15 September 2002
By
Fr. Michael Dolan
I am commencing a new column for the bulletin called “Something to Consider.” It will appear weekly.
A couple of weeks ago, I read a front page article in the Washington Post entitled “Catholic Clout is Eroded by Scandal,” subtitled “The Church is dealt Legislative Defeats.” The truth of the matter is that the sexual abuse scandal hasn’t eroded Catholic legislative clout. Catholic legislative clout is non-existent and has not existed for decades. Indeed, it has been pointed out that Catholics, despite being 25 percent of the population in the United Sates, get very little, if any, attention in legislative matters, and what little is given is no more than crumbs from the legislative table.
The reasons for this canard are twofold and equally scandalous—the catholic voters and the behavior of the so-called Catholic elected officials. Consider for a moment that the Catholic population of Rhode Island is about 63 percent, yet both of its senators, one of whom is Catholic, are pro-abortion and voted against banning partial birth abortion for which even the American Medical Association says no justification exists.
Massachusetts is 47 percent Catholic, yet both of its Senators, both Catholic, are pro-abortion and voted against banning partial birth abortion. New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are between 40 and 45 percent Catholic, and of their combined senators, two of whom are Catholic, only one, Senator Santorum, of Pennsylvania, is pro-life. Recently, over 60 percent of Catholic voters in New Jersey voted for a pro-abortion candidate for Governor over a pro-life candidate. If, as it has been stated, the Democratic Party is the “Catholic” party, why is it now the pro-abortion party, with 13 of 14 Catholic Democratic senators voting pro-abortion, while the Republican Party votes pro-life?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (Article #2272) says, “Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense” and also goes on to say that persons so involved “are subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law.” Article #1398 of Canon Law says, “All directly involved as formal cooperators, that is principle agents or necessary cooperators, in the deliberate and successful effort to eject a non-viable fetus from the mother’s womb incur automatic excommunication.” The use of the term “non-viable” in this context means to be incapable of independent existence outside of the womb. Pro-abortion elected officials and those who vote for them are necessary cooperators in abortion.
The need to present this type of truthful warning is well documented in scripture (e.g., Ezek 3:18-19, Jas 5:19, Thess 3:15). It is, however, politically incorrect to do so. With regard to the latter, I am reminded of Martin Luther King who once said, “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, politic, nor popular but one must take it, because it is right.” I can just hear Jesus saying, “Right on!”
May God bless you always,
Father Mike
Next Week: “But I am Not Pro-Abortion, I’m Pro-Choice!”