From the Pastor: Catholics for the Choice of Damnation

From the Pastor:    Catholics for the Choice of Damnation

   On Monday, September 12, the Tampa Bay Times ran a full page ad from a group calling itself Catholics for Choice. That’s not what I called them in the headline above, though, as their name is a lie and my name for them is much more accurate. They peddle damnation in the form of getting others to knowingly, willfully, and freely choose abortion (which is everything necessary for one being morally responsible for this mortal sin and, hence, choosing damnation over the life of a child). This notoriously pro-death group intimated in the ad (titled: Abortion in Good Faith) that true Catholics can be fully in favor of killing children in the womb, for abortion supposedly is a "justice and equality" issue bringing "dignity" to women. In reality, these are simply nice sounding words deviously meant to lead ignorant Catholics astray and cause moral confusion among all people, Catholic or not. This organization, to well informed Catholics like those reading this, is obviously anything but Catholic or moral. It has often been called out for its blatant charade of using the word “Catholic” in its name, and the United States Bishops repeatedly inform news organizations that it is a false “front” group that should not be given the time of day let alone a public forum from which to mislead people. Yet once again, perhaps for thirty pieces of silver, our local newspaper (and others around the nation) sold them space to promote their evil agenda. An unsigned article on the homepage of the Archdiocese of San Antonio responded to an ad run by the same group on the same day. It reads:

   An organization called Catholics for Choice placed a full-page advertisement in the Sept. 12 edition of the San Antonio Express-News with inaccurate information which must be corrected, since it misrepresents the truth and what the Catholic Church believes and teaches.
   This misrepresentation is demonstrated by their statement that “Public funding for abortion is a Catholic social justice value.” Nothing could be further from the truth.
   Before responding to claims made by Catholics for Choice in “Abortion in Good Faith,” it should be noted that this group does not speak for the Catholic Church. The group undertook a similar media campaign in the state of Colorado just two years ago, and the bishops there also responded in reiterating authentic Catholic social teaching and the consistent ethic of life.
   For more than 2,000 years, the Church has steadfastly proclaimed that respect for all human life at every stage is foundational to the Catholic faith. Abortion from the earliest tradition of the Church has been considered immoral.
   The Catholic Church’s position on abortion is clear. In the magisterial document Donum Vitae (The Gift of Life), the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith affirmed that, “The human being is to be respected and treated as a person from the moment of conception; and therefore from that same moment his rights as a person must be recognized, among which in the first place is the inviolable right of every innocent human being to life,” (Sec I.1) Direct abortion, or the intentional killing of a human being living in the womb, is always seriously immoral because as persons the right-to-life is the most basic and fundamental right we possess.
   It is our hope that one day Catholics for Choice will take the time to acquaint themselves with basic Catholic teachings, and acknowledge the truth of the Catholic faith, and not choose to misrepresent her teachings with false and inaccurate information and ads that only work to confuse and mislead the public. Upholding the sacred dignity of all human life is the duty of every member of society and this duty must be taken seriously in order to ensure that we are a part of a culture that affirms the right to life for all, especially the most vulnerable among us.


   Why, since I already stated that you would not be fooled by such a disgusting attempt to promote abortion as a “good”, would I dedicate this space to such an ad? Because my guess is that many of you do not read the local newspaper (and this is a great example of why one might not) but you might hear rumblings from friends, family and acquaintances who have. They, knowing you to be solid, faithful Catholics, might turn to you for answers as to how one could be truly Catholic and still embrace the mortal sin of infant homicide. Now you know where the questions are coming from and how at least one bishop stood up to the challenge with love and mercy, giving his flock simple information, expressing hope for repentance, and, ultimately, defending the True Faith. Now go do likewise.

With prayers for your holiness,
Fr. Edwin Palka