The Biden campaign announced on Monday a panel of co-chairs for its “Catholics for Biden” outreach. Among the Catholics chairing Biden’s Catholic coalition are several politicians who have advocated for laws permitting or promoting abortion, along with the former head of the U.S. bishops’ global relief organization.
Biden, himself a Catholic, has made efforts to win the votes of Catholics in November’s presidential election, especially in the swing states where Catholic demographic groups could be the difference in the election.
The “Catholics for Biden” co-chairs, reported Monday by the National Catholic Reporter, include 2016 vice-presidential candidate Sen. Tim Kaine, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, and several members of Congress.
Kaine, a senator from Virginia, has said that despite his “personal opposition” to abortion, he supports legal protection for abortion, opposes laws that challenge Roe vs. Wade, and opposes efforts to end federal funding for Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider.
In 2017, Kaine sponsored legislation that would have permanently repealed the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits U.S. foreign aid from supporting global organization that provide abortions or refer women to abortion providers.
While Kaine has supported laws requiring parental consent before minors can undergo abortions, and a prohibition on late-term abortions, the senator has received perfect legislative ratings and endorsements from Planned Parenthood and abortion lobbyist NARAL.
Becerra, California’s attorney general, opposed a bill that would penalize doctors performing sex-selective abortions, and has received perfect ratings from Planned Parenthood and NARAL.
As California’s attorney general, Becerra defended state mandates requiring insurers to cover abortions, even after Catholic nuns complained to the civil rights office of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, and the state faced major cuts to federal HHS funds.
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, another co-chair, identifies as a pro-life Democrat and has voted for late-term abortion bans, though in 2011 he voted against defunding Planned Parenthood, earning himself a 100% rating from NARAL, a distinction he has matched in several subsequent years.
Illinois Senator Richard Durbin, a U.S. Senator since 1997 and a “Catholics for Biden” co-chair, was in 2004 prohibited from receiving Holy Communion in his home Diocese of Springfield in Illinois because of his support for legally protected abortion; in 2018, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield said that prohibition remains in effect.
Six members of Congress announced as co-chairs, Reps. Boyle, DeLauro, Kaptur, Lieu, Suozzi, and Vargas have all received 100% ratings from NARAL.
Also among the co-chairs of Catholics for Biden is Dr. Carolyn Woo, who from 2012 to 2016 was CEO of Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops’ conference international humanitarian aid organization.
Biden has pledged to support taxpayer-funded abortion and codify legal abortion in law. His “public option” health care plan would also cover elective abortions. The National Abortion Rights Action League has endorsed his candidacy, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund said they were “thrilled” at his selection of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) as his running mate.
Biden has also said that he would repeal new religious exemptions to the contraceptive mandate, which had granted relief to Catholic organizations including the Little Sisters of the Poor. If the exemptions are repealed, the sisters could once again have to appear in court.
Full story at Catholic News Agency.
Wow! This is the first time I’ve seen our terrible anti-Christian, anti-life Attorney General identify himself as a Catholic. And, Bob Casey Junior betrayed the cause of life for which his pro-life Democrat father fought. And, to see Dr. Carolyn Woo, who from 2012 to 2016 was CEO of Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops’ conference international humanitarian aid organization, on the list of co-chairs is disgusting and disheartening. Pray that our bishops will grow in discernment and courage as they hire, maintain and promote the staffers of their bureaucracy in Washington DC. May God have mercy on us all, especially the souls of Catholics, who, of all people, should know better.
Where have you been, Deacon Craig? Becerra has always used his “Catholic” faith to gain favor by hanging out with folks like Archbishop Gomez. Church Militant has been covering the Catholic Relief Services/Carolyn Woo/abortion/contraception corruption for years. Bob Casey is continually called upon to man up and leave the Democrat party of death yet stubbornly refuses.
If you, one who has been given orders by the Church doesn’t know this stuff, one shudders to think what less involved Catholics don’t know.
Kristin, in answer to your question: same place I’ve been for virtually all my life here in the Bay Area (fighting for life since I was a high school student in 1973 when Roe v. Wade was imposed upon our nation). I am not ignorant about Woo and the Caseys. That said, in previously trying to find out if Becerra claimed to be a Catholic, my web search could not confirm that. Can you point me to some evidence that Becerra claims to be Catholic? (I’m not doubting it, I’ve just never seen it.) I would appreciate that. Thank you.
https://www.nndb.com/people/360/000032264/
https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/26754/xavier-becerra
https://cal-catholic.com/los-angeles-archbishop-accepts-award-with-pro-abortion-politician/
Plenty more, just look. Note the last link, from this very site.
Thank you. That is the type of documentation for which I was looking.
The only one missing from this round table of “Catholics” is Judas Iscariot.
How many Catholics are going to vote for Biden. Zero. Let that sink in. A Catholic wouldn’t vote for anyone from the party of death,
Nor would anyone with a sense of self-preservation and love for America and goodness.
It’s high time for the USCCB to stand up strongly and loudly against abortion and politicians, parties and policies that support it before this Presidential election.
Hard to believe what I am reading. We Catholics are supposed to defend life on this earth. What is happening? God needs to clean our church.
We need to Pray for our church members. Devil in our church St Michael please help us.
According to Father John Corapi, who I believe is totally accurate, Mr. Biden automatically excommunicated himself from the Catholic Church, in accordance with Canon Law, when, as a public official, he announced his support for abortion. This fact should should be promoted by the Church leaders so true members of the Church are not misled by the national press. This condition would also apply to Mrs. Pelosi.
FYI – It’s best not to refer to John Corapi as “Father.” According to a Catholic News Service report, John Corapi said that he had resigned from the priesthood on June 17, 2011. On July 5, 2011, Father Gerald Sheehan, Corapi’s religious superior in the Society of Our Lady of the Trinity, released a press statement accusing Corapi of drug and alcohol abuse, “sexting”, having an affair with a former prostitute, and violating his promise of poverty as a perpetually professed member of the society by owning more than $1 million in real estate, numerous luxury vehicles, motorcycles, an ATV, a boat dock, and several motor boats. He stated, “SOLT’s prior direction to Fr. John Corapi not to engage in any preaching or teaching, the celebration of the sacraments or other public ministry continues. Catholics should understand that SOLT does not consider Fr. John Corapi as fit for ministry.” On July 7, 2011, Corapi announced that he would not obey Sheehan’s order to relocate from Montana and take up residence in a house of the society.
Too bad you speak anonymously as that alone reduces your creditably – regardless the point remains the same, Mr. Biden self excommunicated himself.
You’re right. Posting anonymously does reduce my credibility. Your point is valid. My point is that John Corapi no longer has credibility and you reduce yours by citing him as “totally accurate.” That’s all. We are in agreement on this.
Why would you need credibility? It was quite the scandal at the time.
Trump wins or America dies and the Church gets persecuted.
Nothing new dear brothers and sisters, there is a mixture of pedophiles, abortionist, pseudo-catholics, and ecclesiastic authorities corrupted by the powers to be, that had fallen to guide the people of Christ by putting their created interest and political ideas before God and our Faith, jus look around and see the unbelievable silence of complicity wit the rioters, looters and others that beheaded the images of Christ, Virgen Mary and our Saints, as well as managing to keeping the doors of our Churches closed under the tolerance of authorities that do not defend our faith but the ideals of the attackers of our Church, Nothing new dear brothers and sisters, lets keep and praying even harder.
The USCCB will not speak out against abortion or dissident (c)atholics since many of them are part of the Democratic Party.
Robert Lockwood: Corapi is not correct. No canon lawyer would agree with him that public support for abortion results in an automatic excommunication. Canon 1398 imposes such an excommunication for those involved in a completed abortion, but canon lawyers all say that only those who are aware of the penalty, and who closely collaborate, incur the penalty. The abortionist, anyone who assists, the mother, anyone who helps pay the abortionist, anyone who knowingly provides transportation, any cops who remove anyone who is preventing the abortion–all these would be close collaborators in the abortion.
Excommunication is pretty much a dead letter under the 1983 Code of Canon Law.
What cannot be doubted is that it is a mortal sin for any bishop or pastor to allow a public supporter of abortion to receive Communion. Canon 915 expressly forbids this mortal sin, but only about ten American bishops don’t commit this mortal sin.
In their document, “Catholics in Political Life,” the US bishops gave themselves permission to commit the mortal sin of giving out Communion in violation of Canon 915.
https://www.usccb.org/prolife/abortion
https://www.usccb.org/committees/religious-liberty
https://www.usccb.org/about/doctrine/ethical-and-religious-directives
Fr Corapi is living in SOLT community leading monastic life
Where did you “hear” that? The order’s website indicates no connection with him (as it does with members of their community in good standing).