catholicsphere

Ah hem! Correction!

The statement of the 55 Catholic representatives is soft on abortion.

We envision a world in which every child belongs to a loving family and agree with the Catholic Church about the value of human life and the undesirability of abortion—we do not celebrate its practice. Each of us is committed to reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies and creating an environment with policies that encourage pregnancies to be carried to term. We believe this includes promoting alternatives to abortion, such as adoption, and improving access to children=s healthcare and child care, as well as policies that encourage paternal and maternal responsibility.

The Bishops, while not as strong as they could be on the matter, respond.

“At the same time,” their response reads, “we also need to reaffirm the Catholic Church’s constant teaching that abortion is a grave violation of the most fundamental human right - the right to life that is inherent in all human beings, and that grounds every other right we possess.”

The Reps, however, want to maintain the option of “conscience” overriding what the Church teaches, under the guise of following the Church. They reserve the right to believe their own ideas more pervasive and enlightened than that of the Church, as if the Church is new to the issues concerned.

In all these issues, we seek the Church’s guidance and assistance but believe also in the primacy of conscience. In recognizing the Church’s role in providing moral leadership, we acknowledge and accept the tension that comes with being in disagreement with the Church in some areas. Yet we believe we can speak to the fundamental issues that unite us as Catholics and lend our voices to changing the political debate — a debate that often fails to reflect and encompass the depth and complexity of these issues.

Sadly, the Reps again fall short … and, as I said, the Bishop’s statement could have been stronger. But at least they have corrected the Reps interpretation of Catholic social doctrine, and their seemingly selective reading of John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation on the vocation and mission of the laity.