RAPID CITY, S.D. – The chairwoman of the South Dakota Democratic Party and the state’s Republican governor, both Catholics, disagree on whether it is right for some officials in their church to work actively against abortion in the political realm.
“I don’t believe this should be an issue,” said Judy Olson Duhamel, a lifelong Catholic and chairwoman of the state Democratic Party. “I’m sorry my church doesn’t see that, at times, everything is not black and white.”
Not everything is black and white, but you can’t nuance killing a living baby as mere shades of gray.
Gov. Mike Rounds said it is church officials’ job to point out right and wrong.
“The issue of abortion is an absolute right and an absolute wrong. I think the church is correct in that they have to lay out right and wrong,” Rounds said.
But Rounds stopped short of endorsing sanctions for elected officials who do not agree with the church on every issue.
There are great differences between just issues and what are bedrock issues of the moral law. For example the U.S. bishops views on farm policy or immigration compared to euthanasia.
Bishop Blase Cupich of the Catholic Diocese of Rapid City said church officials are not considering sanctions, such as the denial of Communion.
“This was no official pronouncement by this cardinal. He later clarified that he was not telling anybody how to do anything,” Cupich said.
When did Cardinal Arinze say that? I could find no information or articles where we clarified what he had said. If someone knows about this reference I would be curious to see it.
A domestic policy task force is working on recommendations of how to put into practice a Vatican document about how church officials should communicate with elected officials, Cupich said.
“Even in that, there is nothing said about sanctions,” Cupich said.
Cupich said he believes church officials are right to give advice on politics but that it should not be limited to a single issue.
“We want all Catholics to take responsibility as adults for their political actions. It’s our job to inform them about the moral implications of those decisions,” the bishop said. “We cannot cherry-pick particular issues. We have to be willing to talk about all issues. Our position begins with protecting the unborn, but it doesn’t end there.”
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Equating abortion with cherry-picking of issues? Unfortunately it is this type of equivocal statements that encourages pro-abortion Democrats in their views. The statement contains truth but it nuances protecting the unborn into just one of many issues.
5 comments
Not everything is black and white, but children are either living or dead. No amount of hand-wringing or side-steping, or ‘what about the mother’ing will stop that fact.
A domestic policy task force is working on recommendations….?
I don’t think any bishop ought to need a task force to tell them how to talk with elected officials who support abortion, euthanasia or the death penalty. It’s simple – a bishop calls a politician and arranges for a meeting. The bishop tells the politician that these are very serious issues, and that if the politician holds to them then he/she ought not to identify themselves as Catholic or present themselves for communion. The bishop tells the public that the politician’s views are inconsistent with the faith. And then we all pray for the politician to change their position.
Sometimes task forces are tactics to delay taking action and to make a scapegoat for unpopular actions. I hope that’s not happening here.
Steve,
I totally agree with you on this. It does not take a task force to determine the actions. There just are not that many options to consider. The action should start on a private level between the public figure and the Bishop, whether in person or by letter. If that does not work then the actions need to increase.
Sometimes tasks force are also used not just as a delaying tactic for unpopular actions. Sometimes it is a delaying tactic that ends with not actions at all.
Careful here. Bp Cupich distributed a letter to all of the Catholics in his diocese outlining Sen Daschle’s various ways he supports abortion rights. He did it several years ago, before the issue was in the spotlight. Right before an election. He is one of the good guys.
I know his statement sounds a little equivocal, but he has shown his spine before.
“I have to see Marius,” I said. “He’s expecting me!” I cupped my hands and shouted. “He wants me to come. He told me to come.”
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