Quote of the Day 8-26-09
Last week a British Catholic journal, in an editorial titled “US bishops must back Obama,” claimed that America’s bishops “have so far concentrated on a specifically Catholic issue – making sure state-funded health care does not include abortion – rather than the more general principle of the common good.”
It went on to say that if US Catholic leaders would get over their parochial preoccupations, “they could play a central role in salvaging Mr Obama’s health-care program.”
The editorial has value for several reasons. First, it proves once again that people don’t need to actually live in the United States to have unhelpful and badly informed opinions about our domestic issues. Second, some of the same pious voices that once criticized US Catholics for supporting a previous president now sound very much like acolytes of a new president. Third, abortion is not, and has never been, a “specifically Catholic issue,” and the editors know it. And fourth, the growing misuse of Catholic “common ground” and “common good” language in the current health-care debate can only stem from one of two sources: ignorance or cynicism.
Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver has accused The Tablet of displaying “unhelpful and badly informed opinions” on American domestic issues – and knowingly misrepresenting Catholic teaching on abortion. as quoted by: Telegraph.co.uk August 25.
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Anything they can do to try to illegitimize the unwavering stance of the Vatican.
There are too many pick-and-choose Catholics.
Besides which, the article is totally and completely off-base. Explain to me how government-funded abortions is for the “common good” or how a bishop could possibly ignore the deaths of 4k babies every day and still call himself a Catholic?
This is the greater good. The article is completely nonsensical.
Fortunately for us, we have an eloquent, intelligent, honest, and most importantly, MORAL pope in the Vatican who has been unwaveringly clear. Who, I might add, has already lived to see a Holocaust from beginning to end.
Why isn’t the journal focusing on telling the administration to take out the abortion coverage? I mean then the Church could support it. ( I personally wouldn’t agree but they would have an argument to support the plan.)
Why is the Church supposed to back down, rather than the administration, over something so obviously wrong with the legislation? This is just another dumb group of people writing a completely ignorant opinion in the name of Catholicism.
The common good is not some wishy-washy feel good thing. It is derived from TRUTH. Bravo to Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, a very wise man. British Catholics should take notice.
I love that guy.
I think non-Catholic Pro-lifers of all persuasions should be quite offended by the ridiculous statement that abortion is a “specifically Catholic issue”. I hope they speak out on this. Is all of Britain just as clueless?
Janet- I’m tired of yelling.
xalisae,
You do a wonderful job, but I know you can’t speak for everyone. :)
Where are the other voices?? (That’s a rhetorical question.)
I hear….nothing.
That is absolutely CRAZY ,Terry needs to stick with writing books, he gives life people a VERY bad name , as does Troy Neuman!!! I am not sure who likes controversy more !!!