Apparently that is not enough because Joe Biden is at it again. If he is at all aware of what the bishops have said about his earlier statements, then he is simply thumbing his nose at them in this interview: Biden balances his faith with social responsibility .
I'm sorry to say that this is beyond ignorance. It is misrepresenting the faith in order to get votes.
Here are just a few excerpts:
This first one follows the question: How do you reconcile your Catholic faith with your position on Roe v. Wade.
[snip]We've always believed from the outset that abortion is wrong. But throughout the years, debated the degree to which it is wrong. There are always cases where it is never a first choice. It is always viewed as a dire decision. But throughout the church's history, we've argued between whether or not it is wrong in every circumstance and the degree of wrong. Catholics have this notion, it's almost a gradation.
We have mortal sins, venial sins, well, up until Pius IX, there were times when we said, 'Look, there are circumstances in which it's wrong but it is not damnation. Along came Pius IX in the 1860s and declared in fine doctrine, this was the first time that it occurred that it was absolute human life and being at the moment of conception.
It's always been a debate. I take my religion very seriously.
This second is near the end.
I think it's going to be an issue for everybody. Anyone who's a Catholic, a practicing Catholic, this is a dilemma for. There's an expression in law school: hard cases make bad law. These are just very, very, very difficult moral, social and societal choices.
And for me, I am prepared as a senator to say that the framework of Roe v. Wade based upon this imperfect trimester notion captures the gravity of how you should approach this most serious of decisions relating to life and death. First trimester, the state should stay out of it completely because it's a matter of faith, basically, there. Second trimester, there are competing interests, but they're both legitimate to look at. Third trimester, there's an overwhelming burden to say, there isn't a good reason to abort unless it relates to the mother's health. I'm as comfortable as I can be on a really difficult moral dilemma.
To sum it up, as a Catholic, I'm a John XXIII guy, I'm not a Pope John Paul guy.
You have to read the entire article. He is all over the map. He's beyond confused.
What doesn't help is that the Joe Bidens of the world can go priest shopping for someone who will tell them that these views are ok. What aids them further is that for 40 years the bishops have been largely silent and passive on the issue of abortion, as have most priests. Ask yourself when you last heard about abortion from the pulpit. I hear it often at Assumption Grotto and the first time it was mentioned I nearly fell out of the pew. Why? Because I had NEVER heard the word uttered from the pulpit before I got to Grotto and I was born in 1962. Over those years had been in as many as 7 parishes
The greatest holocaust of modern times here in the US - the slaughter of innocence - a number which rivals only that of Mao who slaughtered 48 - 79,000,000, and there has been virtually no catechesis from most pulpits. People are getting it from the mainstream media which misrepresents the faith and uses dissidents to do the job. The bishops have their work cut out for them.
Thankfully, things are changing - rapidly. That list of bishops gives me tremendous hope for the future. I am aware of more priests discussing it from the pulpits. They are being emboldened by the bishops who speak up, as it should be.
Unfortunately, as long as the Church permits theologians to mispresent the faith in public ways - in classrooms, in the media (we all know the lib media seeks out dissident priests and theologians), and in books, the Joe Bidens of the world will be able to say that it has been a controversial issue for the Church. Sanctions are sorely needed in order to keep the larger body of faithful from continuing to be scandalized.
Pray for our bishops. They need a good dose of courage - the kind the early bishops of the Church had in the face of heresy - to the point of suffering death! Don't think for a minute that those folks in the early days responsible for heresy weren't as confused as people are today. No one wants to misunderstand the faith. But, it comes down to humility. When the bishops speak, and their words are in communion with long standing, authentic Catholic teaching, we should accept it with humility, or at least remain silent and in prayer as we seek to understand.
Understanding should never come before faith, because that is not an exercise of faith. Faith seeks understanding.
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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
