Bishop Serratelli: "Catholic Politicians Criticize Pope"

Bishop Serratelli of the Diocese of Paterson, NJ, writes:

... During the last presidential election campaign, much controversy surrounded the Catholic Church’s teaching on abortion. Not that the Church has not been clear. Anything but! The Church vigorously teaches that “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person—among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life” (CCC, 2270).

The Church has always taught that a procured abortion is a moral evil. Abortion is murder. Abortion is the barbarous killing of the innocent child in the womb of the mother. A woman has the privilege to be a mother. She does not have the right to take the life of her innocent child. The Church’s teaching is clear. What is disputed now is the Church’s right to speak this truth.

In response to the Holy Father’s recent statement on his trip to Brazil, 18 of the 88 Catholic Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives were quick to defend their political position. They spoke out against the Holy Father on May 10. They strongly chastised the Pope. They said his words “offend the very nature of the American experiment and do a great disservice to the centuries of good work the church has done.”

Their position was clear. It would be totally un-American to deny Holy Communion to Catholic politicians who support legalized abortion. The 18 Democratic politicians said, "The fact is that religious sanction in the political arena directly conflicts with our fundamental beliefs about the role and responsibility of democratic representatives in a pluralistic America--it also clashes with freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution."

In no way did the Pope’s statement offend American pluralism. In a pluralistic society, people disagree. It is arrogant to insist that the Church does not have the right to her own teaching. Certainly, a politician has the freedom to reject Church’s teaching. But let’s be honest. To choose to be pro-choice is to reject the Gospel of life. It is to be not faithful to Church teaching.

The Church teaches that the right to life is fundamental. Without life, there are no other rights. To support abortion is a grave moral evil. Why would a Catholic be surprised when the Pope says that anyone who freely and knowingly commits a serious wrong, that is, a mortal sin, should not approach the Eucharist until going to Confession? The Eucharist is the summit and source of the Church’s life. The Church guides the faithful in the correct formation of their conscience. She offers both the objective norms of morality and the norms for worthy reception of the Eucharist.

In his response to the reporter’s question, the Pope was not placing religious sanctions in the political arena, as these politicians stated. He was teaching religious doctrine in a religious context, that is, the worthiness to receive the Eucharist, the Body of Christ, who is the Lord of life. He is right when he insists that supporting abortion is incompatible with the reception of Holy Communion.

***
Why should the Church not have a right to voice her teaching on this important issue in the public square? She must speak and speak often. Abortion may be for some just a political issue. But, for the innocent child, it is a matter of life or death.

Ultimately, the statement of the 18 politicians who publicly blasted the Holy Father is simply a refusal to allow the Pope freedom of speech and the Church freedom of religion. Now how American is that?

(emphasis added)


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Catholic Clergy Respond to 18 Catholic Democrats

Pope Talked About Church, Not State

Bishops’ Conference Responds To 18 Democrats Critical Of Pope

This Week's Rosie Award Winner: Catholic Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives

House Dems Repudiate Pope’s Abortion Remarks

Belated Rosie Award Winner for Last Week: Sen. Patrick Leahy

Democrat Response to Pope's Abortion Comments