US Bishops, Bishop Malone and Franciscans Advice on Voting and Abortion Discussed at Holy Family Parish, Albion

One party is pro-choice and the party that calls itself “pro-life” has poor record on abortion and other life issues.

Ultimately we have to ask, which party is more apt to support other initiatives against abortion and the other “life” issues that the Catholic Church (and others) identify.

About two dozen people attended morning and evening sessions in the Msgr. McCabe Room at Holy Family Parish in Albion to discuss voting and Bishop Malone's statement as it appeared in the October issue of WNY Catholic, the Franciscans for Justice on Election, and a synopsis of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops' Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. Copies were distributed.

Golden highly recommended the Bishops' document, which he said provided guidance for not only voting, but for thought and action by all believers for the future.

He reviewed what he believed was the basic tenant from Forming Consciences: “Catholics often face difficult choices as to how to vote. This is why it is so important to vote according to a well-informed conscience that perceives the proper relationship among moral goods. A Catholic shouldn't vote for a candidate who favors a policy promoting an intrinsically evil act, such as abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, deliberately subjecting workers or the poor to subhuman living conditions, redefining marriage in ways that violate it essential meaning, or racist behavior, if it's the voter's intention to support that position. In such cases a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil. At the same time, a voter should not use a candidate's opposition to an intrinsic evil to justify indifference or inattentiveness to other important moral issues involving human life and dignity.”

Both the Bishops and Bishop Malone, say that we “should vote for positive as well as negative issues.”

Abortion became a major issue:

“How can we vote for someone who would allow abortion?”

“How can we vote for someone, who isn't equally concerned about born children?” Golden queried back. “Out of greed, pride, desire to have power over others, or neglect, we allow practices that sicken, maim and kill children in this country and all over the world.”

From Golden's reflection on the Bishops' paper, he observed: “Although, all children are covered in the document, born children are not named among those 'most vulnerable.' Yet, a significant percentage are physically, sexually and emotionally abused, neglected, rejected, raised with violent and/or mentally ill parents, and even in this country illegally employed and exploited and murdered We need to be concerned about children out of the womb as well as children in the womb.

Also, we rank 30^th in infant mortality out of 35 developed nations.

The so-called “pro-life” candidate says he'll deny health care coverage to immigrants' and undocumented parents' children. How is that pro-life? Bishops say that “all” should get health care.

Bishops further: 'Children are to be valued, protected and nurtured.'”

Another a frequent marcher at DC rallies insisted that all issues are not “morally equivalent” echoing the Bishop and Bishops. He said: “Abortion, Euthanasia, Stem cell research are non-negotiable issues.”

Bishop Malone pointed to all “direct killing” as above and also included genocide, targeting of non-combatants, terrorism and racism.”

Pro-Life marcher: “I have to vote for the one party, because “pro-life” is in their platform.”

Golden pointed out one party says they're pro-life and therefore opposed to abortion. It's been in their platform for probably 40 years. But “By their 'fruits' you shall know them” (quoting our founder, Jesus Christ). Although they say they're opposed to abortion, and had a 40 year majority in the Supreme Court, and had control of Congress for 29 years of 35 years they've passed no law or made any change significantly limiting abortions. The chance to add a Hyde-type amendment (disallowing funding for abortions) to Affordable Care Act, was ignored because the party that says it's didn't want to give President Obama “a victory.” So stated by Senate leader Mitch McConnell and others. As far as this party seemed concerned, victory over Pres. Obama was more important than children in the womb, and 'the common good.'”

Further their last two presidential candidates were publicly Pro-Choice, until they decided to run for president on the “pro-life” party ticket. So power was(is) more important than abortion.

This party doesn't seem to support many of the other issues the Catholic Church cites as pro-life.

Christ the King seminarian, Justin Steeg provided an article from ETWN that the “pro-life” candidate has been “pro-choice” in the past. Further he's considering his sister for Supreme Court. She recently, as Judge, struck down a New Jersey law, which outlawed late term abortions.

So you have one party that says it's pro-choice. And the other major party says it's pro-life, but acts the opposite.

Franciscans for Justice: “We believe that only by defending against all threats to life and creation will Catholics be able to credibly make the case for the culture of life and inclusion.”

US Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The right to life implies and is linked to other human rights to the basic goods that every human being needs to live and thrive. All life issues are connected for the erosion of respect for any individual or group in society necessarily diminishes respect for all life.”

Golden: Passing a law outlawing abortion is nowhere near enough. His religion prof at Holy Cross, in 1958, told us that there are an estimated ½ million abortions annually in the US, despite its being against the law. The rich and powerful would get abortions for their daughters, based on some medical “need,” and the desperate poor, in back alley clinics. Simply passing a law will not stop abortions. The rich will continue to get them and the poor will take the risks.

We have to do more to stop abortions, for instance:

a. Seek to eliminate the sexual abuse and exploitation of women and, therefore, also “unsought” pregnancies.

b. Support women who choose to have the child. The Buffalo Diocese Pro-Life Program provides great examples of doing just that.**

c. Make adoption easier and more affordable.** Rosanne Golden Leach, member of several Parish activities and anti-domestic violence advocate, told that her granddaughter's lawyer wanted $40,000. for an adoption.

d. Support adoptive parents and the adopting-out mother.**

*Note the number of other crimes that are committed: homicides, thefts, fraud, and hiring of “undocumented” immigrants, all of which are against the law.

**Information on these activities and how you might support them are available through Buffalo Right to Life Unit and suggestions from this writer: goldenjazz59@gmail.com.

Again, ultimately we have to ask, which party is more apt to support these four things and the other “life” issues that the Catholic Church (and others) identify: proper food, water and air, health care, especially for children and elderly, stopping pollution and global warming, protection of children from abuse and death, acceptance of immigrants and just enforcement that doesn't break up families, no racism and genocide, physician-assisted suicide, slave labor, trafficking and death penalty, and paying a “just wage.”

In the interest of space, the other discussions are not included. You can email or call for those discussions at goldenjazz59@gmail.com or call 585-682-4821.

The author notes that he writes from his own lens, which involves 16 years of Catholic education, with continued vigorous religious education and practice. He's been active at the parish, diocesan, community, state and national levels, which includes 43 years in criminal justice, 50 years of work and involvement with battered women and their batterers, and 52 years with migrant and immigrant farm-workers and farmers.

Robert E. Golden additionally is a graduate of Holy Cross(Jesuit), has a Master's Degree in Counseling, was a chair of a Pres. Reagan advisory committee, a member of the Bishop Kmiec's Justice and Peace Commission, who has written several articles for WNY Catholic and Buffalo, Rochester and other newspapers, and journals, and reviewed over 50 books at local libraries.

One concern: Justice; But, Many Issues

“As Catholics...Not Single Issue Voters”