Catholic Bishops Target Officials For Anti-Abortion Push.The U.S. Roman Catholic bishops have approved a new initiative to dramatically increase pressure on Catholic politicians who take a pro-choice pro-choice adj. Favoring or supporting the legal right of women and girls to choose whether or not to continue a pregnancy to term. pro-choic stance on abortion. The statement, "Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American American, river, 30 mi (48 km) long, rising in N central Calif. in the Sierra Nevada and flowing SW into the Sacramento River at Sacramento. The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill (see Sutter, John Augustus) along the river in 1848 led to the California gold rush of Catholics," was approved by a vote of 217 to 30 during a bishops' meeting in Washington Nov. 18. It urges Catholic clergy to ceaselessly implore im·plore v. im·plored, im·plor·ing, im·plores v.tr. 1. To appeal to in supplication; beseech: implored the tribunal to have mercy. 2. pro-choice Catholic officeholders to change their views through personal meetings, letter-writing campaigns and other means, reported The Washington Post. The initiative also carries a political component: It urges priests to tell their congregations to place the issue of opposition to legal abortion above all other church concerns on election day, at least indirectly advising Catholics not to vote for pro-choice candidates. The statement does not call for denying pro-choice Catholic officeholders access to church services and rituals, but does state that serious theological consequences could result for those Catholic legislators who favor legal abortion. "We urge those Catholic officials who choose to depart from Church teaching on the inviolability INVIOLABILITY. That which is not to be violated. The persons of ambassadors are inviolable. See Ambassador. of human life in their public life to consider the consequences for their own spiritual well-being spiritual well-being, n a sense of peace and contentment stemming from an individual's relationship with the spiritual aspects of life. , as well as the scandal they risk by leading others into serious sin," reads the statement. The measure passed overwhelmingly, but not all bishops were convinced it will be effective, and some feared a backlash. The statement, said Bishop Howard Hubbard of Albany, "will fuel the anti-Catholicism latent Hidden; concealed; that which does not appear upon the face of an item. For example, a latent defect in the title to a parcel of real property is one that is not discoverable by an inspection of the title made with ordinary care. in our culture and put us on the defensive." The bishops' increasingly hard line on abortion has had little effect to date. Polls show most Americans, including Roman Catholics, support legal abortion. |
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