Defending his decision to honor Senator Richard Durbin with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Archdiocese of Chicago, Cardinal Blase Cupich proclaimed that “I have remained faithful to the May 2021 instructions of the then-Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, advising bishops to “reach out to and engage in dialogue with Catholic politicians within their jurisdictions…as a means of understanding the nature of their positions and their comprehension of Catholic teaching.”
Let’s assume, then, that Cardinal Cupich has spoken to Durbin about the senator’s consistent record of support for unrestricted legal abortion on demand. If that is the case, since the senator’s public stand has not changed, we can reasonably infer that:
Cardinal Cupich has been unable to improve Durbin’s comprehension of Catholic teaching, or
Senator Durbin has deliberately chosen to flout the Church’s teaching, or
Both.
If Cardinal Cupich cannot explain the Church’s teaching on the dignity of human life, he should not be a metropolitan archbishop. (And as a matter of fact, since he is over the age of 75, his resignation should already be on the Pope’s desk.) If Senator Durbin is ignoring the Church’s teaching—despite innumerable warnings from his bishop, the bishops’ conference, and the Vatican that this is a grave matter—then he does not deserve any archdiocesan award. Am I missing something?
Back in 2021, when the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released those instructions that Cardinal Cupich claims to follow, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, the CDF prefect, wrote that the US bishops’ conference should clearly emphasize that “those who are directly involved in lawmaking bodies have a grave and clear obligation to oppose any law that attacks human life.” In 2004, his predecessor as CDF prefect, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, had instructed the US bishops that in the case of a Catholic politician who supports legal abortion, “his pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the Church’s teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist.”
Acting on that policy, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, in whose diocese Durbin was living, announced that the senator was barred from receiving the Eucharist. In doing so, he was following not only the directive from Cardinal Ratzinger, but also the provision of the Code of Canon Law (#915), which stipulates those “who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.”
So it appears that a prominent Catholic who persists in manifest grave sin is going to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chicago archdiocese. No wonder Bishop Paprocki said that he was “shocked” by that decision, adding that the award “risks causing grave scandal, confusing the faithful about the Church’s unequivocal teaching on the sanctity of human life.”
By banning Durbin from Communion, Bishop Paprocki sent a strong message—not just to the senator, but to the world at large — that the Catholic Church is serious about the gravity of abortion, that politicians who support the practice are endangering their souls. Now by honoring Durbin, Cardinal Cupich is effectively erasing that message.
In his bid to justify this scandalous award, the cardinal disclosed: “Senator Durbin informed me some years ago that he had purchased a condo in Chicago, registered in a parish of the archdiocese and considers me to be his bishop.” We do not know, at this point, whether the Illinois senator has changed his legal domicile. Bishop Paprocki was evidently under the impression that Durbin remained a resident in the Springfield diocese. But even if he has, the physical move does not alter his moral problem. If he is guilty of manifest grave sin in Springfield, he is equally guilty in another jurisdiction, and his soul remains in jeopardy. A residence in Chicago is not a Get Out of Hell Free card.
Cardinal Cupich brought out the now-familiar canard that “Catholic teaching on life and dignity cannot be reduced to a single issue, even an issue as important as abortion.” (Did anyone ever suggest it could?) He lauded Senator Durbin’s “critically important contributions” on public issues including care for the poor, the environment, world peace, and especially immigration. That argument is a fraud; the issues are not commensurate in their moral weight. There is no reason why a faithful Catholic cannot seek reasonable restraints on immigration (and especially on illegal immigration), whereas—how often do we need to make this argument? — it is always and inherently wrong to promote the deliberate destruction of innocent human lives.
But just for the sake of the argument, pretend that Durbin’s voting record on immigration constitutes a stellar example of political action attuned to Catholic social teaching. If that were the case, would the senator be deserving of a major archdiocesan award, as a legislator who defended human dignity in one political venue, but assaulted human dignity in another?
The US bishops’ conference, as a body, has been unable to reach an agreement on disciplinary action against politicians who support abortion. But the conference has at least agreed on a policy that public figures who promote abortion should not receive honors from Catholic institutions. As Bishop Paprocki pointed out, the Chicago archdiocese has its own policy against honors for “individuals or organizations whose public position is in opposition to the fundamental moral principles of the Catholic Church.” Cardinal Cupich is making a mockery of those policies.
Under the circumstances, it should not be surprising that Bishop Paprocki took the unusual step of criticizing another prelate’s decision. Rather, it should be surprising that, at least at first, Bishop Paprocki was the only American bishop who protested the scandal. (San Francisco’s Archbishop Cordileone and others have joined him.)
If other American bishops think they should remain silent to preserve the unity of the episcopal conference, their reasoning is flawed; Cardinal Cupich, by approving this award, has already sundered that unity. More to the point, as Bishop Paprocki says, “What’s violating unity is not speaking out, it’s that something has been done contrary to Church teaching.”
From Catholic Culture
Just because Senator Durbin supports unrestricted baby killing, sodomy, genital mutilation and child abuse, don’t be so “single-issue” and narrow minded, you critics of Cardinal Cupich. Der Fuhrer should’ve gotten a lifetime achievement award as well. Look at what he did for the German economy, Volkswagen, German pharmaceutical companies (like Bayer and Merck) and their highway system. Don’t focus on World War II and the Holocaust. Forget those things. National Socialism was, overall, a good thing. Support the unseemly garment theory.
The Pope and Vatican should issue clear guidelines on such matters, to all Catholic clerical leaders– with mandatory obedience to Catholic teaching– or else face disciplinary actions.
Several days ago, I was given Cardinal Cupich’s email address, and I sent him an email, politely asking him to rescind the wrongful award to Sen. Durbin.
This Catholic World Report article is worth repeating. .https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2025/09/20/the-scandal-case-of-cardinal-cupich-and-senator-durbin/ End Abortion Now! Adoption is the option.
Cupich and McElroy … good God, is it any wonder we lay Catholics are flailing about in distress? Do the chicks now have to teach the hens? Some bishops need their faces slapped to bring them back to their senses. I’ll be the first in line.
I was assuming you wrote that “tongue-in-cheek (facetiously)” as St. Nicholas supposedly got into trouble for punching a heretical priest in the nose even though St. Nicholas was right on the issue theologically. In the end, of course, he was vindicated, but no nose breaking please.
Very funny story. St. Nicholas got very upset at the First Council of Nicaea, in 325 A.D., when Arius, a Cyrenaic (part of modern Libya) founder of the Arian Heresy, was giving a big speech to everyone, stating that Jesus Christ was not the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Son of God, co-equal with God the Father. So St. Nicholas got up and slapped Arius. This Council had been called by Emperor Constantine I, to decide and formalize Christian teachings — as Christianity had been recently adopted as the new State Religion of the Roman Empire. The Churchmen brought St. Nicholas to the Emperor, and he was stripped of his ecclesial garments, and thrown in jail. That night, Christ and Our Lady came to St. Nicholas’ jail cell, and Christ gave the bishop a Book of the Gospels, and Our Blessed Mother gave him an omophorion (same as a pallium, for Eastern bishops). The next morning, poor St. Nicholas was vindicated, and the miraculous vision helped restore St. Nicholas as Bishop of Myra. And the Christian doctrine of the Blessed Trinity was established, and Christ as the Second Person of the Trinity– as related in the Nicene Creed. This story has never been found to be historically true, but is a popular legend.
Admit it: modern Catholicism in the United States is hopelessly incoherent and fractured. Bishops contradict each other, celebrations of Mass and music differ widely among parishes only mere miles apart in the same diocese, factions can’t agree about whether to accept or reject Vatican II or the reformed Mass or the TLM, and 4/5 baptized Catholics don’t even attend Mass weekly.
If I were an investor, I would sell short the Catholic Church’s stock. It’s poorly managed, has no brand consistency, and its customer base is eroding.
Spiritual Chapter 11 is imminent.
Admittedly, it is poorly managed. And, customer base isn’t the issue. The issue is: Who is the Head of the Church? Does it teach truth? (Hint: One of the Persons of the Godhead is Head of the Church and things aren’t true because the Catholic Church teaches them; the Catholic Church teaches things because they’re true.) Historically, one of the bishops of Antioch and one of the patriarchs of Constantinople (both great historic sees) were heretics, as was maybe even one pope, Pope Honorius I. Don’t look to men. (Psalm 146:3) Our hope is in Jesus, the only one Who can get us to heaven. Invest in heavenly things; the reward is infinite and eternal. Bankruptcy? Maybe. Spiritual bankruptcy? Never. Play the long game. What’s at stake is your eternal life. Smoking or non-smoking, sir?
In my view– regardless of the form of Mass, or culture or language– our Church must have order, seriousness, dedication to Christ, good leadership, a serious and prayerful, God-directed liturgy, and total fidelity to Christ and His Teaching– and no secular “me-oriented” baloney or excuses, to “do as I please.” If our Church ever suddenly was gone and dead — for some goofy reason– and all I had available was the Russian Orthodox faith, I would attend their Byzantine Divine Liturgy, attend their devotional groups, do their religious devotions, do their long Lenten fasts, etc. As long as there was fidelity to Christ and His Teachings, good leadership, good discipline, order, and a good and holy Eucharistic liturgy devoted to Christ– that is most important. Don’t care about the language or culture — just like non-European Catholic converts– Chinese, Arabic, African– don’t care, either. Just adapt to it as best you can. A very long time ago, a Chinese friend told me that there is no such thing as bread, in Chinese cuisine and culture— so that was new, for her, in converting to Catholicism! She learned Latin, and loved the holy Tridentine Latin Mass, and said that Asians love and revere ancient Tradition. Me, too!
I said the same thing right after Vatican II — NO DISCIPLINE– “do-as-you-please,” Church authority and leadership gone, no guidance, lives confused and disordered, all the nuns leaving, Catholic schools and colleges collapsing, about 100,000 priests left in the following decade– vocations died, seminaries closed; Catholic religious devotions gone; the “Novus Ordo Mess,” priest-facing-people like TV personality, lots of jokes, laughter; secular “kiddie pop” guitar music, theological disintegration, infiltration of Godless “Me First” humanism, pop psychology, “adolescent group therapy/manipulated emotional bonding/brotherly love/hippie dope-group love”– and “no sin, no repentance, all go to heaven,” “you pick/choose” “Cafeteria Catholic,” immoral moral relativism. Authentic Christian love is a beautiful and holy grace, rooted in a deep relationship with Christ, in prayer and humble self-emptying and self–giving to Him— it is NOT “hippie teen dope-group bonding,” or sick, manipulative “psycho therapy sensitivity group bonding,” based on humanism and the neediness of the fractured human personality. What a “Lost Church!”
Someone who is brought up right, in a normal, good and decent family, with good moral and religious training— to know right from wrong, and “do unto others,” etc.– will normally feel very badly, and have a normal sense of guilt and the need for moral correction, and Confession, if Catholic — if they do something really wrong. I don’t mean a type of abnormal guilt– a “Guilt Complex,” due to a neurosis or psychosis, as in a mental illness. I mean– just a NORMAL sense of guilt, feeling natural and normal remorse for sin. Where is a normal sense of guilt and remorse for sin, in Cardinal Cupich and Sen. Durbin? They are certainly not Godless atheists, or cold-hearted, sociopathic criminals in the street– with no moral conscience, and a lost humanity…
Why do some Catholic spiritual leaders have no moral conscience? That is quite a mystery. We can name a great many of them! A former Chicago Archdiocese Cardinal Archbishop, Cardinal John Cody (1965-1982) was under federal investigation in 1981, for diverting over $1 million in tax-exempt Church funds, to a lady who was a childhood friend and cousin by marriage. The federal investigation ended with Cody’s death due to a heart attack in 1982.
Cardinal Cody’s “companion,” Helen Dolan Wilson, a divorcee, died the year after Cody passed away, in 1983. Church leaders in the Archdiocese of Chicago and in the Vatican had tried for years to figure out ways to get rid of the controversial Cardinal Cody, who did much damage– but Cody was too cunning, and had attained too high a position in the Church, with too much power. Cardinal Joseph Bernardine replaced Cardinal Cody– and he, too, was controversial.
Oh– sorry, in my comment of Sept. 29 at 10:53pm, I misspelled Cardinal Bernardin’s name.
again, try proofreading before you click the “post” button. but why is a correction necessary to provide? who really cares? nobody knows who you are anyway. i could make mistakes typng ths who wuld knowe nor car?
Pope Leo recently named Bishop James F. Checchio, Bishop of the Diocese of iMetuchen NJ, to be coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleas, LA. Unfortunately, Bishop Checchio has past ties to evil Theodore McCarrick, was accused of cover-ups of McCarrick’s clerical sex abuse crimes, and supports Jesuit Fr. James Martin and a related LGBT group.
Bishop Checchio will replace Archbishop Gregory Aymond, who turned age 75 in 2024. Abp. Aymond has been involved in a huge and controversial bankruptcy settlement, with over 500 clerical sex abuse victims– who have accused Aymond of mismanagenent and cover-ups of their cases. They will soon vote on whether to accept a $230 million settlement.
God bless and protect Bishop Paprocki. He seems to be one of the truth believers.
Correction: one of the true believers.
try proofreading before you click the “post” button
I do most of the time, but with blended trifocals the eyes can play tricks on you. I have to take them off when going downstairs, also, to focus better. Do not ask me why, it just is so. Someone else told me they have to do that too.
No, proofread. You need to respect Anne TE’s excellent posts. Write your own comments and be respectful of others’ comments.
If you attend a Latin Mass, you should be placed under interdict. If you murder babies, you should get an award.
What kind of catholic website is this that would print a story with a headline about a get out of hell free card? We don’t believe in indulgences anymore.
Bishop James Johnston, Jr. of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri joined the growing number of bishops urging Cardinal Cupich to not honor Senator Durbin with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Have any other California bishops besides Archbishop Cordileone joined in that?
Honoring an abortion-extremist is scandalous and only encourages gravely immoral behavior by Catholics.
How about a death-time achievement award?
Anne TE, Response to:
Dear Anne — of course, any face slap that I would direct toward an “errant” bishop would be metaphysical only. However, just ruminating about it gives me great joy. I hope you know that I’m being a bit sarcastic.
You can email Cardinal Cupich at: bcupich@archchicago.org
Or call him at (312) 534-8200
Of course, one must be polite and respectful in doing this. Very good idea to pray for him and for Sen. Durbin, that God’s Justice may be done in this situation.
I have always believed, since the diabolical and disoriented 1960s– that Vatican II concepts of individual power for Catholic clergy and laity in “making their own decisions based on their own conscience” was 100% wrong– a direct invitation to mischief, Satan and sin. No, all Catholic clergy and laity must be bound to follow only Christ’s Teaching. No “individual decisions,” based on typical human mischief and error. Catholic clergy and laity must be committed to following only Christ. That is my strongly-held view, since the very day Vatican II changes were announced in our parish church, after the Second Vatican Council ended— including this “follow your own individual conscience” idea — “big mistake” in my personal view. To say you are a “practicing Catholic” who faithfully follows Our Lord— not an errant “lapsed Catholic!”– or worse! (heresy, apostasy) — is a very important responsibility. Religious discipline and faithfulness to Christ is very important. That is my view. I have always hoped and prayed for the Catholic Church to have some common sense– and change, and return to this view.
I am very discouraged with the Pope’s statement to reporters today, on this matter, from Castel Gandolfo. For Heaven’s sake– Pope Leo is a native of the Archdiocese of Chicago! Yet he sidesteps the issue, saying he is “not very familiar” with it– why?– And that he believes a senator’s “overall record” should be looked at, when considering an award. He equates all the Catholic social issues as “alike”– no differences in importance — abortion, injustices with mmigration, injustices to the poor, etc. Liberals always twist the social issues like that, irresponsibly– they don’t care that Abortion is Murder of an unborn child! O.K. — we now have Pope Leo’s view… “straight from the horse’s mouth.” We have now seen the Pope give his views to reporters on television. I will pray and wait to hear Archbishop Cordileone’s response to this sad news. The Pope’s authority used to really count, in upholding Catholic teaching… but no more. So what good– in the post-Conciliar era– is the sacred Petrine Office?
Oh, my gosh– Sen. Durbin just announced that he is going to decline the award. A few days ago, someone urged me to send an email to Sen. Durbin via Durbin’s Chief of Staff at the Senate– and gave me the email address. I sadly thought it to be hopeless, but did so anyway, being respectful but honest in my words to him. Now I wonder if Durbin’s email inbox and regular mailbox, and phone system, got flooded with Catholics calling for Durbin to decline the award? Hope he will also go to Confession. Tons of prayers have been daily offered, regarding this awful situation of Cupich/Durbin.
If anyone wants to email Sen. Durbin, here is his email address– via his Chief of Staff, Pat Souders. Here it is:
pat_souders@durbin.senate.gov
Phone number: (202) 224-2152.
A deal was struck. It was all coordinated among Cupich, Durbin, and Leo. The timing of everything was fishy, don’t you think? Leo gives Durbin the benefit of the doubt after “coincidentally” being asked about the controversy, Durbin appears to take the high road by declining the award, and Cupich gets to write a statement blaming single issue Catholics while taking heat off himself.
Everything is scripted.
I have never in my whole life ever in any way, addressed a pope before… but right after I saw Pope Leo on TV news, with his shocking response to reporters at Castel Gandolfo, about the Cupich/Durbin wrongful award– I was so deeply shocked and in tears, that I sent Pope Leo a “tweet” on ‘X” (formerly Twitter) begging him to please publicly stand up and strongly condemn the sin and crime of Abortion– and defend the poor, helpless unborn babies, millions daily murdered in their mothers’ wombs! If our Holy Father will not swiftly and surely defend these poor, little innocent, violently slaughtered unborn children– who will?? Violently killing poor, helpless unborn children is not on the same level of “Pro Life” as social issues of poverty and injustice to the poor and immigrants. I do not think the Pope will see my “tweet”– but I did it for Christ and Our Lady and the poor, helpless unborn children.
Bless your heart for the good that you do.
Well done!
Thanks very much for your kind comments. I would not recommend sending any type of message or letter, to a Pope– even a respectful one– that contradicts something he publicly stated. Very scary, if by chance, the Pope ever really did read your little message, or letter– and decide to give you a stern reply! You could be hurt for a long time. Some might even leave the Church. I do not think “Pro Life” in condemning Abortion– the violent murder of unborn children– is on the same level, morally– as condemning the Death Penalty used properly by a society. For example– I believe that Catholic lawyers, judges and jurors– in an extreme case– calling for the Death Penalty– as in cases like the Nazi war criminals or 9/11 terrorists– should receive full support from a Pope– not condemnation. A society must protect its people. Also– a society must protect its borders, and expel lawbreakers and criminals. That’s in the Bible, too.
Please know– I do not expect you to agree with me, on use of capital punishment– or on any other, less important issues. But thanks for your kind comments– I really got upset, after sending a “tweet” to the pope. Personally, I have decided that even as a Catholic, if I ever were called to serve on Jury Duty– in a state that still uses the Death Penalty for certain, extreme and rare cases– and if the trial was for an extremely violent torture/murder case– like the horrific Nazi “Holocaust” war crimes, or 9/11 “jihad” Muslim terrorists– and if the Death Penalty was being called for– I would give my acceptance to the sentence of the Death Penalty, as a jury member. But that is my own decision. I would have to deal with the Archbishop, respectfully, but standing on my own two feet– if the awful details of the trial, and jury menbers’ names were publicized in the news. I strongly believe our society must be protected from all evils. And today– the Catholic Church often fails to help protect us– our Church even fails to protect children from evil clerical sex predators. Not trustworthy.
I am now very sad to know, that we may all, someday, see Pope Leo give Holy Communion to Sen. Dick Durbin, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, former Pres. Joe Biden, “gay” married couples, and other bad Catholics—-right alongside Cardinal McElroy and Cardinal Cupich– on live TV — at a big Vatican televised Mass, someday. “All are welcome– unrepentant sins and all.” O.K., young Pope Leo. You and Cdl. Cupich, Cdl. McElroy, and all the other fake, “Pope Francis,” “seamless garment,” secular, worldly, Catholic Socialist prelates– are not our true Catholic spiritual leaders May God bless Bishop Paprocki, Abp. Cordileone, Cardinal Burke, Cardinal Sarah– and all the true, faithful Catholic prelates who stand steadfastly by Christ’s True Teachings.
Breaking News: Senator Dick Durbin has decided not to receive a “Lifetime Achievement Award” to be presented in November at the archdiocese’s “Keep Hope Alive” celebration according to a statement released by Chicago Cardinal Cupich. From Catholics For Catholics.
It is very sad to know, that all those good Chinese Catholic clergy and laymen, faithful to the Pope– will never receive his support and help, despite their terrible persecutions on China. Poor Cardinal Zen and Jimmy Lai. And all those fsithful-to-the-Pope Catholic prelates who have disappeared, been sent to labor camps, thrown in jail– and were violently tortured and killed. How can Pope Feancis– and now, Pope Leo– turn his back on them?
In my comment of Oct. 1 at 4:30pm, I misspelleed Pope Francis’ nsme. After expressing my sadness at Pope Leo’s recent remarks about the Cupich award to Durbin— I think I need a more positive and hopeful outlook. Prayer can do great things, and can change hearts and minds, by the grace of God. Besides, it was a wonderful thing that Sen. Durbin decided to reject the award. Maybe there will be some hope someday, for the poor, suffering Chinese Catholics. Many prayers for them!
Pope Leo nay eventually change, and turn the Catholic Church back to a normal direction, away from the Francis Papacy. Pope Leo is in my prayers.
Reply to we hear you, etc. on October 1:
I agree with you on the rare usage of capital punishment. During WWII, Pope Pius XII gave his blessing to German resistance fighters dedicated to deposing Hitler because “we had to wage war against the powers of evil”. Theologians at the time considered an attempt on Hitler’s life to be an act of self-defense, i.e., protecting humanity from a murderous regime. We know that some of Hitler’s senior military officers, led by the brave and devoutly Catholic Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Hitler during Operation Valkyrie. He and five thousand others in the resistance were executed by the Nazi SS.
Similarly, if I were to sit on a jury and there was a proven-beyond-doubt child rapist/murderer in front of me, then my conscience — which is my moral frame of reference — would guide me. I would say in such a situation I could vote for collective societal self-defense as a legal justification for applying the death penalty.
Thanks for your detailed comnent. Long ago, when I was very young, I happened to take a very good college course from a Dominican priest– he was a very scholarly priest, and he loved to teach. He was well-liked by everyone. This course was on contemporary Christian literature– Catholic and Protestant. The Dominican priest explained all about the German resistance fighters, and involvement of clergy, like the great Lutheran theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. We had read several of his wonderful books– and the question that Bonhoeffer dealt with– that to kill Hitler would be a blessing, not a sin– an act of legitimate self-defense, to prevent future horrors to mankind– was one agreed on, by many clerics, Catholic and Protestant. The plot to kill Hitler failed, and the resistance fighters were all killed by the Nazis. Right before he was hanged, Bonhoeffer said, “This is the end– for me, the beginning of life.” This Dominican priest is now long gone to his grave. Long ago, there were many good teachers that helped you grow, intellectually– and spiritually, in the Church.
When many of us were young— -there was none of the highly destabilized, radical political extremism, and poorly–formed intellectual points of view, in college professors and students in the mainstream of America. Extreme viewpoints were curbed by a good and decent American society, with common sense, and a common, broader, more comprehensive education and worldview. Our society was highly influenced by faith in God and Christianity– Catholic and Protestant. Extreme political problems were mostly found in unstable foreign countries. In America, few were extremely liberal or extremely conservative– viewpoints tended to be more balanced and reasonable. Bishop Sheen helped our government to expose and get rid of many atheist Communist groups. He also converted some prominent atheist Communist leaders to the Catholic Faith. Sheen also helped to end a plot of Communist seminarians trying to infiltrate and destroy the Catholic Church. A country always has to keep vigilant, for potential “wolves” lurking, ready to harm its people. “Freedom” is not “free.” And America lacked vigilance and common sense, as the 1960s evils grew to horrific proportions, destroying our wsy of life. Hopefully, we can successfully eradicate this “liberal mess” and return to normalcy, by the help of God.
I think Pope Leo just stepped into a bucket of fish emulsion, and it stinks. Now it is bishop against bishop and pope against passed popes, including some very saintly ones who believed in the death penalty for first degree murder. Most confusing if you ask me.
I read an article supposedly with Pope Leo’s full reply, and it says that he said SOME who believe in the death penalty MIGHT not be pro life. That makes a difference if that is the way he put it. I want to find a website where his full answer can be heard in full context by him, and not just what someone else says he said.
Every situation is different as in some cases abortion can be murder, in some cases man slaughter, and in some cases the person might not be guilty at all, as in forced abortions at gun point.
Some Church experts are saying that it is a bad idea for a pope to be caught by reporters, with questions– and then to answer “off the cuff,” and maybe “stick his foot in his mouth” — so to speak. They are saying that it is much better for a pope to only speak with a carefully prepared text that he has written, so as to give the world correct Catholic teaching. Millions of Catholic school children, and young Catholic college students, especially need the pope to lead them correctly, in the teachings of our Faith.
Pope Leo XIV says “Someone who says, ‘I’m against abortion’ but is in favor of the death penalty is not really pro-life.”
Listen to the living Magisterium. Respect life!
Would you have been on the side of the anti-Hitler conspirators who bravely risked their lives to end the life and reign of the greatest murderer, or would you have been one of those who smugly scratched his beard and smoked his pipe and condemned those valiant efforts?
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. Weak men create hard times”.
Pope Francis said that, too– and changed the Catechism– he was not supposed to do that. Pope Leo, for now, is following the very poor thinking and reasoning of his friend and predecessor. Pope Francis also was not very smart, in his Catholic leadership, with such garbage as “Amoris Laetitia,” “Fiducia Supplicans,” “Traditionis Custodes,” and “Synod on Synodality”– a botching of the established Synod of Bishops. Never follow a potentially sinful “human person,” elected to the Papacy by his fellow Cardinals. Only follow Christ and the idea of true Petrine Christian leadership– from Chridt’s point of view. We have had some popes who were saints– and some who were gravely mmoral– and some who were actually criminals. Get a good Catholic education– and use your head.
In one sense, it’s true that to be in favor of the death penalty is not to be pro-life. After all, you’re in favor of executing heinous criminals, which is literally contrary to prolonging or preserving life.
So then the question becomes, why should the death penalty be considered a pro-life issue? Why is it not framed as a pro-justice issue? Why are death penalty opponents not criticized for failing to be fully and seamlessly pro-justice? How about a consistent ethic of justice?
“Pro-life” means nothing anymore. It’s a slogan manipulated by people who use it to obtain political ends. Immigration is not a pro-life issue. Health care is not a pro-life issue. Let’s stop categorizing moral acts in improper ways.
I reject the pro-life category as a moral descriptor, and I likewise reject the stupid seamless garment nonsense. I don’t desire to be “pro-life”; I desire to be good, just, moral, wise, and holy.
Let’s just say that abortion is immoral, capital punishment is acceptable in some circumstances, nations have a right to regulate immigration and enforce secure borders, and that health care is a service that nations should have an interest in promoting as efficiently as possible in the economic order.
Accepting “pro-life” as a moral category is where almost everyone goes wrong and has led to the blather we hear from prelates these days. There is no such thing as pro-life. Reject that category as empty and meaningless.
The Babylon Bee satirized the pope’s remarks:
https://babylonbee.com/news/pope-condemns-god-for-instituting-the-death-penalty
Ouch, he deserved that.
Pope Simon Says.
If I was a juror on a criminal trial because jon got murdered, I would honor jon’s legacy by voting not guilty. Murderers have dignity and their lives have value. They do not deserve to get the death penalty. Listen to the living Magisterium. Respect life!
I’m still laughing. You nailed it!
You fail to distinguish between the verdict and the sentence. Verdict is guilty or not guilty. If guilty, then a sentence is imposed.
Your attempt at humor conflates the verdict and the sentence, which is why your joke doesn’t work.
Time to kick out these false bishops who do not believe in God. They believe they are God.
Please tell us which bishops “believe they are God.” I’ll check back to see. Do people think before posting, or is this just emotional release?
Use the Force, Rey.
Rey, do you mean, that these false bishops set themselves up as “little gods,” instead of worshipping the True God?
To smarter than u – just proves you have zero sense of humor.
No, it just wasn’t a funny joke besides conflating verdict and sentence. What made it funny? Because it was levied against someone you despise? What are we, in the third grade?
Well you probably despise me now too. So how about making a joke about me? Try it. I’ll let you know whether it’s funny.