Abortion and Catholics

It has recently been reported that the Pope and Bishops have denounced the pro-abortion position of some American Catholics, namely some Democratic Politicians. Besides the opportunity for Catholic bashing, where is the news here? The Catholic Church Law has always been anti-abortion. The Catholic Church does not make this kind of decision arbitrarily, it studies the issue and concludes what it thinks God’s position is and promotes it. The Catholic Church is not like a political party, a member cannot choose to support part of the platform and not support other parts. You cannot be a Catholic in good standing and be pro-abortion. A vote for a pro-abortion candidate or law is a grave sin, which severs the voter from participation from the Rite of Communion until they confess.

Some reporters and other detractors are suggesting that the Catholic Church is meddling in politics and in violation of the 1st Amendment. The State adopted that Constitutional Amendment to prevent itself from adopting a State religion. The Catholic Church has adopted no such rule and is not prevented by any secular law in participating in any political debate. I applaud the Catholic Church’s attempt to guide it’s flock in the direction Church law dictates, especially since it is in a different direction than current secular trends.