Bishop Robert Vasa: Pelosi "is not formed by either Augustine or the Catholic Church"

From the Bishop of the Diocese of Baker, Oregon, in the most recent issue (Sept. 5, 2008) of The Catholic Sentinel:

I certainly commend the public official for going to Saint Augustine, a great theologian and philosopher, for views on morality but Augustine’s views need to be read and adopted in context. It is highly disingenuous, deceptive and intellectually dishonest to take this ecclesial sound bite from 1,500 years ago and treat it as if it is the last definitive word on the subject. This is particularly true since Augustine himself “vigorously condemned the practice of induced abortion” despite the unavailability of accurate scientific information. Furthermore, according to Bauerschmidt, Augustine also called the use of means to avoid the birth of a child “evil work.” It would appear that the public official conveniently missed that part and thus does not allow Saint Augustine to form any part of her understanding of the evil of either abortion or contraception while boasting that this is precisely what she has done.

The spokesperson also attempted to further blur the concerns about the public official’s stand on abortion by indicating that the public official “has a long, proud record of working with the Catholic Church on many issues, including alleviating poverty and promoting social justice and peace.” I, too, could commend the pubic official for “working with the Catholic Church” on these issues but if the views on these issues are formed by the teachings of the Catholic Church, which are quite current, why does the public official seemingly work so hard to reject the teachings of the Catholic Church, as they are currently stated, regarding abortion and contraception?

If I were to think a bit more critically I would be inclined to conclude that the public official accepts the views of the Church which agree with her view and rejects those views which do not. In other words, she is not formed by either Augustine or the Catholic Church on any of these social or moral issues, but simply happens to agree on some points. This then would have nothing to do with any true conviction about the goodness, beauty or truth of the teachings of the Catholic Church but rather pure political expediency.

The spokesperson’s statement also implies that, as has often been posited by politicians of one stripe or another, because they hold and support properly Catholic views on the social issues of race, poverty, justice and peace that they should not be held accountable for their rejection of the Catholic teachings on the more direct life issues such as abortion, assisted suicide and embryonic stem cell research. This is an inappropriate and unjust application of the U.S. Bishops statements concerning a “consistent ethic of life.” This consistent ethic is sometimes interpreted to mean that life issues as divergent as capital punishment and abortion, or assisted suicide and the loss of life in the war in Iraq, are equivalent. Nothing could be further from the truth. Certainly in each of these instances, regrettably, a human life is at stake but the difference is that only in the case of abortion or assisted suicide do we deal with the direct and intentional taking of the life of a completely innocent person.

A person may work very admirably to alleviate poverty but this does not justify ignoring the greatest poverty which is the one which fails to recognize the value of life. A person may work very admirably to promote social justice but this does not justify turning a blind eye to the greatest injustice openly operative in our society which is the unjust deprivation of the pre-born of their most basic constitutional right, the right to life.

Read his entire column.

Also, I missed the August 26th statement by Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila, Bishop of Fargo. Access it as a PDF document.

Comments

[Stohn]

This is great. Keep spreading the word!

[Nick]

Being an Oregonian (though not of the Baker Diocese), I am always proud to have Bishop Vasa representing this state. While I cannot understand his opposition to the Motu Proprio, he is still a no-nonsense Bishop who is active and outspoken. He makes sure the Masses in his diocese are said respectfully and in line with the rubrics, and best of all he is very outspoken in his news column regarding moral issues.

Also, it is a good day for American Catholics when we see MULTIPLE Bishops across the nation speaking up against distortions and abortion agendas by liberal Catholics like Pelosi (who should be at least threatened with excommunication).

[DIANE]

It is imperative that Archbishop Niederauer speak to Speaker Nancy Pelosi as he would to any other Catholic who decides to be pro-abortion while taking part in the Sacraments. She should have the same choices all other practicing Catholics have.....either you are pro-abortion and may not take part in the Sacraments OR you are anti-abortion and may take part in the Sacraments.
It is very clear cut and it is up to him to tell her so, and she can make her own decision. There is no gray area.......there is really nothing to discuss!

[Diana]

Archbishop Niederauer's September 5, 2008, statement at SF Archdiocese website: http://www.sfarchdiocese.org/about-us/news/?i=1308

Here is last paragraph of his statement:
"I regret the necessity of addressing these issues in so public a forum, but the widespread consternation among Catholics made it unavoidable. Speaker Pelosi has often said how highly she values her Catholic faith, and how much it is a source of joy for her. Accordingly, as her pastor, I am writing to invite her into a conversation with me about these matters. It is my obligation to teach forthrightly and to shepherd caringly, and that is my intent. Let us pray together that the Holy Spirit will guide us all toward a more profound understanding and appreciation for human life, and toward a resolution of these differences in truth and charity and peace."

[Matt C.]

Nick,

I second your comments. It is good to see multiple bishops correcting catholic politicians who profess one thing and then support something completely opposed to what they profess to believe.

On the matter of excommunication, the Church teaches that certain acts (i.e. procurring or supporting abortion) incur the automatic penalty of excommunication (knowledge of the gravity of the sin must obviously be present). No formal action from a bishop is actually required. When a bishop formally excommunicates someone, he is merely stating publicly that that individual is out-of-communication with the Church, by virtue of his actions.

One of the benefits of a public excommunication is that there is no confusion about whether the excommunicated individual should be receiving the sacraments and it also sends a clear (and absolutely necessary) message regarding where the Church stands.