{"id":1477533,"date":"2022-05-17T08:01:22","date_gmt":"2022-05-17T12:01:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1477533"},"modified":"2022-05-17T08:01:30","modified_gmt":"2022-05-17T12:01:30","slug":"if-roe-is-overturned-bishops-can-no-longer-let-catholic-democrats-off-the-hook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/if-roe-is-overturned-bishops-can-no-longer-let-catholic-democrats-off-the-hook\/","title":{"rendered":"If Roe Is Overturned, Bishops Can No Longer Let Catholic Democrats Off The Hook"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fif-roe-is-overturned-bishops-can-no-longer-let-catholic-democrats-off-the-hook%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1477533&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/27864708281_f07b3a6a0d_k.jpeg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" alt=\"image\" \/><\/div>\n<p>After months of accusing Republicans of using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2021\/10\/23\/obama-attacks-gop-candidates-phony-culture-wars-in-virginia\/\">\u201cphony, trumped-up culture wars\u201d<\/a> to divide the electorate, the Democrats have chosen abortion, the mother of all culture war issues, as the hill on which they will fight and die in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>When Politico published a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2022\/05\/02\/read-justice-alito-initial-abortion-opinion-overturn-roe-v-wade-pdf-00029504\">draft<\/a> of the Supreme Court\u2019s ruling in the <em>Dobbs vs. Jackson Women\u2019s Health Organization<\/em> case, the left\u2019s reaction to its striking down of <em>Roe v. Wade<\/em> predictably combined wailing and gnashing of teeth with crass political posturing. With uncharacteristic speed and clarity, our \u201cdevoutly Catholic\u201d president used the draft to <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/biden-reacts-leaked-draft-supreme-court-opinion-abortion\/story?id=84467397\">encourage<\/a> voters to support pro-abortion candidates in the November elections and call upon Congress to codify <em>Roe <\/em>into law.<\/p>\n<p>Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer then dutifully <a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinexaminer.com\/2022\/05\/04\/u-s-senate-to-try-again-on-abortion-rights-after-bombshell-disclosure-of-draft-opinion\/\">lifted up<\/a> the banner of child murder, <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/05\/12\/why-overturning-roe-may-help-republicans-a-lot-more-than-it-helps-democrats\/\">bringing a bill<\/a> to the floor last Wednesday that would have legalized abortion up until the point of birth. Although this gambit was doomed to fail because the filibuster remains intact, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.m.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Religious_affiliation_in_the_United_States_Senate#Catholics_(25)\">all but one<\/a> of the Democrats who identify as Catholic voted for it.<\/p>\n<p>So, barring any justices <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wusa9.com\/article\/news\/local\/protests\/pro-choice-protests-outside-the-homes-of-justices-roberts-and-kavanaugh\/65-eebbc2e2-7593-4eaa-9992-f34383a6544f\">bending<\/a> to public pressure and changing their minds (which was likely the idea behind leaking the draft in the first place), the power to pass laws regarding abortion is going to be returned to state legislatures. This means Catholic bishops will finally have to choose between adhering to what the church teaches regarding those who support abortion and maintaining their Faustian bargain with the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n<h2>Nowhere to Hide Now<\/h2>\n<p>From its very inception, the church has taught that abortion is a grave moral evil. This teaching has been consistently upheld by canonists and theologians for more than 2,000 years. In 1974, on the heels of <em>Roe v. Wade<\/em> and similar efforts, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/roman_curia\/congregations\/cfaith\/documents\/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19741118_declaration-abortion_en.html\">\u201cDeclaration on Procured Abortion,\u201d<\/a> which clearly stated not only that abortion is a mortal sin, but also that supporting its legalization (no matter one\u2019s \u201cpersonal opposition\u201d) is as well:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>It must in any case be clearly understood that whatever may be laid down by civil law in this matter, man can never obey a law which is in itself immoral, and such is the case of a law which would admit in principle the liceity of abortion. Nor can he take part in a propaganda campaign in favor of such a law, <span><strong><em><u>or vote for it.<\/u><\/em><\/strong> <\/span>(Emphasis mine.)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Although a Catholic legislator\u2019s vote in favor of legalizing abortion still <a href=\"http:\/\/www.canonlaw.info\/a_justpunishment.htm\">falls short<\/a> of the \u201cformal cooperation\u201d that carries with it automatic ex-communication, the church still considers such a vote a stain on the legislator\u2019s soul. As such, unless he confesses his sin and does penance for it, he may not receive communion without committing the second mortal sin of sacrilege, a point that many American bishops and priests <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2021\/07\/23\/bishops-should-give-democrats-who-support-murder-the-saint-ambrose-treatment\/\">seem to have forgotten<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Giving unto Caesar What is God\u2019s<\/h2>\n<p>On the issue of abortion, the Democratic Party demands that its Catholic members leave the moral teachings of their faith at the statehouse doors. Under the diabolical euphemisms of \u201creproductive rights\u201d and \u201cwomen\u2019s health,\u201d abortion holds a central place in the <a href=\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/where-we-stand\/party-platform\/achieving-universal-affordable-quality-health-care\/\">health care plank<\/a> of its platform:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>Democrats are committed to protecting and advancing reproductive health, rights, and justice. We believe unequivocally, like the majority of Americans, that every woman should be able to access high-quality reproductive health care services, including safe and legal abortion. We will repeal the Title X domestic gag rule and restore federal funding for Planned Parenthood\u2026 Democrats oppose and will fight to overturn federal and state laws that create barriers to reproductive health and rights. We will repeal the Hyde Amendment, and protect and codify the right to reproductive freedom.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>For years, it has been clear that Democrats must toe the line on supporting child murder or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.americamagazine.org\/politics-society\/2019\/09\/23\/there-future-pro-life-democrats\">be purged<\/a> from the ranks. No other issue comes close to this shibboleth of the left; to the party of today, a Democrat must favor unrestricted abortion or he is no Democrat.<\/p>\n<p>For almost 50 years, the bishops have actively avoided holding these lawmakers accountable for promoting the Culture of Death in return for the party\u2019s lip service to Catholic social teaching. <\/p>\n<p>True, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) showed some evidence of a spine last year when it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usccb.org\/news\/2021\/united-states-conference-catholic-bishops-vote-write-document-meaning-eucharist-life\">announced<\/a> the crafting of a teaching letter on the Eucharist, a move that caused much <a href=\"https:\/\/delauro.house.gov\/media-center\/press-releases\/catholic-members-congress-release-statement-principles\">uproar<\/a> among pro-abortion \u201cCatholics.\u201d Yet when the letter <a href=\"https:\/\/cruxnow.com\/church-in-the-usa\/2021\/11\/u-s-bishops-overwhelmingly-approve-document-on-the-eucharist\">was issued<\/a> in November, it contained no mention of disciplining abortion-supporting politicians. <\/p>\n<p>Instead, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, the head of the USCCB\u2019s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, offered some tepid comments about the bishops\u2019 \u201cresponsibility to have dialogue and conversation with those who are Catholic but who act in a way contrary to our faith in this basic moral teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Time to Make the Real Choice<\/h2>\n<p>With all due respect to Naumann, the time for \u201cdialogue and conversation\u201d with these legislators is long past; their zeal for legalizing abortion shows that. There have already been legislative efforts in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guttmacher.org\/article\/2021\/10\/26-states-are-certain-or-likely-ban-abortion-without-roe-heres-which-ones-and-why\">multiple states<\/a> in anticipation of the <em>Dobbs<\/em> decision. <\/p>\n<p>Should the decision be handed down in its present form, these efforts will intensify, placing clergy and laity squarely in the crosshairs of pro-abortion ideologues who are <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RuthSentUs\/status\/1522942814895546370?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">openly anti-Catholic<\/a> and have <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/05\/10\/peaceful-legal-ways-states-churches-and-pro-lifers-can-stop-abortion-radicals-violence\/\">few qualms<\/a> about resorting to intimidation or even violence to achieve their goals. Will the mounting number of attacks on parishes finally convince the bishops to act in accordance with Catholic teaching?<\/p>\n<p>In Old Testament times, Elijah called the people of Israel to come to Mount Carmel and witness the battle he waged against the four hundred priests of the pagan god Baal. There, the prophet \u201ccame near to all the people, and said, \u2018How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.\u2019\u201d (I Kings 18:21).<\/p>\n<p>Catholic bishops throughout the country must now finally make a similar choice between God and Moloch. Obviously, their sheep in the Democratic Party have already made this choice and received their reward. As these leaders of the church struggle with their consciences, they would do well to remember the words of another prophet: \u201c\u2018Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!\u2019 says the Lord\u201d (Jeremiah 23:1).<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n<p>\n  Robert Busek is a Catholic homeschooling father of six who has taught history and Western Civilization in both traditional and online classrooms for over twenty years. His essays have also been published in The American Conservative and The American Spectator. The views he expresses here are his own.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After months of accusing Republicans of using \u201cphony, trumped-up culture wars\u201d to divide the electorate, the Democrats have chosen abortion, the mother of all culture war issues, as the hill<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":793,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1477533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1477533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/793"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1477533"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1477533\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1477533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1477533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1477533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}