Catholic and pro-life leaders condemned the White House’s planned repeal of the Mexico City Policy on Thursday, Jan. 28.
The policy prevents the use of tax dollars from going to foreign organizations that perform or promote abortions. The White House announced on Thursday morning that President Joe Biden would be repealing the policy later in the day, among his executive actions on health care.
Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life, called the announcement “a deeply disturbing move” as it took place “on the eve of the March for Life.” The all-virtual March for Life will be held on Jan. 29.
The repeal “goes against the wishes of an overwhelming majority of Americans – in fact consistent polling shows that 77% of Americans oppose taxpayer funding for abortion overseas,” she said, citing a Marist poll released on Wednesday.
Since the Mexico City Policy — known also as the “Global Gag Rule” by abortion proponents — went into effect in 1984, incoming presidents have either repealed or reinstated the policy among their first acts in office. Republican presidents have all reinstated the policy; Democrats have repealed it.
Former president Donald Trump expanded the Mexico City Policy in 2017. Under his administration’s “Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance” plan, the ban on taxpayer funding of pro-abortion groups extended to billions of dollars of global health assistance. Previously, the Mexico City Policy had only applied to family planning assistance.
Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR, president of the Franciscan University of Steubenville, said on Thursday that Biden’s policies have “promoted and facilitated the harmful practice of abortion.”
“I pray that all Americans can come together to create a culture where these innocent human beings are treated with dignity and respect and their most basic human rights are protected,” he stated.
Other pro-life groups condemned the repeal of the policy. Brian Burch, the president of CatholicVote, called the announcement “deeply troubling” and said that it “will directly lead to an increase in abortions worldwide and will directly implicate conscientious Americans who oppose the practice.”
“The decision is especially shameful given the repeated insistence that Joe Biden is a ‘devout’ Catholic, even by his own press secretary as recently as last week when asked about this policy,” he said.
When asked by EWTN News last Wednesday what the administration’s plans were regarding the Mexico City Policy, White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not give details but said that Biden is a “devout Catholic….”
The above comes from a Jan. 28 story on the site of the Catholic News Agency.
God bless leaders in Catholic education like Fr. Dave Pivonka TOR (and others)! He continues the tradition of Franciscan University presidents, like the late Fr. Michael Scanlan TOR, of standing up for life and teaching and encouraging their students to do the same.
If you’re supporting your children or grandchildren in attending Catholic colleges, consider those recommended by The Newman Guide, from The Cardinal Newman Society. The Newman Guide recommends Catholic colleges and universities because of their commitment to a faithful Catholic education.
Your love for your adult children and grandchildren should be unconditional. Your financial support, on the other hand, need not be.
When will one bishop announce that Biden may not present himself for Communion in his diocese?
Get ready for it to become much worse. Get ready for Catholic Biden to implement more policies that contravene Catholic morality.
Mr. Biden was denied Holy Communion in South Carolina in 2019. And, it appears the bishop backed the priest involved. And, a couple of bishops in neighboring dioceses also decreed the same policy.
From Catholic News Agency:
Washington D.C., Oct 30, 2019 (CNA).- A policy in the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina requires priests to withhold the Eucharist from politicians and political candidates who support legal protection for abortion.
“Catholic public officials who consistently support abortion on demand are cooperating with evil in a public manner. By supporting pro-abortion legislation they participate in manifest grave sin, a condition which excludes them from admission to Holy Communion as long as they persist in the pro-abortion stance,” says a 2004 decree signed jointly by the bishops of Atlanta, Charleston, and Charlotte.
Xho Bi Den is doing exactly what he was put in the White House to do. He’s following orders. The Chinese are very happy.
You mean self described “Devout Catholic” Joe Biden?