As if there were unity in recent times
Politicians are always after ‘the Catholic vote’, and usually the ones who make the headlines (meaning ones the media pay their particular brand of attention to) are after the vote of liberal Catholics who adhere to the view they term ‘pro-choice.’
The two presidential tickets represent two opposite worldviews on social and moral issues and at core, the issue of life. The New York Times had another piece on it this week, “Abortion issue again dividing Catholic vote.”
What do they mean “again“?
A struggle within the church over how Catholic voters should think about abortion is once again flaring up just as political partisans prepare an all-out battle for the votes of Mass-going Catholics in swing-state towns like Scranton.
Oh, flaring up again.
The theological dispute is playing out in diocesan newspapers and weekly homilies, while the campaigns scramble to set up phone banks of nuns and private meetings with influential bishops.
Indeed, it was inflamed recently with those back-to-back appearances on Meet the Press by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Joe Biden. Which wasn’t politically expedient for the cause, some Catholic Democrats now lament.
Progressive Catholics complain that by wading into the history of church opposition to abortion — Mr. Biden brought up St. Thomas Aquinas, Ms. Pelosi discussed St. Augustine — Democratic officials are starting a distracting debate with the church hierarchy.
It’s “distracting” to refer to Church history and teaching?
“Getting into Augustine and Aquinas — it is just not helpful,” said Chris Korzen, executive director of Catholics United, a progressive Catholic group running television commercials that emphasize the church’s social justice teachings. “It would be wise for them to focus on how policies they are going to implement as leaders are going to move forward the church teachings they say they believe in.”
Just to clarify the constant and unchanged teachings the Church believes in, as opposed to picking and choosing some while leaving the fundamental one aside….the bishops have engaged. Like seldom before.
