Abortion presents a problem for the Catholic left since it does not fit into its social justice agenda. It certainly involves social justice in the highest degree since it is a great injustice to deprive an innocent person of life. However, the left, by its nature, always seeks to change “oppressive” social structures that they deem unjust. Abortion does not fit squarely into this category. Indeed, some Catholic leftists will use the oppressive structures of poverty or patriarchy as a reason to justify abortion.
While the Catholic left prefers other issues like climate change, social revolution, and illegal immigration, it is hard to argue against the missing 60 million Americans. These issues pale in comparison to the magnitude of death caused by the sin of abortion. Thus, abortion has long occupied the preeminent place on the American Catholic political scene.
However, a key Catholic figure is directly disputing abortion’s preeminent place as a non-negotiable issue for faithful Catholic voters.
Speaking at the University of San Diego on February 6, Most Rev. Robert McElroy, Bishop of San Diego, cast doubt on abortion’s preeminent position, especially in light of the upcoming elections. He did not directly discourage opposition to abortion but put climate change on equal footing, declaring that “both abortion and the environment are core life issues in Catholic teaching.”
The two issues pose unequal threats, however. For the outspoken liberal bishop, “the long-term death toll from unchecked climate change is larger [than that from abortion] and threatens the very future of humanity.”
Three questions about Bishop McElroy’s controversial statements need to be answered.
The first is addressed directly to Bishop McElroy, the politician: “Your Excellency, why are you raising this issue now?”
In making this statement during an election year, Bishop McElroy intentionally muddles the issues in the hope of encouraging Catholics to vote for radical pro-abortion candidates who are eco- or illegal immigration-friendly.
The second question involves Bishop McElroy, the scientist: “Your Excellency, why are you speaking as a scientist?”
Bishop McElroy is not a scientist and thus speaks outside his competence when painting a picture based on alarmist scientific speculation devoid of solid facts. He claims that “it is a far greater moral evil for our country to abandon the Paris Climate Accord than to provide contraceptives to federal health centers.” Abortion kills tens of millions every year around the world. There are no recorded deaths specifically due to climate change.
The third question is the most tragic and important one: “Your Excellency, why aren’t you speaking as a bishop, which is your area of competence?”
Bishops speak about matters touching on God and His relationship with humanity. But Bishop McElroy’s speech projects a purely naturalistic worldview, a perspective from which God and the supernatural are absent.
To claim that climate change is deadlier than abortion is to deny the truth anyone can see. People must work toward preserving the environment, a gift of God. However, their first duty will ever be to obey God and His Divine Law.
Full story at LifeSiteNews.
Climate chastisement occurs in response to human sin of the darkest degree,abortion.failure to repent mistaken paths can lead to the disappearance of societies,as when God removed an ancient lgbt society so thoroughly that some believe Sodom and Gomorrah to be desert legends(Genesis 19)
If God decides to unleash terrifying predictions made at Fatima, it won’t be because we didn’t separate our garbage or because we used straws and plastic bags. It will be because of our unstoppable pursuit of sin.
Climate change is a constant. How does the “good” bishop know that any such anthropocentric component is not mitigating a more catastrophic natural trend, IOW if the earth is headed toward ice age, warming is good. Or, as well, people in Russia would enjoy growing tomatoes. That is IF we could predict or control any of that. Educated fools are decimating our once great tradition of intellectual vigor and clarity. Shameful and dangerous at the same time.
The road to Hell is paved with the skulls of bishops. ~ St. John Chrysostom.
The culture of Human Sacrifice is on a par with the culture of Ecologism? Bishop McElroy: the scientist, the humanist, the eco-warrior, but certainly not the exemplar of the Catholic Christian life.
He speaks not as a Catholic bishop but as a Leftist politician. Please pray for this lost soul who is leading his flock to perdition with him.
Unfortunately he is our Bishop. He rarely says a thing until it’s around election time. Totally useless.
Bishop McElroy operates from a homosexualist agenda, which affects his words and actions. Therefore, my 3 questions to him are as follows:
1. What role, if any, does celibacy play in your personal life?
2. What is your prayer and sacramental life like?
3. Do you believe that hell is real and that souls actually go there?
Really?
Celibacy is something he has taken a vow to keep and has.
His prayer life is at least to pray the Mass every day and to pray the Divine Office. He may do more than that.
Of course, he believes that hell is real. The Catholic Church has never said that any soul is in hell so the word actually in your question makes it a little weird, but anyone can go to hell, including you and I and the bishop..
Now, go to confession so you don’t. That level of rudeness to a Catholic bishop is a sin. It is a violation of the 4th Commandment.
These are the answers YOU might want the bishop to give, but you have no place to speak for him. Your assumptions are not his answers, unless of course, Bishop McElroy, are you this anonymous respondent?
Kristin, please listen to those who instruct you. Pray for humility. Seek to be holy. Treat others with respect. Do not spit in the Face of Jesus.
Important to listen to those who are concerned with one’s soul, rather than their own lefty political opinions. Some of those who “instruct” are wolves in sheep’s clothing, and we must practice discernment.
Good advice though about humility, holiness and respect. Would that we all work on these things.
Kristin,yes. Test everything. Retain what is good. 1 Thes 5:21
We are certainly blessed to have his excellency personally replying in this discussion. Thank you Bishop McElroy!
Unfortunately your reply to Kristin did not answer the three questions posited in the article.
Like they say, the Internet lets you get away with nothing
Thanks for the laugh!!
Whatever the “homosexualist agenda” may be and whatever it has to do with the environment or climate change is beyond the comprehension of any sane intellect. But such bigotry and apparent hatred for those with same-sex attraction are what may have led this Bishop to say awhile back that some people’s opinions and thinking about those who are same-sex attracted are repugnant. And I daresay “Kristin’s” words may be proving him right. Sad.
jon, since you do not understand what a homosexualist agenda is, find out! It is not a slam on those who are same sex attracted. Supporters of that agenda always and predictably line up in a certain political way, and and it is always to the far left. Pray tell you do understand what that is.
It’s your phrase, it’s your words: then you define and explain it here. Otherwise it’s bigoted and homophobic. Why should the reader have to do the legwork for you? Pray tell, are you lazy too?
jon, don’t be so hasty to call what you admit you do not understand “bigoted and homophobic”. You are responsible for educating yourself, you have been led to water, drink if you will. Bye now.
and Jesus took pity upon them
for they were like sheep without a Shepherd
Is McElroy happy with his years of false work for the Church, since his priestly ordination– to completely destroy Christian Morality?? He has always been a shockingly huge liberal-leftist champion for “gay rights”– and he couldn’t care less about the rights of helpless babies in their mothers’wombs! Now, the gay-infiltrated Boy Scouts are completely destroyed– and just filed for bankruptcy! Many of our country’s great leaders were formed in Good Character by the Boy Scouts, as well as their local churches! Now all of this is destroyed! How much more Mortal Sin do bad bishops want– to completely corrupt and destroy our Church and country– and all of its religious and secular schools and youth institutions??
A gay rights leader on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors wants to re-open gay bathouses and gay sex venues, as he says that the AIDs disease is sufficiently under control! What will our liberal leftist Church leaders– like McElrroy– do about that?? Anything?? Looks like our civilization is finished!!