Bishop takes Rudy to task

There’s a lot of news out there these days on the issue of Catholic politicians and abortion, especially after Pope Benedict’s recent trip to Brazil and the flap over his remarks that stated what the Church teaches. Many people who claim the Catholic faith support abortion and contraception, and rather defiantly at that, believing the Church hasn’t caught up with the times yet. But other Catholics often are asking why they aren’t hearing more from the bishops on Catholic politicians who publicly support abortion.

Rhode Island Bishop Thomas Tobin has publicly taken on Rudy Giuliani on this issue, so it’s starting to heat up. Finally, someone’s asking the right questions of these candidates, and making them accountable for their answers.

“Rudy’s public proclamations on abortion are pathetic and confusing. Even worse, they’re hypocritical,” Thomas J. Tobin, the bishop of Providence, R.I., wrote last week in a column in the Rhode Island Catholic.

Giuliani has stressed that while he’s personally opposed to abortion, he believes women should be able to decide for themselves whether to terminate a pregnancy.

Tobin, who says he is not a Republican and tries to avoid partisan politics, said he would never back a candidate who supports legalized abortion, and he questioned Giuliani’s integrity.

“As Catholics, we are called, indeed required, to be pro-life, to cherish and protect human life as a precious gift of God from the moment of conception until the time of natural death,” Tobin wrote. “As a leader, as a public official, Rudy Giuliani has a special obligation in that regard.”

The former New York City mayor’s campaign declined to comment.

Perhaps he doesn’t want to be held accountable for his answer. But he will, at some point.

The media, both Catholic and secular, are focusing in on this issue more now that the presidential campaign is ramping up and the televised debates are taking place. CWNews is a great source for the stories and the Church’s place in the stories, carrying this article Bishop Tobin wrote about Rudy. The bishop goes considerably further in taking Rudy to task that that AP article reports. Take this excerpt from the bishop, for example:

 Rudy’s explanation is a classic expression of the position on abortion we’ve heard from weak-kneed politicians so frequently in recent years:

    “I’m personally opposed to but don’t want to impose my views on other people.” The incongruity of that position has been exposed many times now. As I’ve asked previously, would we let any politician get away with the same pathetic cop-out on other issues: “I’m personally opposed to . . . racial discrimination, sexual abuse, prostitution, drug abuse, polygamy, incest . . . but don’t want to impose my beliefs on others?”

    Why is it that when I hear someone explaining this position, I think of the sad figure of Pontius Pilate in the Gospels, who personally found no guilt in Jesus, but for fear of the crowd, washed his hands of the whole affair and handed Jesus over to be crucified. I can just hear Pilate saying, “You know, I’m personally opposed to crucifixion but I don’t want to impose my belief on others.”

    Okay, let’s ask Mayor Giuliani to think about his position for a minute.

    Hey Rudy, you say that you believe abortion is morally wrong.  Why do you say that, Rudy; why do you believe that abortion is wrong? Is abortion the killing of an innocent child? Is it an offense against human dignity? Is it a cruel and violent act? Does it harm the woman who has the abortion?  And if your answer to any of these questions is yes, Rudy, why would you permit people to . . . kill an innocent child, offend human dignity, commit a cruel and violent act or do harm to the mother? This is in the name of choice?

Check the post below to see an account of the CNN hourlong special last evening on faith and politics, in which Paula Zahn interviewed four Roman Catholic Democratic presidential candidates and pressed them on this issue, among other matters of faith. Watch the Republican debate this evening, and listen Wednesday morning to the discussion I’ll join with Sean and Wendy on Relevant Radio’s Morning Air. We need to be asking the right questions, as Bishop Tobin does, and expecting answers.