Bishops Take On Pro-abortion Legislators

Fr. Michael Reilly explains why certain Democratic politicians are in hot water with Catholic leaders.

Bishop John Smith of Trenton has had it with New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey and other Catholic politicians who work against the values that comprise the Culture of Life, according to the Times of Trenton.

"When he refers to himself as a devout Catholic and supports legislation and programs that are contrary to the teaching of the Holy Father and the bishops, he is not a devout Catholic," Smith said.

"He cannot compromise what it means to be a Catholic. I speak, as your bishop, for the devout Catholics of the Diocese of Trenton. Jim McGreevey does not."

The Bishop's remarks were posted on the diocesan website and published in their newspaper, The Monitor.

The problem of pro-abortion Catholic politicians is not limited to New Jersey. In fact, the American Life League has identified more than 500 pro-abortion Catholic politicians throughout the country and bishops are beginning to address the issue.

St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke banned pro-abortion Catholic politicians from receiving communion and specifically warned Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry "not to present himself for communion" at any church in the archdiocese.

New Orleans Archbishop Alfred Hughes and Boston Archbishop Sean O'Malley also told pro-abortion Catholic politicians not to receive communion, while Francis Cardinal George of Chicago lamented that the "great scandal of the Democratic Party is that there's no pro-life caucus."

The American bishops are following Vatican guidelines for Catholic politicians released in January 2003 which remind lawmakers that they "have a grave and clear obligation to oppose any law that attacks human life."

"I'm not a church spokesman," Kerry responded. "I'm a legislator running for president. My oath is to uphold the Constitution of the United States in my public life. My oath privately between me and God was defined in the Catholic Church by Pius XXIII and Pope Paul VI in the Vatican II, which allows for freedom of conscience for Catholics with respect to these choices and that is exactly where I am.

"And it is separate," Kerry insisted. "Our constitution separates church and state and they should be reminded of that."

The Second Vatican Council, however, has reiterated the constant tradition of the Church when it declared in the Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, "Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: Abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes."

And by the way, Sen. Kerry, there is no Pius XXIII.

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