Vatican: Okay to vote for pro-abortion politician

[donsu]

http://www.nathannewman.org/log/index.shtml#001780

-snip-


On top of the general "each bishop can do their own thing" statement by the Conference of Catholic Bishops released last week, they now have released the task force reports leading up to that decision.

And as the New York Times describes, the committees were far more dubious about the use of the Eucharist as a tool against politicians. See the reports.

But possibly the most fascinating fact is that Vatican officials clearly told the Bishops that voters are free to support pro-abortion politicans without sinning, if they support them for other policies:
As many of you know, Vatican officials offered both principles and advised caution and pastoral prudence in the use of sanctions. . .It is important to note that Cardinal Ratzinger makes a clear distinction between public officials and voters, explaining that a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil only if he were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate’s permissive stand on abortion. However, when a Catholic does not share a candidate’s stand in favor of abortion and/or euthanasia, but votes for that candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can be permitted if there are proportionate reasons.Mark that statement. Essentially, the Vatican's official position is that abortion IS NOT an issue that trumps every other issue politically. By the logic of this statement, the Vatican is saying that if a poltician is pro-choice, but supports many other priorities of the Church, it is quite reasonable for Catholic voters to support them over a politican who is pro-life, but fails to support Catholic doctrine on many other issues.

Which leaves John Kerry is a great position, since by at least one measure, he is the best Catholic in the Senate on supporting the priorities of the Conference of Catholic Bishops on non-abortion issues.

So repeat this as a mantra until the media gets it. The Vatican says (a) abortion is NOT the only important issue politically, and (b) voters are free to support pro-abortion politicians as long as they are proportionately good on other Church priorities.
-snip-
-----------------------------------


take that smirk!

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Well

I must say I did not expect that!

Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/liberalchristians.htm

[LittleApple81]

2. WOW... So Bush could not pin his campaign button on the Pope's hat? Great.

nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Finally, wisdom and leadership from an ancient order.

I am in awe.

[FarLeftRage]

4. Yes, it will be very interesting

to see how many anti-Catholics slam this one...

[Senior citizen]

5. About time the Vatican stood up and protected

the tax exemption for U.S. churches.

[iconoclastic cat]

6. It's heartening to see that the Pope still has the dexterity

to give Bush the finger.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

7. I've been predicting this from day1

There woud be full scale revolt if they tried to withhold the eucharist.

My parish would never allow it. I am aeucharistic minister and I was instructed to give the eucharist to people I know were in sin because it is between that person and God what goes on in the most personal of all sacraments.

[Slickriddles]

8. The Holy Ghost made 'em do it.

I wonder if John Calvin is part of the preterite?
That'd be irony.

[UTUSN]

9. Kick n/t

[redqueen]

10. NO surprise to me... but I'm thankful for the confirmation

The media put that one moronic bishop above the church somehow. I knew it wouldn't last.

[meow2u3]

11. The Pontiff is asking Catholics to use the Consistent Life Ethic as aguide

for voting for candidates.

Abortion, racism/sexism/bigotry in general, euthanasia, the death penalty, aggressive war, and economic injustice are all sins against life according to Catholic Church teachings.

Scorecard:

Kerry: abortion (for), discrimination (against), euthanasia (don't know), the death penalty (against), aggressive war (against), economic injustice (against).

Bush: abortion (against), discrimination (for), euthanasia (depends on who), the death penalty (gleefully for), aggressive war (strongly for), economic injustice (for).

So, according to the standards of the Consistent Life Ethic, Kerry is more pro-life than Bush. So it makes sense for Catholics to put the abortion issue aside and vote for Kerry in '04.

[Canuckistanian]

12. Some sanity from the Vatican?

Or maybe the pontiff is just striking back at Shrub, who he considers dangerous and reckless....

[Love Bug]

14. Not sanity, just trying to protect their tax-exempt status

At the rate these "rogue" bishops were going, the CC was seriously in danger of having their tax-exempt status challenged in court. Frankly, I am amused that they are willing to compromise their principles for $$$.

[Blue_Roses]

13. PRO-CHOICE, PRO-CHOICE, PRO-CHOICE, PRO-CHOICE,PRO-CHOICE

Why can't these idiots ever get the word right. It's NOT pro-abortion, it's PRO-CHOICE. NO ONE is pro-abortion. When will they ever get it right.