SPCDC Spiritual Warfare BBS Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Private Messages | Search | FAQ
Username:

Password:
Save Password Forgot your Password? All Forums Discussion Rooms Obamanation Watch U.S. Bishops letter to Obama New Topic Reply to Topic Printer Friendly
Author Topic Bro. Ignatius Mary Presul Emeritus Ridiculum USA 1673 Posts
Posted - 11/29/2008 : 4:02:28 PM
Cardinal George Voices Hope for Obama Administration, Points to Possible Obstacles to Our Desired Unity
BALTIMORE—Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), voiced hope for the Obama Administration but pointed to possible obstacles to our desired unity, in a Nov. 12 statement at the end of the annual fall assembly of the USCCB.The bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States welcome this moment of historic transition and look forward to working with President-elect Obama and the members of the new Congress for the common good of all, he said.He said that the unity desired by President-elect Obama and all Americans at this moment of crisis will be impossible to achieve, if the administration's policies increase abortions.Aggressive pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion.We express again our great desire to work with all those who cherish the common good of our nation, he added. The common good is not the sum total of individual interests: it is achieved in the working out of a common life based upon good reason and good will for all.Cardinal George's remarks follow. STATEMENT of the President of the United States Conference of Catholic BishopsIf the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor; if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil. (Psalm 127, vs. 1)The Bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States welcome this moment of historic transition and look forward to working with President-elect Obama and the members of the new Congress for the common good of all. Because of the Church's history and the scope of her ministries in this country, we want to continue our work for economic justice and opportunity for all; our efforts to reform laws around immigration and the situation of the undocumented; our provision of better education and adequate health care for all, especially for women and children; our desire to safeguard religious freedom and foster peace at home and abroad. The Church is intent on doing good and will continue to cooperate gladly with the government and all others working for these goods.The fundamental good is life itself, a gift from God and our parents. A good state protects the lives of all. Legal protection for those members of the human family waiting to be born in this country was removed when the Supreme Court decided Roe vs. Wade in 1973. This was bad law. The danger the Bishops see at this moment is that a bad court decision will be enshrined in bad legislation that is more radical than the 1973 Supreme Court decision itself.In the last Congress, a Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) was introduced that would, if brought forward in the same form today, outlaw any interference in providing abortion at will. It would deprive the American people in all fifty states of the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry. FOCA would coerce all Americans into subsidizing and promoting abortion with their tax dollars. It would counteract any and all sincere efforts by government and others of good will to reduce the number of abortions in our country.Parental notification and informed consent precautions would be outlawed, as would be laws banning procedures such as partial-birth abortion and protecting infants born alive after a failed abortion. Abortion clinics would be deregulated. The Hyde Amendment restricting the federal funding of abortions would be abrogated. FOCA would have lethal consequences for prenatal human life.FOCA would have an equally destructive effect on the freedom of conscience of doctors, nurses and health care workers whose personal convictions do not permit them to cooperate in the private killing of unborn children. It would threaten Catholic health care institutions and Catholic Charities. It would be an evil law that would further divide our country, and the Church should be intent on opposing evil.On this issue, the legal protection of the unborn, the bishops are of one mind with Catholics and others of good will. They are also pastors who have listened to women whose lives have been diminished because they believed they had no choice but to abort a baby. Abortion is a medical procedure that kills, and the psychological and spiritual consequences are written in the sorrow and depression of many women and men. The bishops are single-minded because they are, first of all, single-hearted.The recent election was principally decided out of concern for the economy, for the loss of jobs and homes and financial security for families, here and around the world. If the election is misinterpreted ideologically as a referendum on abortion, the unity desired by President-elect Obama and all Americans at this moment of crisis will be impossible to achieve. Abortion kills not only unborn children; it destroys constitutional order and the common good, which is assured only when the life of every human being is legally protected. Aggressively pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion.This statement is written at the request and direction of all the Bishops, who also want to thank all those in politics who work with good will to protect the lives of the most vulnerable among us. Those in public life do so, sometimes, at the cost of great sacrifice to themselves and their families; and we are grateful. We express again our great desire to work with all those who cherish the common good of our nation. The common good is not the sum total of individual desires and interests; it is achieved in the working out of a common life based upon good reason and good will for all.Our prayers accompany President-elect Obama and his family and those who are cooperating with him to assure a smooth transition in government. Many issues demand immediate attention on the part of our elected watchman. (Psalm 127) May God bless him and our country.[Source: Press Release from the USCCB, 11/12/08 (08-174)] Topic New Topic Reply to Topic Printer Friendly
Jump To: Select Forum Housekeeping To Visitors: How You Can Join! To Registered Members: Troubles Logging In? DISCLAIMERS Concerning this BBS Forums with a Star (*) are closed to the Public Protocols and Guidelines Sundry things about our BBS Donating to our Apostolate Announcements* Suggestion Box* Help Desk/Reporting Technical Problems* Discussion Rooms Introductions* Open Discussion The Town Square Closed Discussion* The Lounge* Spiritual Warfare News Obamanation Watch Muslim Watch Personal Spiritual Formation* Angel Stories The Comedy Shoppe Resources Other BBS Groups and Forums on this Website Saints of Spiritual Wafare SPCDC Bookstore SPCDC Library Resources Essays not Yet in the Library Timeline Chart of Occult History Continuum of Spiritual Disintegration Prayer Chapel Prayer Intentions* Prayer Answers* -------------------- Home Active Topics Frequently Asked Questions Member Information Search Page SPCDC Spiritual Warfare BBS Forum Disclaimer © Order of the Legion of St. Michael