

“They themselves were confused after the Council and I don't blame them for that. Bishops allowed it, theologians did it, some priests did it, and in Canada even some bishops did it.”

Again insisting he wasn’t speaking about Democrats or even pro-life issues, he said his focus was upon the “awareness of faith, the catechesis that every Catholic should have.” He asked his listeners to make sure they themselves really understand what the Catholic faith teaches, through the Pope and the bishops.

“Prominent Catholics should not be violating the separation of church and state” by “teaching the wrong thing.” Rep. Pelosi and Sen. Biden, he said, are “doing precisely that.”

“If Republican candidates were doing precisely that, I would speak out with exactly the same determination,” he countered.

Nearing the end of his homily, Bishop Morlino said Catholics must tell people who need to be corrected “with love,” because otherwise “we will be lost too.”

Archbishop of Denver Charles J. Chaput and Denver’s auxiliary Bishop James D. Conley voiced their own criticisms of Sen. Biden in a Monday statement, saying that Catholics who serve on the national stage open themselves to “legitimate scrutiny” by local Catholics and local bishops concerning Catholic belief.

“In 2008, although NBC probably didn’t intend it, Meet the Press has become a national window on the flawed moral reasoning of some Catholic public servants,” their letter said.

Referencing Biden’s statement that when life begins is a “personal and private issue,” the bishops replied: “in reality, modern biology knows exactly when human life begins: at the moment of conception.  Religion has nothing to do with it.”

While granting that there is a “dangerous” argument over when “personhood” begins, they continued: “no one can any longer claim that the beginning of life is a matter of religious opinion.”

Against Biden’s remarks that pluralism prevented him from advocating abortion restrictions, the bishops said: “Real pluralism thrives on healthy, non-violent disagreement; it requires an environment where people of conviction will struggle respectfully but vigorously to advance their beliefs.”

While saying views of other people should be acknowledged and compromises made “whenever possible,” the bishops insisted this should not come “at the expense of a developing child’s right to life.”

“Abortion is a foundational issue,” they wrote, emphasizing “it is always, grievously wrong.”

“If, as Sen. Biden said, ‘I’m prepared as a matter of faith [emphasis added] to accept that life begins at the moment of conception,’ then he is not merely wrong about the science of new life; he also fails to defend the innocent life he already knows is there,” the bishops said.

While praising Biden’s opposition to public funding for abortions and his opposition to partial-birth abortion, they explained that his support for the 1973 Supreme Court pro-abortion rights decision Roe v. Wade “can’t be excused by any serious Catholic.”

“Resistance to abortion is a matter of human rights, not religious opinion,” they added, arguing that law by nature involves imposing “some people’s convictions on everyone else.”

“American Catholics have allowed themselves to be bullied into accepting the destruction of more than a million developing unborn children a year,” they wrote.

“We need to put an end to Roe and the industry of permissive abortion it enables,” the bishops concluded. “Otherwise all of us – from senators and members of Congress, to Catholic laypeople in the pews – fail not only as believers and disciples, but also as citizens.”

[NYer]

“Prominent Catholics should not be violating the separation of church and state” by “teaching the wrong thing.” Rep. Pelosi and Sen. Biden, he said, are “doing precisely that.”

Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[djrakowski]

Episcopal Spine Alert!

[loveliberty2]

"“prepared as a matter of faith to accept that life begins at the moment of conception” but would not impose that belief on anyone through law. He claimed that to do so would be “inappropriate in a pluralistic society.”"

Does he believe that murder of a man/woman/child is a sin? If so, does he also feel that he cannot "impose" that belief on anyone through law?

[OKIEDOC]

I am not Catholic but sometimes attend the Catholic Mass over in town.

Sunday the priest told the congregation that they must make a choice about what candidate to vote.

As practicing Catholics they must clearly study each candidates views.

He stated that anyone who votes for a candidate that supports abortion is not acceptable.

He stated that anyone who supported abortion would be self excommunicating themselves from Gods church.

I am a Baptist and the sermon was in Spanish so hope I have not misrepresented what the priest said.

[frogjerk]

“If, as Sen. Biden said, ‘I’m prepared as a matter of faith [emphasis added] to accept that life begins at the moment of conception,’ then he is not merely wrong about the science of new life; he also fails to defend the innocent life he already knows is there,” the bishops said.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

1857 For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: "Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent."

[Da Coyote]

I could use a more terse expose of Biden. It is as follows:

If Biden, then flawed logic.

QED

[ari-freedom]

I don’t think NOW and the koskids will be very happy to know that Obama picked a guy that can fall into a trap on one of their biggest issues (the reason to go to war in Iraq is another)

[frogjerk]

I am a Baptist and the sermon was in Spanish so hope I have not misrepresented what the priest said.

You heard right.

But, the penalty of excommunication can be lifted in a valid confession. Did he talk about that? It is important to hear.

[chimera]

The “imposing my belief on others” is a focus group-tested cop-out on the central question of the deliberate taking of an innocent human life. Biden is dodging the issue, and so does anyone who uses that shopworn excuse. The bad part of it is, Biden knows it, but he doesn't have the moral courage to live his professed faith. He won't walk his talk. He knows what the real issue is, but he flinches.

[A.A. Cunningham]

But, the penalty of excommunication can be lifted in a valid confession.

Only with certain caveats.

1463 Certain particularly grave sins incur excommunication, the most severe ecclesiastical penalty, which impedes the reception of the sacraments and the exercise of certain ecclesiastical acts, and for which absolution consequently cannot be granted, according to canon law, except by the Pope, the bishop of the place or priests authorized by them.68 In danger of death any priest, even if deprived of faculties for hearing confessions, can absolve from every sin and excommunication.69

[frogjerk]

Duly noted.

[aposiopetic]

Nearing the end of his homily, Bishop Morlino said Catholics must tell people who need to be corrected “with love,” because otherwise “we will be lost too.”

Exactly. This is entirely in keeping with this past Sunday's first reading, from Ezekiel 33.

[Salvation]

Looks like Bishop Morlino is another one to add to the list!

Thursday, September 04, 2008

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 Slatter of Tulsa adds himself to the list
14. Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas has joined the USCCB's efforts
15. Bishop Gregory Aymond of Austin is on-board
16. Bishop James Slattery of Tulsa has a detailed response
17. Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston mentions the USCCB on his blog
18. Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando has written at length
19. Archbishop John Nienstedt of Saint Paul/Minneapolis challenges Pelosi's statement
20. Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the US Bishops, has weighed-in
21. Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, OR publishes in the Catholic Sentinel
22. Bishop Jerome Listecki of La Crosse, WI responds in a word document
23. Bishop Joseph Gossman of Raleigh, N C responds to the misrepresentation
24. Bishop Richard Lennon of Cleveland, OH will comment in his September 5th column (PDF)
25. Bishop Ralph Nickless of Sioux City, IA has one of the very best responses I've read
26. Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco has invited Pelosi to a "conversation"

{Last updated on September 6th.}

[NYer]

I am a Baptist and the sermon was in Spanish so hope I have not misrepresented what the priest said.

You did a wonderful job of posting the priest's homily. He is absolutely right! Without life, there is no hope.

[NYer]

I don’t think NOW and the koskids will be very happy to know that Obama picked a guy that can fall into a trap on one of their biggest issues

Obama miscalculated his choice of running mate. He chose Biden hoping to pick up the Catholic vote. It backfired.

[JoeFromSidney]

I think it's significant, and also typical, that my bishop, of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, has been silent on the issue.

[jwalsh07]

It’s called apostasy. plain and simple.

[pray4liberty]

I met one of Biden’s sons at the Delaware State Fair one election year. I told him in no uncertain terms: “you tell your father for me, that he needs to go to Confession.” He was shocked.

[Salvation]

And that list doesn’t even include Saterelli, Biden’s bishop who has told him not to come to Communion. (Or speak at Catholic Schools.)