... for Catholics who do not understand that we not only have a moral duty to oppose evil, but we also have a moral imperative to impede evil.
In this presidential election, that means not only that we have a moral duty to oppose the candidate who has vowed, as his first act as President, to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, which would eliminate all restrictions on abortions through all nine months of pregnancy.
It means we have a moral imperative to vote for the only candidate who can prevent Barack Obama from becoming President. That candidate is John McCain.
"Roe v. Wade is a clear case of an 'intrinsically unjust law' we are morally obliged to oppose (see Evangelium vitae, nos. 71-73). Reversing it is not a mere political tactic, but a moral imperative for Catholics and others who respect human life."The only way that America has a chance of seeing Roe vs. Wade reversed is by electing McCain, who "believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned."
— Joint Statement by Cardinal Justin Rigali, Chairman, Committee on Pro-Life Activities and Bishop William Murphy, Chairman, Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, October 21, 2008
Planned Parenthood knows McCain is America's only chance to overturn Roe, or at least to retain current state limitations on abortion as well as the partial-birth abortion ban, which have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. NARAL knows it. The only people who don't seem to know it are Catholics who think that simply not voting, or voting for an unelectable third-party candidate, is the highest moral choice they can make as a voter in this election. It is not. The highest moral choice a Catholic can make as a voter in this election is insuring that Obama does not fulfill his vow to sign the Freedom of Choice Act. The only way to do that is to vote for McCain.
We as Catholics are called not only to avoid personally taking part in evil. We are called to combat evil. In this election, that means defeating the candidate who has vowed to eliminate all legal limitations upon abortion, force taxpayer funding of abortion, and remove all rights of conscience for health-care practitioners and providers.
Again, Catholics who do not understand this need our prayers, that they understand what Cardinal Rigali and other courageous bishops have rightly called our moral imperative. Anything less will permit evil.
"Consider this: the finest health and education systems, the fairest immigration laws, and the soundest economy do nothing for the child who never sees the light of day. It is a tragic irony that 'pro-choice' candidates have come to support homicide – the gravest injustice a society can tolerate – in the name of 'social justice.'"AND ANOTHER THING Besides vowing to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, Obama has also vowed to use the presidency as a "bully pulpit" to force states to permit same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption. An Obama presidency would mean severe persecution for Catholics and Catholic social agencies, who would be deprived of their freedom of conscience.
— Scranton Diocese Bishop Joseph F. Martino, Pastoral Letter for Respect Life Sunday, October 5, 2008.
RELATED:
- Research shows that pro-life laws work—but they can only be passed if we elect politicians who support them.
- Rev. William Saunders and Rev. Bryan Belli of Our Lady of Hope tell what is at stake for Catholics and the world in their recent homilies. Please pray for them and all priests and bishops who are sounding the alarm in an atmosphere of increasing intimidation from Obama supporters.
