The following comes from a September 20 Catholic News Agency article by Kevin Jones:
Catholics should be consistent in public life and need to make protecting innocent life a serious political priority, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of Phoenix has said in the latest edition of his booklet on the duties of Catholic voters and politicians.
The booklet “Catholics in the Public Square,” now in its fourth edition, makes a distinction between support for intrinsically evil issues and support for different methods of achieving policy.
“For example, Catholics may never legitimately promote or vote for any law that attacks innocent human life,” Bishop Olmsted said, latter adding “being right on all the other issues can never justify a wrong choice on this most serious matter.”
The guide reiterated the need to examine one’s conscience and the need for Catholic politicians to oppose laws that allow or promote abortions.
“If a politician is actively supporting and furthering the culture of death, he is not only causing scandal; he is sinning. Similarly, when a politician performs actions (like voting) that allow for abortions and even promote abortions, or that mandate the distribution of contraceptives by pharmacists and others, that politician is materially cooperating in grave sin,” the bishop’s booklet continued.
These politicians must make a sincere confession before receiving Holy Communion, he said. Because the harm they have done was public, they should also publicly make amends.
The booklet, released Sept. 17, features a new foreword by Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles and updated material from Pope Francis. The new material includes excerpts from the Pope’s recent encyclical “Laudato Si” and his speeches during his trip to the United States.
Archbishop Gomez’s foreword to the booklet also reflected on Catholics in the public arena. “The Church needs clear and courageous teaching and witness to confront the idols of a secularized, post-Christian America,” Archbishop Gomez said.
The fourth edition booklet, published by St. Benedict Press, is available in an eBook version at Amazon and at the webpage https://dphx.org/catholics-in-the-public-square/.
Bishop Olmsted has gotten stronger — has actually listened to the entreaties of the Holy Ghost — the more he has confronted Modernity. He has also spoken out on needed changes to the liturgy, especially the N.O. (e.g., adopting the ad orientem posture and the like, as has Bishop Morlino of Madison, WI.)
What a man compared to the cowards mincing around in purple, seeking self-aggrandizement and wealth, while ignoring their duties as bishop. Yes, sirree Bob, Cardinal “Chuckles-Bravo” Dolan is just the man to make the point here. Compare his Cheer for poor Michael Sams at his “coming out” versus a real man, like Bishop Olmsted who stands up to society, regardless of personal cost.
HE ABSOLUTELY IS MORE IN CONTROL TO GET THE TRUTH AND REASON OUT TO HIS SHEEP.
NOW LET HEADS ROLL IF HIS PRIESTS DO NOT FOLLOW THE SAME LINE. THANK YOU BISHOP OLMSTED.
The Bishop is the REAL DEAL!
I pray that his booklet will catch on like wild fire in all the dioceses of the U.S.
Why aren’t there more courageous Catholic Bishops like Bishop Thomas A. Olmstead?
It is wonderful to find a Bishop with the will to follow God’s words; they are now few and far between in our beautiful Catholic faith. I think that Bishop Dolan in New York needs a few lessons from Bishop Thomas A. Olmstead! God bless Him!
God bless Bishop Olmstead, and Archbishops Chaput and Gomez for standing up for what is right. I just wish more was done when Ted Kennedy was still alive. He did so much damage to the Church and this country with his policies.
I’d still like to see a bishop provide an application of his voter guidelines to the major candidates for President. Reasons for and against Hillary, for and against Trump, what weighs more heavily, concluding with a judgment about the better candidate. Let us see a Catholic moral mind at work!
A bishop could qualify such an application by saying that it is just his personal judgment, that it is not a mandate that all Catholics must think the same, that there might be factors inadvertently omitted in the analysis that would change the resulting judgment, that no Catholic should substitute the bishop’s analysis for his own careful judgment.
What a more meaningful conversation about Catholic voting that would engender all over the…
Sawyer, we might both enjoy that, but it would endanger the tax status of the Church.
Actually, this is wrong, “YFC.” Just look at all the phony Democratic leaning 501c3 entities — did any of them lost their tax favorable status? Also, take a few hours and view the pathetic testimony of IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, mendacious to the last, whining and blaming others for his lying and brazen rejection of the truth. But, and relevant here, he did admit to widespread IRS targeting of conservative groups seeking 501c4 status. Their failure to achieve full status in time for the election could have been a significant blow to the Republicans. No real risk for the Church to speak its mind (but they won’t because its temporal rulers are cowardly and do not believe).
What a difference between Bishop Olmstead of Phoenix and Bishop McElroy of San Diego! No Catholic may vote for a candidate or partly that supports abortion for any reason: abortion is murder. Olmstead has it right and McElroy is wrong pure and simple!
I would LOVE to move to Bishop Olmsted’s Diocese! Excellent! A true Catholic Bishop!
Pulpit Freedom Sunday
https://www.frcaction.org/get.cfm?i=WA16I27&f=WU16I07
Together with ADF, FRC is challenging the IRS’s rules on what churches can and can’t say about elections with “Pulpit Freedom Sunday.” For the past eight years, we’ve been encouraging pastors to take a stand against the government’s crackdown of their free speech in an event that actually got its start at FRC’s Watchmen on the Wall pastors conference in 2008. Since then, participation has exploded across the country, as more Americans show their frustration about the IRS’s special speech-police powers over any pastor.
To take part in the movement, we’re encouraging pastors to do two things: Preach an election sermon on October 2 (free resources are…
The USCCB “Faithful Citizens Voting Guide” gives permission to voting for Democrats. Some points to consider: poverty, work ethics, social injustice, economic opportunities — even the death penalty — are all moot points if one isn’t born…
Bishop Olmsted’s fellow bishop in AZ has said in the past that the only voter guide allowed in his diocese is the one from the USCCB. Obviously he does not support Olmsted’s guide.
JDC, Yes that is true enough but it is because the other AZ bishop (B. Gerald Kicanas) is a hard working, under the radar, liberal. He does not hide the fact in his associations and praise for BO. He once said, he can’t wait to work with a very alt-left socialist politician from Tucson. He was supported by a GLBT group when running for president of the USCCB. BTW, shockingly, he did not win that election as the USCCB went out of the way to tactfully elect someone else. He worked for/with Chicago’s C. Bernadine (his mentor?). Continued…….
Continued……C. Bernadine was the first to define the ‘seamless garment’ social justice ideology (a page out of the Saul Alinsky community organizers’ play book) still praised by socialist leaning bishops today. My take — Olmsted’s guide is clearer then the USCCBs. But a liberal (staying under the radar) could avoid using it & only recommend the USCCB’s more confusing ‘guide’ instead, That way, confused liberal leaning Catholics under his wing could still technically vote for the party of pro-death VS pro-life based on lesser evil ‘seamless garment’ issues. SAD!
God bless Bishop Thomas Olmsted! Wish our bishop was like that!
Can you believe what I heard on the radio (Fox, 9-22,, 4 pm) that there is a new push to sanitize the words for “forced abortion” to be called forced childbirth
Yes, forced childbirth. That old “forced abortion” debate is not just one we thought could not get worse, but is supplanted by a woman forced to not give birt.
Anyone, who supports abortion (Kaine) and all the newest rages in sin (homosexual acts, euthanasia, contraception, etc.) should pray that we all will wake up and see how sin is ruing our country and the world.
God bless those bishops, priests, religious orders, laity, and others who are trying to stop the assalt of evil.
Can we say though that we have done enough?
“It only takes one person to do nothing,…
” – September 22, 2016 –
TRUMP CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCES CATHOLIC ADVISORY GROUP ”
NEW YORK, NY – Today, the Donald J. Trump campaign announced a new group convened to provide advisory support to Mr. Trump on those issues and policies important to Catholics and other people of faith in America. ”
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/trump-campaign-announces-catholic-advisory-group
Everyone will recognize the names on the list – like Fr. Frank Pavone, and many others.
” Fresh from announcing a list of pro-life leaders who are advising him on issues that matter to pro-life voters, Donald Trump has named a group of pro-life Catholic leaders as additional key advisers, including pro-life former presidential candidate Rick Santorum. ……….”
https://www.lifenews.com/2016/09/22/donal-trump-names-rick-santorum-and-other-top-pro-life-catholics-as-key-advisers/
Mike, Thanks for the links. So good that Rick Santorum will be involved with the Trump/Pence Pro-life Commission. AND to name Fr Frank Pavone to the Trump/Pence Catholic Advisory Committee is a gift from heaven. Thanks be to God as His blessings abound on these important committees.
Dear People. This information (links posted above by Mike) deserves your attention. This could bring much help to the pro-life cause & the Catholic church with these key appointments. Praise God for the gift of HOPE!
Hillary’s fall: specs, lies and videotape
By J. Matt Barber
https://www.renewamerica.com/columns/mbarber/160919
I can’t wait for “Weekend at Chelsea’s” to hit the big screen. CNN and the rest of Hillary Clinton’s slobbering media sycophants have already written the script. If this woman, God forbid, dropped dead on the sidewalk tomorrow, these doting suck-ups – these mass media strumpets whose voter trust has, understandably, reached an all-time low – would dutifully parrot the Clinton campaign talking points and call it a “minor setback” to her “inevitable” victory.
The American people aren’t buying it. This is a severely ill woman. No more “conspiracy theory” dismissals.
Mrs. Clinton’s “mild cold,” er, “seasonal…
Olmsted’s booklet includes a foreward by LA’s Abp Jose Gomez and “Laudato Si” climate change excerpts. Not encouraging; not a good sign. So why all the hoopla? Pretty low bar, I’d say.