Saturday, April 12, 2008

Vatican cardinal weighs in on pro-abortion politicians and Communion

Speaking in a “Question and Answer” session at gathering for Familyland USA in 2007, the cardinal said the answer to the question was so obvious that even children preparing for First Communion could answer it correctly.

In a satirical manner, Cardinal Arinze criticized a standard pro-abortion political argument.

“To the person who says, ‘Personally, I am against abortion, but then if people really want to do it I leave them free’ you can say ‘You are a member of the senate or the congress.

“‘Personally I am not in favor of shooting the whole lot of you, but if somebody else wants to shoot all of you in the senate or all of you in the congress, it’s just pro-choice for that.

“’But personally I’m not in favor.’

“That is what they are saying,” the cardinal argued.

“They are saying that personally, he is not in favor of killing these millions of children in the womb, but if others want to do it, he is pro-choice.”

Cardinal Arinze made a joking aside, saying, “And then you ask me ‘What does the Holy See do, why doesn’t the Pope send a dozen Swiss Guards to arrest them all’.”


Source

"You don't need a Cardinal to Answer that"

Well, yeah, good Cardinal, we do.

Because it's not clear.

The Bishops are not making it clear.

Now, in fairness, Archbishop Prendergast has said he will deny communion to pro-abortion politicians.

Those were his words.

But as of yet, just about no bishop-- certainly not in Canada-- has denied communion to any pro-abortion politician.

In my view Dalton McGuinty would be the most obvious politician who should be denied Communion. He's made his opposition to fetal rights very clear.

I wouldn't be surprised if McGuinty never was denied Communion, or if he were, it would be at the very end of his mandate.

It's not clear at all. It might be clear to the Cardinal and to the Vatican and to orthodox Catholics, but it's not in the least bit clear to the rest of the Church, because bishops do not back up those words with actions.

And this makes the Church looks weak and without principal.

I have an inkling that one reason why nothing happens is that the bishops do not really take seriously the idea that unborn children are equal. Especially in Quebec.

There is such a lack of initiative in Quebec on the fetal rights question, such a lack of denunciation, such a lack of prophetic spirit, that I find it normal that Catholics don't take it too seriously.

The Vatican should be saying in plain English (or plain Latin) to the Bishops: look, if there's a pro-abortion politician in your diocese, and he's not being reprimanded or in any way disciplined for his opposition to fetal rights, that is not acceptable.




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