Phil Lawler: “Bishop McElroy’s argument relies on a transparent fiction.”
Bishop Robert McElroy says that Catholics should not be single-issue voters. He packages a familiar argument—that abortion is not the only key pro-life issue in this year’s political campaigns—in an attractive new form: “To reduce that magnificent, multidimensional gift of God’s love to a single question of public policy is repugnant and should have no place in public discourse.”
Bishop McElroy acknowledges that abortion is always gravely immoral, and that “candidates who seek laws opposing intrinsically evil actions automatically have a primary claim to political support in the Catholic conscience.” Exactly. So then why not opt for candidates who oppose abortion? Bishop McElroy, following the “seamless garment” line advanced by the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin and the late Governor Mario Cuomo, explains that politicians who oppose abortion might have different ideas on how to curtail the killing:
While a specific act of abortion is intrinsically evil, the formulation of individual laws regarding abortion is not,” he said. “It is an imperative of conscience for Catholic disciples to seek legal protections for the unborn. But whether these protections take the form of sanctioning the doctor or the pregnant mother, whether those sanctions should be civil or criminal penalties, and the volatile issues pertaining to outlawing abortions arising from rape, incest and danger to the mother are all questions of deep disagreement among advocates wholeheartedly devoted to the protection of unborn children. Like the issues of fighting poverty and addressing climate change, the issue of abortion in law and public policy is a realm where prudential judgment is essential and determinative.
Okay. So if a politician disagrees with pro-life lobbyists on the proper legislative path to ending abortion, he should not forfeit all Catholic support. Fair enough. But suppose (just to take a hypothetical example) a presidential candidate not only refuses to outlaw abortion, but promises to preserve free and unrestricted access to the procedure, pledges to guarantee government subsidies, welcomes support from the abortionists’ lobby, vilifies those who seek legal restraints on the practice, and plans to ensure that every American citizen and institution will be involved in paying for abortions? When applied to the actual political situation in America today, Bishop McElroy’s argument relies on a transparent fiction: the polite nonsense that this candidate is merely looking for a different way to advance the pro-life cause.
If you suffer from persistent headaches, and one doctor recommends medication while another calls for proper diet and exercise, you can easily see that while they take different approaches, both are trying to help. But if a third doctor proposes to hit you on the head with a sledgehammer, don’t kid yourself that he has made a different prudential judgment. He’s trying to kill you. If a politician wants to argue with you about how to help women with problem pregnancies, hear him out. But if he proposes to shut down pregnancy-help centers and throw sidewalk counselors in jail, don’t insult my intelligence by pretending that he may doing his best to advance the pro-life cause.
The above comes from an Oct. 14 item by Phil Lawler on CatholicCulture.org.
Bishop Daly: “In his description of what constitutes a Catholic, there is no mention of loving Christ and loving the truth.”
Bishop Thomas Daly of Spokane told the National Catholic Register Wednesday that he strongly disagreed with San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy’s guidance to Catholic voters, offered during a virtual discussion organized by St. Mary’s College (Indiana) just three weeks before the 2020 presidential election.
In his Oct.13 remarks, Bishop McElroy indicated it was acceptable for Catholics to support Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s pro-abortion-rights stance because, according to the bishop, the “formulation of individual laws regarding abortion” lies in the “realm” of prudential judgment.
“Reading through Bishop McElroy’s statement, I noticed that he never mentions that abortion is the ‘preeminent’ moral issue for Catholics,” Bishop Daly told the Register….
Bishop McElroy suggested in his St. Mary’s comments that voters should not question the Catholicity of a candidate who does not support pro-life policies.
“One very sad dimension of the election cycle we are witnessing,” he said, is “the public denial of candidates’ identity as Catholics because of a specific policy position they have taken. Such denials are injurious because they reduce Catholic social teaching to a single issue. But they are offensive because they constitute an assault on the meaning of what it is to be Catholic.”
Bishop Daly noted Bishop McElroy said it was “offensive” to question a candidate’s Catholic identity, irrespective of the polices they uphold.
“But in his description of what constitutes a Catholic, there is no mention of loving Christ and loving the truth,” Bishop Daly said. “The truth is that life begins at conception and must be protected and reverenced until natural death. That belief forms who we are as Catholics, but it is left out of his definition of being a Catholic, as far as I am concerned.”
“I keep thinking of those words from Deuteronomy: ‘I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live.’”
Bishop Daly said that the San Diego bishop’s remarks “effectively constituted a defense of Biden and other prominent Catholic elected officials who publicly support unrestricted abortion.”
“But if abortion is intrinsically evil, which Bishop McElroy admits to, how can Catholics vote for a candidate like Biden?” asked Bishop Daly….
The above comes from an Oct. 15 story by Joan Frawley Desmond in the National Catholic Register.
I think it’s a positive sign that some bishops are no longer politely declining to fraternally correct other bishops. And gone are the days when a bishop could expect anything he said to be lapped up by the laity. If McElroy weren’t a bishop, if he weren’t a cleric, he’d have a hard time finding decent employment in the real world because the man has no skills. Blathering on in speeches or statements constitutes work about as much as posting on social media does.
On the contrary, Kevin T. Bishop McElroy has excellent skills in promoting ideas through word play, control of the message, control of the clergy, organization of his chancery. Those skills serve a message which Daly and Lawler may not agree to be a Catholic one; but McElroy is very good at what he does in the worldly realm. He would have no problem finding work in the world of politics, education, social science, NGO, etc where these ideas are promoted. For bishops canon law requires respect for the office. Yet in order not to fall into the argument fallacy of “appeal to authority” just because a man is a prelate, the Christian must weigh one man’s words with those of Christ, of the Bible, of the Catechism, and of what is reasonable. Who then is more reasonable, McElroy or Daly and Lawler?
Bishop Daly is faithfully leading the flock to love of Christ and of neighbor through conscientious voting. He blows right through the liberal smokescreen promoted by those who refuse to prioritize the unborn as those most need of protection. This bishop is an honest and trustworthy servant whose goal for all is heaven. God Bless Bishop Daly!
God bless you Bishop Daly. We miss you Bishop Daly. You are a true son of St. Patrick. May you ever be so.
God bless Bishop Daly! The faithful of the Diocese of San Jose (where he was auxiliary bishop) miss him dearly!
So instead of unborn children, if 19,000 Jews or Muslims, Blacks, Hispanics, or Asians were brutally executed each week in our country and their remains thrown in garbage dumpsters, would you vote for the political party that promotes and protects the right to do so? Can you vote for a party whose platform clearly supports, promotes, and will do everything possible to protect the willful destruction of human life on a genocidal scale? Do you believe that a more just society can be built upon a foundation that considers the unborn child to be less of a person and therefore undeserving of the most basic right that our Constitution guarantees: the right to life?
Bishop Rick Stika
And now you volley around white supremacy nonsense, WoW. Patricia, you are so over the top as to be Completely Cancelled Out!
Abortion kills non white unborn babies at a much higher percentage than white unborn babies. Abortuaries are overwhelmingly located in minority neighborhoods. Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger was a eugenicist and even PP admits it now. The Democrat party supported slavery, Jim Crow laws, and KKK Speaker of the House Robert Byrd. So which party are you accusing of racism? Like Biden, the more you speak the worse you sound.
In consistent Catholic teaching, recently re-affirmed by our Holy Father, Pope Francis, and the body of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, abortion and euthanasia are the “preeminent” issues in forming an opinion about how to vote. “…[T]he right to health, to home, to work, to culture is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination.” (Pope John Paul II, Christifideles Laici, 1998, no. 38, emphasis in the original)
Hence, a Catholic voter is to approach the ballot box with the defense of innocent human life uppermost in his/her mind and conscience. As voters, we must carefully examine our consciences to determine if our vote cooperates with a candidate’s promotion of the grave sins of abortion and euthanasia. The United States Bishops gave stark guidance to politicians in 1998, “No public official, especially one claiming to be a faithful and serious Catholic, can responsibly advocate for or actively support direct attacks on innocent human life.” (Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge for American Catholics, no. 32) While this statement addresses public officials once elected to office, in intellectual and moral honesty, we must extend these words to us citizens who, by our vote, elect the candidate to office.
Bishop Alfred Schlert
Agree or not, Roe has been the law of the land for almost fifty years. Do bishops or priests have the right to ‘suggest’ how we vote? While I oppose abortion, I believe others have the right to choose differently. We don’t have an established reigion in this country.
Just because you have done something wrong for 50 years, doesn’t mean you have to keep doing it. If the United States had a long standing practice of executing every 5th immigrant that came to our country, would you support it? If American citizens had the right to kill anyone that inconvenienced them at any time, would you say “I personally oppose it and I wouldn’t do it, but I support the rights of others to do this?”
Whether Roe has been in place for 7 years, 77 years, or 777 years is besides the point, because murder will always be murder. Gay “marriage” is “the law of the land,” but it has only been the law for 5 years in many states! Meanwhile, Jim Crow-style de jure segregation was “the law of the land” for nearly 60 years. Is de jure segregation more valid than abortion due to age? And on the “right to choose differently,” would it not be irresponsible for a bishop or a priest to damn his flock to Hell because of “individual thoughts?” The Catholic voter must vote Catholic. Just because we live in a secular country does not mean that voters must think secularly. You could easily argue that cultish movements like BLM and the DSA follow a new secular religion of “tolerance, liberty, and diversity” (sodomy, amorality, and exploitation) that has its own ecclesiastical hierarchy (AOC, Ilhan Omar, Shaun King, Talbert Swan), its own scriptures (Alinsky, Kropotkin, Marx, Davis), and its own creeds (i.e. We Believe Black Lives Matter etc. yard signs). If they can vote for their religion of death, then we can vote for our religion of life. If their patriarchs and matriarchs can tell their followers who to vote for, then our bishops can do the same.
McElroy is just taking a page from the Francis “weaponized ambiguity” playbook.
There are at least two problems with the idea that we have to vote for Trump in order to defend life is that there is no one-to-one correspondance between a Republican vote and stopping abortion and euthenasia. If there were, Republicans would have had ample opportunities to do so, yet they have not. People who want to do away with these things ought to take the direct route: Amend the Constitution themselves.
Secondly, pro-life advocates have used these two issues to drag us through multiple generations of bad policy on other issues, some of which are life issues as well. Access to health care, control of the spread of viruses that kill a quarter million adults in the span of 7 months, access to food, housing, and education. A sound fiscal policy. All of these things have been ignored by Republican administrations so that someday somehow abortion and euthenasia will go away.
I’ve got news for you: Republicans for 50 years have strung you along making you think they are pro-life. They are using you. It’s time to wake up.
But to vote for a Democrat is to vote for abortion. So you can’t do that.
YFC – Thank you. I fully support everyone’s right to choose their candidates. But there are so many posts here that encourage collective amnesia.
Choose life or death. Your choice exactly.
Another ruled by tolerance and diversity
Dona no pacem, are you able to answer a question you were previously asked?
Can you provide some examples of the “hateful rhetoric” of the current administration?
Oh, we are well aware that some of the ballots in states like New Hampshire that were for Senator Santorum got conveniently “lost”, until the votes were already counted, and whether they were “lost” by Republicans or Democrats or others tis the question. Ballots seemed to get “lost” quit often.
And Democrats have been stringing along gullible people to accept abortion since it became supposedly legal 47 years ago. Gay marriage was also a supposedly legal decision too, which brings back the question YFC, do you support gay marriage?
That’s weak – trying to say that Democrats are the only ones who work for education, health, etc. It is those progressive liberal pro-Democrats that try to fantasize “proportionate reasons” to justify their “material cooperation of abortion”
Republicans have worked to limit abortion according to fetal age, sex, funding, etc. – they may not be able to overturn a SC ruling.
The Democrats spent most of time either trying to impeach Trump or shoot down any Republican measure that helps people.
EDUCATION under the Democrats:
common core, inappropriate sex ed in schools. Boys in girls’ bathrooms and sports; library drag queens grooming children; they are against charter schools and homeschooling;
HEALTH under Democrats
ACA – Those without employer-based insurance or Medicaid have expensive fees with high deductibles and copays. For many it is too expensive to use; loss of prior MD and insurance; trangenderism (mutilation and hormone derangement); unrestricted abortions/infanticide – organ harvesting, taxpayer funded; loss of conscience protections for hospital and clinic workers; loss of parental notification and consent; drugs legalized;
SAFETY under Democrats
Sanctuary cities – hiding, abetting criminals; increased crime; reduction of felony to misdemeanor; catch and release; police obstructed/defunded; pro-criminal courts; riots and looting seen as “protests” supported. K.Harris paid bail so they could return and riot; biased liberal Judges – dissembling from Constitution; legislating from the bench
The Democrats vote in lockstep so they are not for the people – they are for power.
The Republican vote always has dissenters whether they are RINOs or disagree-ers
The Republicans are for family values and ethical works in health, education, etc
Anonymous– Great summary of today’s Democrats– which is exactly why I could never vote for one! I ignore the absurd “offensive political speech baloney” of Trump– he and the Republicans-only get my vote! Right now, Satan has the Democratic Party firmly in his evil jaws! Why can”t my Church be strong in fighting Satan, and promote Faith and Morals– and Catholic Family Values, for love of Christ and Our Blessed Mother, worldwide??
YFC, news for you: some current office holders are actually doing prolife things. And, none are Democrats.
Others are seeking higher office while promising abortion through infanticide, mandatory funding of abortion here and abroad and forcing nuns and the rest of us to pay for it.
A Catholic will never be 100 percent at home in any political party. You’re right: it’s time to wake up.
No YFC you wake up..do not wag your finger like you are some intellectual giant, which you are not. The Democrats support the murder of unborn babies in the name of sex without consequence but you will still vote for them The Democrats are evil Marxists and as I have said before the day is coming where you will have to choose between the Church and them
Yes, the Republicans until Trump have been half-heartedly trying to eliminate child killing but at least they supported limiting and trying to control it unlike the Dems. So what does that have to do with pro-abortion Biden and pro-life Trump? It’s a clear choice. And if the Democrats or Biden or Hillary had been in office when this virus hit, we would have had millions dead. They called Trump “xenophobic” and refused to support his banning travel from China. As for the other issues, what did Obamacare or the Unaffordable health care do for us. Higher premiums, loss of our doctors, people being penalized for not having health care to name a few. And LOL that the Dems have a monopoly on issues like access to food, housing and oh yea get this, “education” What a disaster and the Dem failure on education is well known for not allowing poor black children to choose the schools they want to attend instead of the failing liberal propaganda run schools that the Dems support! It’s time for all your liberals to wake up before you are an accomplice to the “culture of Death”.
So you say amend the Constitution. The same thing should have been done to allow abortion or fake same sex marriages, but you and the radical left did not do it but had judges make up their own laws. Such hypocrisy! Even Judge Ginsburg knew that Roe Vs Wade was bad law.
I did not mean I would approve of such amendments, but by your own standards that is what should have been done.
Folks conveniently forget that abortion is not the only life issue. Illegal wars kill tens of thousands. Failure to provide adequate health policies and insurance cost hundreds of thousands of Americans this year alone.
About dems and ACA: Millions more have health insurance than had it under prior administrations. People with pre-existing conditions were denied coverage before. People had lifetime caps on healthcare even when they had insurance that bankrupted millions of families. Bush and Obama assembled a task force and stockpiles of PPE to combat the next pandemic: Trump dismantled the task force and let the PPE expire.
About Dems and safety: Crime under Obama reached unbeleivably low levels. Sanctuary cities did not provide cover for felons and misdemeanor criminals: Those immigrants, legal, illegal, or born here, are prosecuted for crimes in sanctuary cities just as much as in any other place. In fact, the FBI tells us that the greates safety threat to Americans comes from right wing groups, including the group that was REHEARSING to bomb bridges and statehouses in MIchigan, kidnap the governor and possibly kill her. Yet Trump literally laghed it off in his rally, and encouraged his supporters to chant “Lock HER up”.
About Dems and Education: Under Bush, teachers taught to the test, not the concepts and deep understanding of the subjects that makes for TRUE learning. Dems stand up against bullying in school, increased teacher salaries so that the best teacher can afford to teach. Dems support the right of students to learn from home so as not to expose the families to Coronavirus while Trump demands that ALL students return to the classroom immediately.
About the notion that legalizing abortion should have been done via a constitutional amendment: Perhaps you are right, but the Supreme Court said that the Constiution already protects a women’s right to personal privacy and autonomy, so no amendment was necessary. Once the Supreme Court says what the law says, it us up to us to change the law. Civics 101.
Biden officiated at a gay wedding, that’s not Catholic. YFC, do you support same sex marriage?
The war is on the unborn. Abortion has killed over 60 million in the US alone, so don’t dishonor them by minimizing their deaths which are totally supported by your liberal friends. Corona kills far less than 1% of kids, abortion kills 99.99% of them, and you don’t care.
Yes abortion is the number one issue so please stop attempting to convince yourself otherwise. All the “fake news” talking points or revisionist history will never change that.
See Anonymous’ response above to all your fake news and/or revisionist history. And after the FBI’s criminal behavior with the Russian hoax you can’t be serious to believe anything they say. None, Zero credibility anymore.
I know 2 millionaires who have their health insurance paid for by the government through ACA. They don’t have to work and have low income because of that. They get a check from the government for the money to purchase a health care plan through ACA.
Great program.
This false cleric is as diabolically deceitful, corrupt, and “snakey,” as the one in the Garden of Eden, long ago. No difference. He should never have been accepted into any Catholic seminary, in the first place.
To whom are you referring, Anon., — Daly or Mc Elroy? I am sorry to have to ask, but it is so hard to tell now with all the replies one under another.
Hope this one gets printed! To answer the question of Anne TE— yes, McElroy! Deceitful, diabolical promoter of modern liberal, immoral, corrupt social causes! For many long years, this cleric has been deceitfully championing gay rights, feminism, etc.– destroying the Sanctity of Marriage, Motherhood, and the Sanctity of Life! His diabolical contributions no doubt assisted the legalization of gay “marriage.” Such corrupt influences poison and destroy our Church, country, and all civilization!
Bishop Daly makes several important points that we as Catholics need to have as part of our armor and weaponry in this particular war with evil. We need the truth. Research is one of the ways to understand what the truth is in this situation but without prayer and sacrifice we stand a good chance of missing it. Mother Teresa says: “Cleave to Jesus.” Now and at all times we need to do just that. Trump has proven himself the best person for the job in the last two decades. He has endowed Black Colleges with funding (Obama did not do that), he turned the economy around and put more people to work than the last two presidents. He is working to replace the HHS Mandate with something more flexible and workable and without the abortion clause for religious based institutions. The Marxism of the Left and the funding from Iran, China and the Saudis that floods this country perverting politics, college students’ minds and fueling descent and rioting
perpetrating lie upon lie about the history and foundation of this country is an abomination and must be stopped. I went to college in the late 1960s Communists on campus – absolutely. The China Bookstore in SF may have closed but the communists organization still is active. Pray, pray, pray.
Both Philip Lawler and Bp.
Daly are excellent, truthful, faithful champions for Christ!
I have always thought of myself as a faithful Roman Catholic. I’ve stood by, supported and defended the church through numerous scandals in recent years. Since I am going to vote for Joe Biden for president, I guess I can no longer consider myself as a good Catholic. There is no way I will vote for Donald Trump- he is unstable and a terrible commander in chief. Perhaps it’s time for me to join another church.
Leaving the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church should be as repellant to you as anything in this world. Really Catholic Vet, you would exit the Church established by Jesus Christ over your feckless vote for an abortion extremist? Reconsider your vote not your Church.
Trump’s bombastic, often-offensive political jargon, doesn’t matter to me any more. What does matter, is that God is able to (paradoxically) use pro-lifer, pro-Catholic/pro-Christian Trump, and VP Pence, a devout, traditional Christian believer and pro-lifer– for tremendous good! Trump/Pence is the most Pro-Life presidency team in recent history! And they both champion Religious Freedom, and publicly praise and support our Church! No taxpayers forced to pay for Baby Murders, either– and won’t allow medical personnel, or religiously-affiliated institutions, clergy and nuns, to be forced to legally participate in such atrocities as Baby Murders, contraception, or immoral “LGBT” agendas, etc. They champion rights for families of children in religious schools to receive funding, and for religious schools to operate by their own beliefs. VP Pence’s wife teaches in a Christian school that upholds traditional Christian beliefs. Trump is strong in dealing with foreign countries, strong in protecting the U.S., strong in upholding pride in America, strong in leadership for jobs, economic growth and opportunity, and strong with pride in American-made products. Strong with straightforward, common sense.
As for extremely immoral and weak Joe Biden/Kamala Harris– They are advocates for Planned Parenthood, Baby Killing-Up-To-Birth/Gay “Marriage”/LGBT Agendas (etc.) — with taxpayers forced to pay for these evils (end Hyde Amendnent) — no Religious Rights for churches, charities, adoptions, religious schools, teachers, hospitals, doctors, nurses, nuns— plus, David Daleiden and his CMP will be sent to jail for exposing Abortion/Baby Body Parts Trafficking of Planned Parenthood!!! Biden/Harris– immoral Democrats, Biden lost his religion and morals long ago– and anti-Catholic Harris never had any! Big-mouth, offensive Trump? I ignore it– God can do much good, through Trump/Pence, for our Church and country!
Catholic Vet, Thank you for your service to our country.
We vote for the Office, not the man – We vote for the party’s platform and for the future
of the Constitution and thereby indirectly for Supreme Court Judges that would preserve
our Bill of Rights and the constitution.
Trump is far from perfect but he is ethical. He is not unstable. He is raw and reacts when attacked. He is trying to accomplish many goals while many incessantly working against him: the media, the democrats, bureaucrats in govt offices, and even some of his own party and cabinet. He has been the victim of constant smears by media and politicians.
Trump worked hard for Vets’ health and services – the total Veterans Affairs budget went from $183 billion in 2017 to $220 billion in 2020.
.
Maybe you are happy with the end of DADT – compliments of the democrats
That was under Biden’s VP term – the corruption and identity politics stressing our military
who are defending our nations- That’s a worthy target for your vote ?
Under Biden: abortion at full term = infanticide, risk to 1st and 2nd amendment;
There isn’t enough space to list the evils.
Please read above or research yourself about Biden’s health which will put K.Harris as Pres, his refusal to explain his programs, he and his son’s involvement with China, etc
Research what the democrat party goals are.
(You have 2 great reasons to vote for Trump = You’re Catholic and you’re a Veteran)
Wake up and smell the destruction of the family, children, the unborn, and the country by the Democrats.
Vet – the extreme opinions you see on this site in no way represent the values of holy Mother Church nor of the majority of faithful Catholics here in California. You are within your rights to reject the “God sent a sinner to save America” mindset started by some evangelicals that has spread in recent years. Many teach their children that a vote for a Democrat will doom them immediately to hell. This is not Catholic teaching. Vote your conscience as directed by God and stay firm in the Church.
Catholic Vet, joining another Church is a mortal sin. Voting for Biden could be a mortal sin if the reason you vote for him is his support of intrinsic evils, like abortion. Voting for someone because you hate someone else is not holy. Look for the good in the two. See what you think the country needs and evaluate your best choice. Not voting is an option. Pray over it.
I cannot believe anyone would say “joining another Church (your capilalization) is a mortal sin.” I pray you do not really believe that you represent the Church.
Not so fast there Maria, let’s take a closer look. Three conditions are necessary for mortal sin, it must be a grave matter, done with full knowledge, and deliberate consent. Cal Vet realizes that leaving the Catholic Church is a big deal, several respondents have also told him this. It is his responsibility to validate this, and if he does, he would recognize that truth. Since there is no salvation outside the Church, to deliberately leave her is grave indeed. Armed with the full knowledge of the sin, should he choose to leave anyway, he is fulfilling the third condition of doing it anyway,
Be aware that Cal Vet may not even be a real person. Anyone can post anonymously claiming anything, and in this case, be open to the possibility that Cal Vet is simply trolling to get responses that would approve of a vote for pro-abort Biden.
Every Catholic represents the Church. Some do it well, others not so well. Every catechized Catholic knows it is a mortal sin to join another Christian denomination. I did not mean parish.
YFC and Catholic Vet Bishop Daly and Phil Lawler are not demanding, or even suggesting that you have an obligation to vote for Pres. Trump as YFC wrongfully stated. The point made is that Catholic teaching forbids you from supporting pro-abortion candidates like Joe Biden. It never obligates you to support any one candidate. You have a third option—leave it blank, vote for another candidate or write in your own choice..
Thanks for all of the feedback. Trump is not ethical and he is a profligate liar. I do not trust him and neither does Jim Mattis. Also, his chummy relationship with Putin and his silence regarding Russian bounties on our soldiers are deal breakers for me. My wife thinks the Episcopalian Church might be a good fit for us. Neal Gorsuch is an Episcopalian.
CathVet Why not call your Pastor or any catholic priest first and ask?
Or call your Diocese HeadQuarters and ask to talk to a Priest. Maybe its harder to reach a Priest at this time of Sheltering. I would call and ask to discuss a question with a Priest
and get his guidance. You do not have to give your name or Parish
Don’t say you weren’t warned. You can’t go off saying no one told you of the necessity to stay in the Catholic Church. Very bad decision you’re making.
Catholic Vet– I don’t think of voting for a “man”– instead, I think of casting my vote for the party and candidate on God’s side– whom God can work through, to lead our country in the right directions. It is God’s vote! Think of the diabolic evils soon to befall us, with a vote cast for the man (God’s sinful “sheep,” Joe Biden and his people) and the party of Satan, the “Democratic Death Party!” Biden may seem to have a “nicer” personality than Trump– but God does not care about that! Biden/Harris are not “nice” at all! They are Pro-Abortion Up To A Baby’s Birth-Day (at taxpayers’ expense), Anti-Christian, pro-LGBT immoral agendas forced on all Americans, Anti-Religious Rights, Anti-Biblical Man-Woman Marriage and Children, Anti-Original Constitution, Anti-Police/Pro-“Antifa” and Liberal Socialist Rioting, Statue Destruction, and Crime, Pro-Mandatory Sex-Ed, LGBT Indoctrination, Birth Control and Abortion for Schoolchildren K-12– and overall violent destruction to our American Homes and Families, and Churches and Schools! The Little Sisters of the Poor, and thousands of religious-affiliated schools, hospitals, charities– and Christian businesses and wedding-related businesses– will all face massive persecution and closures! David Daleiden and his CMP– brave soldiers for Christ!– may end up in wrongful, long jail terms, their lives destroyed– for exposing Satanic Planned Parenthood’s evils of Abortion and Baby Body Parts Trafficking!! This is all tragically Satanic, totally against God’s Will for America!! God wants us to vote for the man and party committed to lead America in the right direction, according to His Divine Will! That’s all it is!
Catholic Vet– whenever I get upset with the Church, such as the Pope’s latest blunders on same-sex civil unions– I pray my Rosary, tell Our Lady my sorrows, pray for the Pope and errant clerics, and kneel down in the Confessional, and tell the priest all about it, too! I make sure I am receiving the Sacrament of Penance from a faithful Catholic priest. And the priest always reminds me that he shares these same frustrations, as well as many good Catholic clerics, everywhere! This Church belongs only to Christ! It is His, eternally, in all times, and in all places and circumstances– and can never be “changed” by sinful Man! Our spiritual lives are between our soul and God. We are called to follow Christ, not wayward Man! We must bravely pray and persevere, and live and die in Christ, in a state of grace– no matter what evil earthly conditions we must endure! Other Christians, all through history– have endured much worse trials, for their Savior! All for Him! Offer it up! Heaven awaits!