Sunday, December 21, 2008

NY Times upset over Vatican prolife document

John Allen Jr in an Op-Ed says that Obama may have more issues on which he agrees with the Vatican than President Bush, but that the Vatican coming out with a clarification on life issues at the beginning of the Obama reign, is like shouting "fire" in a crowded theatre.
In the ’08 elections, pro-life Catholics emerged as the dominant voice of the religious right. To be sure, Mr. Obama won a majority among Catholics. Yet the sharpest anti-Obama rhetoric from religious leaders came not from old culture warriors like Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson but rather from some Catholic clergymen.
Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City, Mo., for example, warned voters that their eternal salvation might be at stake if they supported Mr. Obama. A couple of pro-life priests even suggested that Catholics who voted for Mr. Obama should go to confession. (Their bishops, it should be said, quickly rejected that idea.)
Cardinal Francis Stafford, a former archbishop of Denver who today heads a Vatican court, described Mr. Obama’s rhetoric on abortion as “aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic,” and compared the election results to the Garden of Gethsemane — the spot where, according to the Bible, Jesus agonized before his crucifixion.
In that context, “Dignitas Personae” risks being read as encouragement for the most ardent pro-life forces in America to let slip the dogs of war.

They are right, of course, the timing is bad. It should have come out three months ago, during the election, maybe things would have turned out differently if Catholics had life issues instead of money on their minds in the voting booth.
Don't worry, Mr Allen, the dogs of war are making plans to attend the March for Life to welcome our new president.
Read the entire article here.

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