Statement
by Bishop Robert F. Vasa
In Support of Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s Pastoral Letter
Before I Formed You in the Womb, I Knew You
May 4, 2021
On Saturday, May 1, the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco issued a Pastoral Letter titled, Before I Formed You in the Womb, I Knew You.
We have lived with abortion in our country for nearly 50 years. Perhaps our hearts have grown calloused to the moral and physical evil of this denial of humanity. Archbishop Cordileone reminds us that legalized “abortion is the axe laid to the roots of the tree of human rights: when our culture encourages the violation of life at its youngest and most vulnerable condition, other ethical norms cannot stand for long.”
I commend the Archbishop for offering encouragement to Catholics in public life who advocate for life. I join him in asking that those who participate in or support this grotesque industry to actually look at the evil that is being done and open their hearts to God converting grace. I, too, call upon those in public life, especially Catholics, to recognize that the killing involved in an abortion is not in any way justifiable or defensible. They cannot support such evil and expect no spiritual consequences. The Archbishop makes it clear that we hate the evil of murder which abortion perpetrates but do not condemn the women or others who have been misled into choosing this evil. Finally, there is a call to all men and women of good will to persevere in respecting and affirming the goodness of every human life, born and unborn.
The Pastoral, which I encourage all to read, can be found in English, Spanish, and Chinese, as well as in Audio format, at: https://sfarchdiocese.org/inthewomb
The above comes from a May 4 statement on the Diocese of Santa Rosa website.
One act of courage sparks another one. Keep it going.
Bishops Vasa and Cordileone are heartening. While these two bishops are busy affirming the life-giving teaching of the Church, the German bishops/Cupich/Wilton/McElroy are busy draining the Cross of its meaning and salvific power. Jesus said . . .
“You are the salt of the Earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.” (Matt 5:13)
This is what has been happening to mainline Protestantism, liberal religious orders, and the church in Germany.
Just a point for you to consider. by naming the men rather than the error, you could mislead someone who is listening to them when they speak in accordance with the truth. It can also be taken as a personal attack since you speak in such hyperbolic ways. It is not possible to drain the Cross of it’s salvific power.
If the bishops are only good for when they “speak in accordance with the truth” then who needs them? The truth can already be found and known without the bishops, is what you’re saying, because what bishops say can be evaulated according to a truth independent of what they say. So who needs bishops? Just point people to the truth not to bishops. Much easier.
Spoken like an evangelical.
You don’t like your own words being turned against you, do you?
Anonymous,
You make some good points. I will address your second point first since it is the shortest.
I concur that the Cross can’t actually be drained of its salvific power. But my phraseology is that of St. Paul who stated:
“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the Cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” (1 Cor 1:17)
Regarding your second point, I only know these men from their public persona. In this regard, they strike me like “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Maybe it’s true that they speak of Christ, him crucified, and atonement of sin in their respective diocese. If this were true, I would have to reevaluate my comments. However, all that I hear from these men is about political matters and accommodation with sin/secular values – sort of like eloquent wisdom.
I honestly don’t know what you are referring to with the German bishops.
I have recently read articles by Bishop McElroy and Cardinal Cupich. But if someone had not read them, what would they think you meant?
The last I heard of Wilton was last year. I don’t remember what it was. Something with BLM maybe.
Excellent. No doubt Archbishop Cordileone and Bishop Vasa are aiming subtle missives at McElroy, Cupich, et al. Those errant bishops are a menace to our faith and need to be censured from within their ranks.
Bishop McElroy should be asked to provide an example of anything he would consider sufficiently sinful and persistent to warrant excluding someone from Communion. Provide an example and then go from there to tease out what he really believes. You might find out he believes that nothing anyone could do would exclude them from the Eucharist.
The armies of Middle Earth are amassing against the forces of Mordor.
My dog is more Catholic than Biden. At least my dog doesn’t approve of gay marriage.
The number of bishops who’ve stepped forward to commend Archbishop Cordileone, includes Archbishop Naumann, Bishop Wall, Bishop Hying, Archbishop Aquilina, Bishop Vasa, and Bishop Olmsted, among others.
Archbishop Cordileone was very clear on national news. See the link below:
https://www.foxnews.com/media/pelosis-hometown-bishop-argues-pro-choice-catholics-should-be-denied-communion?mc_cid=43594320cf&mc_eid=59ff6bc058
Deacon Craig: I would hazard a guess that there are also many good priests (and deacons) who support Archbishop Cordileone, but cannot do so publicly.
Silent Observer, you’re likely right. I have a bishop and pastor who support me when I take a stand on the teachings of Christ and His Church. (That’s why I can post with my name. If my bishop or pastor read something I post, or were told about, we would have a conversation if they had any concerns.) Pray for those priests and deacons who are in the difficult position you mention. Pray for all bishops. And, pray those priests and deacons will someday be able to publicly say what, for example, marriage is and what abortion is without repercussions.
No wonder many sheep in these flocks have dispersed. These Bishops need to abide by church teaching and the Commandments that abortion is intrinsically evil.
Now that bishop down in San Diego, McElroy, has stated that “The Eucharist is being weaponized and deployed as a tool in political warfare” after Archbishop Cordileone, San Francisco, stated that Pelosi and Biden should not receive Communion based on their pro-abortion status. Doesn’t this San Diego bishop understand that abortion is murder? Doesn’t he understand that murder is a grave offense against the 5th Commandment, Thou Shalt Not Kill?
He does. He simply doesn’t think supporting, promoting or endorsing abortion is anything to be denied Communion about.
And in that, he is dead wrong. Now you know.
San Diego Bishop McElroy needs to quit playing politics and start professing the true Catholic doctrine regarding abortion and murder.
Do you offer the same consequences for those who publicly support war and capital punishment? What? Are you “cafeteria Catholics” then?
Violence against the innocent unborn child is always an intrinsic moral evil; the death penalty, by contrast, is subject to the prudential judgment of governing authorities and could be considered an act of self-defense to further protect society from harm.
If Biden is a devout Catholic as stated in the news, he should not present himself to receive the Eucharist without first going to confession. Looks like this would be heresy and blasphemy. If a Priest has knowledge thst a person should not receive the Euchsrist for whatever reason, would the Priest be committing a sin in giving the Eucharist to thst person
Public support for just war and capital punishment is not an intrinsic evil.
Your faulty comparison is far beyond apples and oranges. No cafeteria love here.