Comments for The Place of Abortion in Catholic Social Teaching at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 20 out of 20 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Fri, 24 May 2013 03:47:23 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2873 I humbly think that either you are cold or hot. But being lukewarm, is something Jesus hated or disliked in persons. So, either you are a 100% Catholic and coherent, or you are not. This relativism in the Church confuses persons. And we have a plethora of relativism in mass media, why welcome even more? - Roberto Riveros Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:48:23 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2872 So often I hear Catholics who are liberal say, "Abortion is not the only issue." No, it isn't but it is the FIRST issue. With out life, nothing else matters. Consider the BTK killer. He was a seemingly normal guy. Went to church, gave his time to volunteer with Boy Scouts, etc... but his crimes overshadowed any good he had done... Same with pro-abortion people. Abortion is murder and any good is over shadowed by the fact that they advocate for the right of a woman and doctor to murder. - suzie Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:02:57 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2871 "Social justice" is a Marxist formulation that has far reaching implications. There is no need for another term than "justice". What is called social justice can be handled by what used to be called charity - from the word caritas. As Christians we are required to help the poor, the weak, the sick and the un-defended. Killing the unborn for reasons of lifestyle is in direct opposition to justice (and charity) - that's why the nonsense term social justice was invented. - Watcher Sat, 05 Sep 2009 10:10:32 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2870 Cardinal O\'Malley's concern evaporates when the chief shepherd does his job properly. Which is why Bishop Martino was so charitable. His charity was such that it wouldn't even cross a grieving family's mind to ask for a grand public funeral if their relative was a vigorous abortion proponent. - Martin Snigg Sat, 05 Sep 2009 07:38:34 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2869 Abortion is MURDER. Plain and simple. It has been proven long ago and is an irrefutable medical FACT.Therefore, anyone who supports abortion, automatically ceases to be Catholic. And thus forfeits his or her right for a Catholic burial. Until publicly repudiates his or her stance and brings it in accordance to the Church teachings. As Ted Kennedy never publicly repented, he should have been denied Catholic funeral. And it's a great shame that neither USCCB nor Vatican had the courage to do it. - Holtmann Sat, 05 Sep 2009 07:37:49 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2868 So, some feel that Sen Ted's defending the right of mothers to kill unborn children is "offset" by his desire that the state not kill heinous murderers of post-born people. What PJ O'Rourke said regarding Liberals and Conservatives on the subject of the death penalty and abortion applies well: "A pious Christian would sanction neither. A callous pragmatist would allow both. But it takes years of therapy to maintain the Liberal's position on the matter" - BillG Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:49:52 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2867 To Mr. Molineaux: There is no other way to say it: please, grow up! Our bishops are not professional ballplayers, traded in a draft and competing with one another. Each is called by God to watch over His flock, with his unique charism. Still, they remain human, with imperfections (in a way, that's fitting, given Peter's bumpy road to faith). But they all remain shepherds and teachers. I agree with David that their examples and teachings should not be taken lightly. - PIo Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:48:14 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2864 Bradley, it is certainly necessary to change hearts but in fact many hearts have changed and many laws enacted at local and state levels to reduce abortion. Unfortunately while Roe v. Wade remains they are almost always overturned by the Supreme Court and who was the most vocal opponent of getting pro-life judges on the court, none other than Teddy K. - Cavaliere Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:03:59 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2863 Card. O'Malley's defensive comments were rather pathetic. He came in to Boston, of course, as the relief pitcher after the departure of the disgraced Bernard Law; the lesson is that it's a rather thin bench of bishops in the bullpen. - Charles Molineaux Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:18:43 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2862 You can not roller skate in a buffalo herd, and when 75% of catholics use the pill, their duplicitous hearts will not allow for the cessation of abortion on demand. The only chance we have is a return to Tradition and the Vetus Ordo, while trying to conform to the message at Fatima of Our Lady, or this will be fixed by God, with the minor chastisement that many of the Church Fathers spoke of and which the post Vatican II Council Church finds inconvenient. - tim mccarthy Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:54:14 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2861 I hope that the author does not suggest either: - solely by opposing abortion, one has somehow embraced a minimally adequate standard of Catholic social teaching; other grave sins exist (eg, 25,000!! children die daily) and command our action; opposing abortion is central, first and mandatory, but not sufficient by itself - that on matters where diversity of opinion is permitted (eg, war, death penalty), the teachings of the Pope/bishops carry only as much weight as a lay person\'s opinion - David Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:34:48 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2860 As a young Boston priest, the late Cardinal John Wright put it this way: the rights of the unborn child are "the rights of a human, and of a human incapable of pleading his own right, and therefore with a greater claim, not a lesser, on the protection of the state." (Resonare Christum, Vol I, page 24). - Bill Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:55:05 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2859 Mr. Ruse, I don't disagree with your analysis. It all makes sense. Perhaps, instead of choosing the Netherlands for the World Congress because it "embodies the kind of culture traditionally minded people abhor", you should next choose a site in the United States. The culture there seems to produce much more radical abortion results (both laws and numbers) than Holland. - Jos Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:11:04 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2858 Actually, Holland, controlled by radical secularists, has a better abortion law than the United States so it would make sense that their abortion rate would be lower. The US has the most radical abortion law in the world; abortion through all 9 months of pregnancy for any reason, for no reason. Of course, Ireland, where abortion is illegal, has an even LOWER abortion rate than Holland. (and in case you are so tempted to counter; Ireland also has the lowest maternal mortality rate in the world). - Austin Ruse Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:49:03 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2856 To say that secular Holland's abortion rate is less than half that of the US doesn't tell me much. What was their abortion rate before they became so secularized (they weren't always that secular).? Also, the abortion rate in the US was very low before Roe v. Wade at a time when the US was far more Christian than it is today. If you torture a statistic it will say anything you want it to. - Tim Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:42:09 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2855 Mr. Ruse, perhaps you can actually gain some insight on this from Holland. I read your recent column, and you failed to mentioned that the secular Dutch, controlled by "radicals", have an abortion rate that is less than half of that in the United States. - Jos Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:04:01 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2854 Cardinal O'Malley's text is available in a link under Commentary in the left-hand column. - Robert Royal Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:43:10 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2853 Very Good! How often do you hear these days the bishops admonish those who would promote abortion and sacriligiosly confront the altar? Cardinal O'Malley was in a tough situation especially in Boston where the Church has suffered so much from scandal. At a recent retreat the priest admonished us to "remember the seamless garment." I do wonder how many clergy want to really believe the teachings of the Church. As so often in past history the laity needs to remind the Church of the Truth. - Willie Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:39:18 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2850 Cardinal O\'Malley had comments on his blog this week). He discusses the Kennedy funeral and is instructive about how to approach the hardened hearts that Mr. Ruse references: "We will stop the practice of abortion by changing the law, and we will be successful in changing the law if we change people’s hearts. We will not change hearts by turning away from people in their time of need and when they are experiencing grief and loss"..... - Bradley Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:33:10 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/the-place-of-abortion-in-catholic-social-teaching.html#comment-2848 I might add that Sen Kennedy wrote the Pope saying that he "always" supported the "fundamental teachings of the Church." Clearly he did not think that the teaching of the Church on abortion from the first century AD was fundamental. He was fundamentally wrong. - Jim Thunder Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:04:08 +0100