Under Pope Francis, American Catholics see the ‘pro-life’ label as broader than abortion
- Status
F
FollowChrist34
Guest
I actually totally agree with this - I don’t usually like the Washington Post. For me, it is important that Catholics unite on these so-called life issues - NONE of them go on the back burner. This view of being pro life makes life of course much harder, but it is essential I think as a Christian. I fear that the left in the Church will favor their issues, the right theirs. That is inevitable and needs to be discouraged. The days of only worrying about abortion are gone. The days of calling it a choice or a pill are gone too. We all need to get our act together if we are going to claim to be Catholics. This is a good development for the Church, to the extent that both “sides” grow to embrace the “other side’s” concerns…
(not holding my breath on that 
)
C
Corki
Guest
When did those days exist? I have been active in the pro-life movement since 1974 and never encountered anyone who only worried about abortion.I actually totally agree with this - I don’t usually like the Washington Post. For me, it is important that Catholics unite on these so-called life issues - NONE of them go on the back burner. This view of being pro life makes life of course much harder, but it is essential I think as a Christian. I fear that the left in the Church will favor their issues, the right theirs. That is inevitable and needs to be discouraged. The days of only worrying about abortion are gone. The days of calling it a choice or a pill are gone too. We all need to get our act together if we are going to claim to be Catholics. This is a good development for the Church, to the extent that both “sides” grow to embrace the “other side’s” concerns…
F
FollowChrist34
Guest
Then you are very lucky.
L
LongingSoul
Guest
"Buonriposi said during the march that this was the first of the four years she had come that she had not had a negative confrontation with abortion opponents who felt she was diluting their message. In the past, she said, when she held signs saying “the death penaty is a pro-life issue,” others at the event told her she did not belong there."
That is a good sign!
That is a good sign!
M
MacBP
Guest
I think what would be even better than American Catholics seeing the pro-life label as being broader than abortion would be for all Americans to do the same. Too many neutral and/or pro-abortion westerns view people in the pro-life movement as being cruel, thoughtless, and uncaring. I suppose some people will never shed that image, but it will be a lot harder to argue if pro-life people are visibly involved in the fight against poverty, working for the fair treatment of immigrants (what that constitutes is, I know, controversial), humane treatment of the disabled and elderly, and other related issues. If anything, people might be more willing to hear us out on abortion if they knew it comes from a place of kindness and compassion.
F
FollowChrist34
Guest
Yes, the Christian is compelled to do this. I think perhaps some in the prolife movement are afraid that this “expansion” is a cover to support abortion? That is the impression I’ve gotten from a few comments I’ve received. Perhaps it is true sometimes? (Nancy Pelosi, etc.; there is some merit to the argument.) In my case, it is a false accusation. I don’t want to give cover to those who support abortion. To me that is also to fail to witness my faith. I want a broadening of passionate commitment, not a dilution.
C
Cider
Guest
Did the link change? Because I get this story Abortion opponents rally on Mall, optimistic that nation’s views are aligning with theirs
U
Usige
Guest
Hmm… same experience with me (though not nearly as long - thank to for your dedication). Our parish prolife group has sponsored diaper and clothes drives for unwed mothers as well as worked with the St Vincent de Paul group on food drives, etc. We have been doing that since John Paul II so it has zero to do with who the current Pope is. It has to do with being Catholic. I have never meet anyone in prolife circles who worried only about abortion. Now that may be their principle focus, but that does not translate into the lie promulgated by the left that prolife proponents only care about it until the baby is born.
C
CHESTERTONRULES
Guest
As if this is different from what they thought under Pope Benedict?
S
Sy_Noe
Guest
Maybe not only. But the issues discussed on CAF seem to lean more toward abortion. Though SSM is debated a lot too.
C
CHESTERTONRULES
Guest
Do you believe all murderers should live?
F
FollowChrist34
Guest
In all fairness, we have our share of climate change debates too. Some of the drier threads, in my opinion (no pun intended). I am with Francis on environmental protection…not being sarcastic here at all.
My serious point is that we all should care about all of this, not waste all this energy slighting the other side’s concerns or being under attack for not adhering to correct priority protocol.
S
saintjohnxxiii
Guest
Unfortunately the thread title will give Catholic Democrats the idea that to be truly pro-life one must embrace other issues in order to be considered truly pro-life. If you don’t believe me, read Mark Shea.
C
CHESTERTONRULES
Guest
C
Corki
Guest
Why is that a good sign? Yes, the death penalty is a pro-life issue (although not an absolute evil like abortion is) but the March for Life is to commemorate the sad anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. It has nothing to do with the death penalty.
There’s a time and place for everything.
L
LongingSoul
Guest
*2267 Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.
If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people’s safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.
Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm - without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself - the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity “are very rare, if not practically non-existent.”*
C
Corki
Guest
Not necessarily the case, at least in the US. We had a case just a few years ago where a person serving life killed a prison guard. Violent criminals killing other prisoners is all too common. And there are organized crime leaders and gang heads who keep running their “empires” from prison, including ordering the deaths of their rivals and witnesses.
We actually have not reached the point where there is a really good solution in quite a few cases. There is solitary confinement in a supermax but that often causes psychosis and is believed by many to be cruel and inhumane; more than a swift death would be.
It’s off topic but my point is simply that anti-death penalty demonstrators DO dilute the message at a rally that is centered on the political issues of abortion. That doesn’t mean it’s not a life issue, just that it’s an inappropriate demonstration.
L
LongingSoul
Guest
“When human life is considered ‘cheap’ or easily expendable in one area, eventually nothing is held as sacred and all lives are in jeopardy.” - Card. Bernadine.
There is within the pervading culture of death, a need for a ‘consistent ethic of life’. This is being ever forcefully expressed by the Catholic Church.
L
LongingSoul
Guest
You aren’t in line with Church teaching on this and not even in line with your national Bishops Conference, so that can only amount to your opinion of the issue.
- Status