While on pilgrimage, we learned of the results of the Presidential election in the USA. Almost everywhere we go in Portugal, France or Spain, nearly all Europeans congratulate us and express their gratitude that America has broken the racial barrier to the White House.
The deserved and rightful joy and pride, however, of the first African-American to be elected to the highest office in the nation, the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and the President of the United States, is painfully eclipsed by his undeniable and vocal support for abortion. How sad that this historic moment is tarnished and stained by the blood of innocent children. Candidate Obama openly, frequently and clearly stated his support and intent to sign FOCA (Freedom of Choice Act) which would unravel all or at least most of the progress made by Pro-Lifers to restrict, constrain and diminish abortions.
Senator Obama rejected the ban on partial birth abortion. He supports Roe v. Wade. He supports FOCA. Yet, many Europeans like him because he opposed the war in Iraq and promises to bring the troops home ASAP. The anti-war and anti-Bush factions like him for the same reasons. Some agreed with his economic proposals; others liked his health care plan.
Pundits tell us that Senator John McClain lost the election partially for the war and for his association with GW but most propose that it was his economic strategy (or lack thereof) which cost him the presidency.
What I find disconcerting and disturbing is the high number of Catholics who allegedly voted for Senator Barak Obama despite his position on abortion. Senator John McClain, despite his obvious shortcomings, has a better trach record of being Pro-Life and for supporting Pro-Life legislation.
IF some Catholics voted for Obama merely to save their 401K, then what is the difference had they been given thirty pieces of silver? Both are blood money and innocent blood at that.
The only time a Catholic can morally vote for a pro-choice candidate is when there is no viable pro-life opponent running against him/her. But we had a pro-life alternative, albeit not perfect, but more anti-bortion than Obama.
The courageous Bishops who enunciated this moral teaching preached to deaf ears, sad to say. While we are not one issue voters, there is a hierarchy of goods, values ans principles, which must be respected. The RIGHT TO LIFE outweighs all other issues, no matter how serious or important.
Now that there is a PRO-ABORTION Catholic Vice President, the US Bishops have a once in a lifetime opportunity. Senator Joe Biden has stated unequivocally he knows abortion is wrong as life begins at conception BUT he also vehemently supports Roe v. Wade and will always support legal abortions. He and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and all Congressmen and Senators who refuse to repent and abandon their support for abortion must be denied Holy Communion AND face the real possibility of EXCOMMUNICATION. If the Vice President and the Speaker flagrantly show contempt for the Moral Law and Magisterial teaching which condemn abortion, they cause great scandal when they approach Holy Comunion.
Certainly, they deserve a chance to repent and recant, but if unrepentant, then the Vice President and Speaker and all politicians who overtly, consistently and obstinantly suport abortion must be excommunicated.
These extreme measures are regrettable but necessary since our people do not realize that to refuse to protect the innocent unborn, we greatly offend God. Economic crises are indeed serious matters but the slaughter of millions of innocent unborn human lives is another holocaust.
I pray that President Elect Obama and Vice President Elect Joe Biden repent and change their position on abortion. Former pro-slavery politicians did it before; former pro-segregationalist did too. Former pr-choicers can become pro-lifers. Meantime, we must make a stand for those who have no one else to speak for them.
Have you prayed for a good outcome for the election? Now, would be a good
time.
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Have you PRAYED for a good outcome? The best possible outcome that will
benefit the nation spiritually and materially (if that is what God wills)?
Have you...
4 hours ago
13 comments:
Well, in the unlikely event that you bump into me, this European will be commiserating with you over the many American infants that will die thanks to Obama and his pro-death agenda.
Buona pellegrinaggio dei santuari d'Europa!
I completely agree Father. I pray that more priests and bishops will pray their way to your style of preaching and upholding the truth, then it will be passed on to the laity.
The pro-life movement had better dig some trenches, if we didn't think we were in for a long haul before, we certainly are now.
Amen, good Padre.
I pray that the US Bishops have the courage (and a majority vote) to take a very prominent, vocal stand against the impending Administration's pro-abort agenda, as well as the purportedly Catholic politicians who support abortion.
We have to stand up and declare ourselves, now more than ever.
Fr. Trigilio for Bishop!
The Catholic pols are one thing. However, have you ever wondered where they get their "stuff"? They aren't dreaming up their arguments out of nowhere. Rather, it is coming from unchecked dissident theologians and professors who are given a Church-paid platform in which to undermine our bishops.
Why do people like Doug Kmiec and others like him have good standing at any Catholic institution? Why doesn't the Vatican step in and pull the rug out from under these people so that they can't teach anyplace, especially given that the respective institutions or bishops are unwilling to do so themselves.
In other words, the Church is permitting wolves to run among the sheep when they should be protecting the sheep. What's more is that they are using their loophole theology on campuses and perverting the minds of our young with this stuff.
Thanks be to God for priests and others willing to share the true faith through the web.
We need a little St. Ambrose in today's bishops.
Pray for our bishops.
I'm afraid the Bishops efforts were too little, too late. But it was a start and I hope and pray that they'll continue down that path. My parish priest said not a word about the election - I'll be redirecting my donations until I understand the reasons for his silence. The USCCB is, in my opinion, a feckless organization that serves to foster the misguided relativist thinking of bishops lacking courage. If these bishops are tied to a political party, they should work night and day to get democrats to reverse there thinking. Perhaps they could begin with Catholic democrats in leadership positions, such as Biden and Pelosi?
Thank you, Father, for your commitment to the teachings of the Catholic church. I am saddened and frustrated by the results of the election. Here in SD, we worked hard to pass a pro-life legislation, but it failed. - by over 60% to 40% in my county, which I sadly recognize means that many Catholic voted against it. We - Catholics - NEED to hear our priests preaching REGULARLY and STRONGLY about the teachings of our faith - especially the teachings regarding life! God bless you for all you do!
I appreciate your post, Father. We, the lay people, NEED our priests and bishops to publicly voice the church's position on life issues, abortion, euthenasia, and ESCR. I suspect many bishops personally oppose abortion, but are publicly silent. (Where have we heard that before!) We need strong leaders. Don't worry about ruffling feathers...We need ruffled feathers. Pro-life Catholics, particularly of my generation (30) and younger, are absolutely pro-life and in step with the church. But we need leadership and if the shepherds of our church won't fill that role, you can guess who will. God bless all the bishops and priests who have spoken out about the importance of life issues this election season. May they continue to do so.
Here's a poem that doesn't mince words (anonymous author):
God was with her through it all
He heard her silents screams
From inside the womb
When all others ignored her
He felt her deepest pain and suffering
When the world was numb to the bitter reality
He cherished her precious soul
When all others pushed it aside
He lifted her to Heaven on eagle's wings
Welcomed her into Glory with open arms
While her mother was left empty
Security is only found in trusting God's loving plan
Not in killing an innocent child
Tom W said, My parish priest said not a word about the election - I'll be redirecting my donations until I understand the reasons for his silence.
Now there's a novel idea. Many priests unfortunately let the basket dictate what they say. In parishes where there is silence on the most obvious issues of our day - like abortion - and where there is loophole theology being advanced, collections should be withheld.
Or, you can do as I did and find a parish where not only to the priests hit the hard subjects, they teach the faith in it's fullness, and with frequency.
That too will affect the collection baskets of "do nothing" priests and bishops and will reward those who do the job as it should be done.
Oh Father, you say it so well! You possess the truth; may God bless you for speaking out. Thank-you Father so much. Prayers going out to you. Please pray for me too!
American voters were offered a very cleaqr choice and they screamed "Give us Obarrabas!". Yes, The Church crippled from revolutions both within (Thank you, Martin Luther.)and without (Thank you, Martin Luther.)might have roared sooner and more often, but do we really need an ecclesiastic to tell us right from wrong? Is it not already written on our hearts, thus followed by what was written on the Tablets? Have we not heard the words of what to do and what to not do from parents and grandparents? We can't blame it all on our priests and bishops. Those who were mute have problems of their own that I would never want. They need prayers, not condemnation.
Incredibly, people voted according to love of mammon over God. Some voted in their error of not supporting the War on Terror (Our Lady did at Le Panto. Same war.) They are those who "speak peace with their neighbour, but have evils in their hearts". They are Communists and don't even know it. How did they get that way? One, because they had their noses in the toilet bowl of television, movies and internet instead of seeking out only the good that was there. That is why something nasty was on the ends of their noses when they pulled their heads out each time. And two, because thanks to the aftermath of VatII, most Catholics commit sacrilege every time they go to Mass. Which is why number #1 was able to happen to them. (Maybe I should have made that one #2?) Of the nonCatholics came the most irresponsible of all, the ones who voted for color. How shameful.
It is IMPOSSIBLE for a soul to be in a State of Grace and be so stupid, so lost, so ungraced. That is why those who voted for evil did so. They were in a state of horrible sinfulness. That would include the sacriligious Catholics, the stay at home Sundays mortal sin Catholics, the ProtePaganMasonatholics in the pew unCatholics, the nonCatholics and the antiCatholics.
Be a real Catholic and a good practicing, faithful Catholic. Pray for your enemies. Pray that the light from your lamp is an example to those around you. Pray that you are not "put to the test".
Oh, wait. Jesus already told us to do that. Yeah. I thought that sounded familiar. Hmmmmm.
Priests are prayed for daily in this house. Are they in yours?
Father
I wish you would leave out of your arguments about pro-slavery and pro segregationist, they never really recanted, and we are still living with the effects.
Abortion is wrong, however, what has the republicans done to stop it, nothing, just lip service.
once again, I am sure this post will never end up on your blog.
Dear Afro Seminarian
I am not canonizing the Republican Party as they betrayed pro-life causes in many ways HOWEVER when you look at the official PLATFORM for each party, the Democratic Party is overtly pro-abortion and the Republican Party is anti-abortion. While more could have been done which was not done, I am afraid that the Joe Bidens and Nancy Pelosis not to mention the Barak Obamas will via FOCA unravel most if not all the progress done in Congress for Pro-Life.
The parallel between abortion and slavery is still valid since at one time slavery was legal (enacted by Congress) and upheld by the Supreme Court only later to be outlawed and declared unconstitutional. Likewise, desite Roe v Wade and in spite of the Obama victory in 2008, someday abortion will again be illegal and the rights of the unborn will be as sacred as the rights of all human beings, regardless of color, race, creed, or whether they live inside or outside the womb.
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