The following comes from a sermon delivered on September 2 by Deacon Jim Vargas at Mary Star of the Sea parish in La Jolla.
We are living in troubled times. We are living in a society that sanctions the taking of innocent life of the most defenseless from the womb of the mother.
We are living in a society that wants to move ever closer to violating the sanctity of Marriage and so negatively impact the family and our precious children.
We are living in a society that is attempting to strip us of our first and most cherished freedom – the right to religious liberty – and in so doing trying to force us to violate our conscience. We must resist this culture that can only lead us to spiritual death.
The beauty of this great country of ours, of this democracy, is that we have the ability and the right to work for change. In a couple of months, we will have an opportunity to vote to build a culture of life. As Catholics, we have an obligation not only to vote, but also to vote for those candidates who are committed to safeguarding life in the womb. This is indisputable. To vote otherwise is to cooperate in an intrinsic evil.
The following comes from a September 23 sermon by Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois
Much attention was given at the Democratic National Convention held recently in Charlotte, N.C., to the fact that all references to God had been purged from the draft version of the party platform. After outcries of protest from outside as well as within the Democratic Party, the sentence with the same reference to God used in 2008 was restored to read, “We need a government that stands up for the hopes, values and interests of working people, and gives everyone willing to work hard the chance to make the most of their God-given potential.”
Before anyone relaxes and concludes that all is well now that the Democratic Party Platform contains a single passing reference to God, the way that this was done should give us pause. Convention chairman Antonio Villaraigosa had to call for the voice vote three times because each time the sound level for the “ayes” and the “nays” sounded about even, far short of the two-thirds necessary according to convention rules to amend the platform. That did not stop the convention chairman from declaring, “The ayes have it!”
What is troubling about that is the blatant disregard for the rules and for the apparent wishes of about half the delegates. The reference to God is back in the platform apparently because President Obama wanted it back in. That may be fine for now, but if a future president wants references to God taken out, apparently that can be done regardless of the wishes of the delegates if that is what The Leader wants. That does not bode well for democracy in the Democratic Party.
Even more troubling is that this whole discussion about God in the platform is a distraction from more disturbing matters that have been included in the platform. In 1992 Presidential candidate Bill Clinton famously said that abortion should be “safe, legal and rare.” That was the party’s official position until 2008. Apparently “rare” is so last century that it had to be dropped, because now the Democratic Party Platform says that abortion should be “safe and legal.” Moreover the Democratic Party Platform supports the right to abortion “regardless of the ability to pay.” Well, there are only three ways for that to happen: either taxpayers will be required to fund abortion, or insurance companies will be required to pay for them (as they are now required to pay for contraception), or hospitals will be forced to perform them for free.
Moreover, the Democratic Party Platform also supports same-sex marriage, recognizes that “gay rights are human rights,” and calls for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal law signed by President Clinton in 1996 that defined marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman.
Now, why am I mentioning these matters in the Democratic Party Platform? There are many positive and beneficial planks in the Democratic Party Platform, but I am pointing out those that explicitly endorse intrinsic evils. My job is not to tell you for whom you should vote. But I do have a duty to speak out on moral issues. I would be abdicating this duty if I remained silent out of fear of sounding “political” and didn’t say anything about the morality of these issues….
To read entire Paprocki sermon, click here.
The choice next month is very clear for all and it was given to us way back in the days of Moses; Deut. 30: 15-20. Now if we choose life as God has told us through Moses, we and our descendants will live, if not, we will perish. Romney is not a very good choice, but, I dread to think that Biden could become President if Obama happens to eat some of his “wife’s” cooking. +JMJ+
JMJ, they pick total gumballs for vice presidents for exactly the reason you suggested … because no one, not even lunatics, would want to end up with such wackos for president. It is like assassination insurance.
While certainly true for Biden and Al Gore, I don’t believe that the term “wacko” describes Ryan–nor Cheney, nor George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, Lyndon Johnson, Harry Truman–I could go on and on.
Agreed, Larry; I was in a hurry and did not take the time to elaborate.
I agree with Larry. JMJ yes I’m sure Romney is not a good choice but better than the Obama monster we have now!
Romney is the best choice for life and the salvation of our country. Obama is a train wreck for civilization. Bless all of the Bishops who are stepping up. Last week EWTN had a different Bishop to do the Nine Novena Masses to Our Blessed Mother. All the homlies were right on. I know millions of viewers praised God for EWTN’s panache.
God bless EWTN! Lets pray for Romney!
I was at the 7:30 a.m. Mass when Deacon Vargas delivered that sermon. To my great surprise, the congregation broke out into spontaneous applause when he finished. I did not join in, having been taught that one does not applaud in church (except at a priestly ordination), but I thought to myself, “Good on yez; maybe all is not lost.”
Tom so you attend the La Jolla Parish…I may want to visit and attend, I am looking for more good parishes to attend Mass. Praise Jesus Christ!!!!!
I don’t recall ever hearing about Bishop Paprocki before, but being impressed with this column I clicked onto the link in your article. There I discovered that he is the Bishop of Springfield, Illinois and has a regular column in their diocesan newspaper in which his articles are archived on the web.
He is well worth following. “Francis rebuild My Church!”
Bishop Paprocki, the demoncratic plarform contains many intrinically evils, that voids the so called good things in the platform, Faithful Catholics do not get to pick and choose, voting for any demoncrat that supports abortion, gay marriage is as intrinically evil as the sponsors of the evil. The reason obama ALLEGEDLY wanted God in the platform was purily political, he was afraid of losing the support of Catholics which the PEW report recently showed to be anywhere from 54 to 61%, as one should note the most silent religious group on the election are so called Catholic Bishops, Sunday 1200 Protestant Pastors will speak from the Pulpit against the evil, in asddition over 17 million Evangelical mailers went out against the demoncrats platrform, you can find plenty on the internet of what non-Catholics are doing to bring some moral and spiritual sense back to our America, you find very little from Catholic religious figures….These are the words of obama to the United Nations general Assembly ” The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of islam” He said that to the world leaders just a short distance from where Jesus on the Cross was hanging in the artists URINE, that was called ART. The president has never had a problem taking his cheap shots at Christianity, especially Catholism. By the way Hagee ministries in having a 40 day prayer vigil, he specifically stated if obama gets his way with the Catholics the rest of Christianity will be at his mercy, how ironic, a man that calls the Catholic Church the “whore of babylon” having prayers that the Catholic Church survive obama. I hope we survive our Bishops almost total lack of honest leadership, how about you? MGB
Hagee has elevated himself above Jesus, if you have not been tuned into such matters. I think I saw the article on CNS site. He has created a new religion.
Thank you California Catholic Daily for giving us these two great Sermons.
I too would not have applauded outwardly but I would have applauded in my soul.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Maybe it would be nice for my family to attend that parish in La Jolla…sounds good to me!
In today’s America, a Catholic Democrat makes about as much sense as a Jewish Nazi!
Yes, sadly, there are both, and neither one makes any sense … to speak mildly on the issue.
Churches are no longer churches. They are political advocacy organizations.
No, they are not, DaJuan. Churches are still repositories of the faith, and they help us learn how God wants us to live to serve Him best. In the United States of America, one finds that living within a democracy, we are permitted the great privilege and tremendous responsibility of choosing our leaders based on our hopes for our world; thank heavens there are still many men willing to devote their lives to the priesthood and help us know how to live, including how to consider for whom and for what to vote. That is not the same as a political advocacy organization; if you ever join one, I promise you will immediately recognize the tremendous differences between the two. In America, choosing our leaders is still seen as a moral and ethical responsibility, and Catholics are tasked to vote for the men and women who can be depended upon to lead our nation to the highest good. Your comment reflects a lack of appreciation for our wonderful churches, without which our nation could not and would not be the place it is today and the country we hope to leave to our children and grandchildren when we leave this earth. I thank God for churches, and especially for our wonderful Catholic churches.