As we get closer to the presidential election, it is important to reflect upon what are the most important issues. Is the primary issue that of making life better and easier for ourselves? Or is there a selfless component to exercising the privilege to vote? As Catholics who love and follow Jesus, we cannot help but answer that we will seriously consider what is best for those who are in most need. And those in most need are those who are the weakest, who are not able to defend themselves: our brothers and sisters who are not yet born.
Some say the religion should stay out of politics. Indeed, it should. However, life issues are not religious issues per se; they are human rights issues.
There are candidates who are pro choice. Whose choice? What baby chooses to die? If a person in elective office will not do all that is possible to protect the lives of the innocent, how can he or she be worthy of the trust of the people?
Let’s look at it this way. Suppose that there was a candidate for high office who was charismatic, brilliant, experienced and skilled. Suppose that he or she had the magic fix for the economy, and international relations. Suppose, also, that this candidate was bigoted and believed that racial discrimination was a choice issue. How could any one vote for that person? Abortion is the worst form of discrimination.
We cannot make up our own rules by saying, as Nancy Pelosi did, that we do not know when human life begins. Just look at a medical text book. Human life begins at conception. Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the U. Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Bishop William Lori, chairman of the Committee on Doctrine, said in a statement that her answer "misrepresented the history and nature of the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church on abortion." The prelates noted that since the first century the Church has “affirmed the moral evil of every abortion.”
I know that there are many things to consider as consider who will lead our great nation during the next four years. May we not overlook the most fundamental issue: the protection of innocent human life from conception to natural death.
Fr. Stanley
