Cardinal George: Abortion is evil and contrary to the common good

From Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago and president of the USCCB, this pointed statement:

September 2, 2008

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In the midst of a lengthy political campaign, matters of public policy that are also moral issues sometimes are misrepresented or are presented in a partial or manipulative fashion. While everyone could be expected to know the Church’s position on the immorality of abortion and the role of law in protecting unborn children, it seems some profess not to know it and others, even in the Church, dispute it. Since this teaching has recently been falsely presented, the following clarification may be helpful

The Catholic Church, from its first days, condemned the aborting of unborn children as gravely sinful. Not only Scripture’s teaching about God’s protection of life in the womb (consider the prophets and the psalms and the Gospel stories about John the Baptist and Jesus himself in Mary’s womb) but also the first century catechism (the Didache or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) said: “You shall not slay the child by abortions. You shall not kill what is generated.” The teaching of the Church was clear in a Roman Empire that permitted abortion. This same teaching has been constantly reiterated in every place and time up to Vatican II, which condemned abortion as a “heinous crime.” This is true today and will be so tomorrow. Any other comments, by politicians, professors, pundits or the occasional priest, are erroneous and cannot be proposed in good faith.

This teaching has consequences for those charged with caring for the common good, those who hold public office. The unborn child, who is alive and is a member of the human family, cannot defend himself or herself. Good law defends the defenseless. Our present laws permit unborn children to be privately killed. Laws that place unborn children outside the protection of law destroy both the children killed and the common good, which is the controlling principle of Catholic social teaching. One cannot favor the legal status quo on abortion and also be working for the common good.

Read the entire letter.

The Catholic Key Blog provides some helpful background to Cardinal George's statement, particularly how it is apparently aimed at the groups Catholics in Alliance and Catholics United.

• The Ministry of the Bishop in Relation to the Blessed Trinity | Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I. | Ignatius Insight

Comments

[Dan Deeny]

Thank you for posting Cardinal George's very clear description of the Church's position on the abortion business. Let us pray that all of us may conform our actions to Church teaching. Let us pray that Blessed Cardinal von Galen may intercede with God for us.