Biden's remarks draw his local bishop into the fray

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Wilmington, Del., Sep 11, 2008 / 09:52 pm (CNA).- The Democratic vice-presidential nominee Sen. Joseph Biden’s erroneous comments about Church teaching on abortion have prompted corrections from many U.S. bishops. Now Biden’s own bishop has responded by saying the sanctity of life is ‘crucial’ for a just society, with the Bishop of Fargo adding that “Our precious unborn children need us to speak for them.”

Biden, a Delaware U.S. Senator, had appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press last Sunday. There, he claimed that the point at which life begins is a matter of faith and stated that he cannot “impose” his beliefs about human life upon others.

W. Francis Malooly, the new Bishop of Wilmington, issued a statement on Wednesday duplicating the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) statement authored by Cardinal Justin Rigali and Bishop William E. Lori.

The two bishops in a Tuesday statement emphasized that the duty to protect the unborn is not a “private” or “specifically religious” issue. They argued that embryology textbooks teach that life begins at conception and called the duty to protect the unborn a “demand of justice.”

Bishop Malooly, after reproducing the two bishops’ statement, said:

“It is my intention to build a supportive and trusting friendship with Senator Biden and as many public officials as I can. I will do my best, with your prayers, to assist him and all public officials as well as all citizens in our Diocese and beyond to understand how crucial the sanctity of human life is to a just society in the State of Delaware, the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and our entire nation.”

Bishop Samuel Aquila of the Diocese of Fargo also addressed Sen. Biden’s remarks in a Wednesday letter to the priests of his diocese.

“Senator Biden, and all others who mistakenly claim that the beginning of life is a matter of religious opinion confuse matters more by implying that the time of when life begins is a matter of faith, and not that of science, the natural law, or truth,” Bishop Aquila wrote. “Any person who has studied biology, whether they are a Catholic, Jew, Muslim, Christian, agnostic or atheist, knows that human life begins at the moment of conception.”

Catholic teaching on abortion, Bishop Aquila noted, is explained at length in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Evangelium Vitae.

“As there is confusion on the matter of abortion in the minds of some Catholics,” the bishop continued, “we have the responsibility to clearly articulate the truths of natural reason and the teaching of the Church and help all of our faithful understand the teaching. We cannot be silent in the face of such a holocaust of innocent human life. Our precious unborn children need us to speak for them.”

The U.S. Bishops’ Conference has also responded by adding a discussion of certain Catholics’ political support for abortion to the agenda of the bishop’s annual assembly in Baltimore this November, saying they are doing so “in light of recent comments by Catholic politicians misrepresenting Catholic teaching.”

A USCCB press release added: “We confirm the Catholic Church's constant teaching about the sanctity of all human life from the moment of conception and the intrinsic evil of abortion. As the teachers of the faith, we also point out the connectedness between the evil of abortion and political support for abortion.”

Comments: 9

Subscriber comments:

Published by: nancy
brewster ny usa 10/14/2008 05:49 PM EST

Life is not "a matter of faith," it's a matter a importance in this election. Some people are murdered by chance - unborn children are not given a chance!! There are so many that what babies and can't have them. The beliefs of Obama and Biden are just discusting.

If anyone loves the Lord, they will not vote for them!!

Published by: Remy Dulguime
Buena Park CA 09/14/2008 10:56 AM EST

It doesn;t matter life beginsat conception or not abortion is evil and a murder.

Published by: Fred Rager
N. Huntingdon, Pa. USA 09/13/2008 07:36 PM EST

There are many forms of life. The sperm and egg are each alive on there own but when joined a Human life begins, the good bishop and the church are correct!!

Published by: Hugh Macken
Marshfield, Wisconsin 09/13/2008 05:54 PM EST

WHY WHY WHY WHY are we not simply asking to good Senator the following:
WHEN does life begin according to YOUR faith Mr. Senator?

And then the follow-up: Dear Senator, if someone such as yourself, believes life begins at conception, and that abortion kills an innocent human life, should this (BY ANY CHANCE????) have any bearing whatsoever, on their position as to the LEGALITY of killing what they BELIEVE is a human life and what they BELIEVE is MURDER?

WHY WHY WHY WHY are pollsters not asking the question even of so-called pro-choice people: We know you support legalizing abortion. But just curious: What do YOU personally think about abortion. What is it? In YOUR opinion? Tell us? Please. Let's talk about what is on the HEARTS of Americans, NOT what is in their heads from the media.

We have GOT TO make the case that COWARDS are those who see no problem with a LOGICAL inconsistency that literally puts lives at risk.

Those of you who do not understand what I am saying, please read through the above again.

Published by: William Sears
Winston-Salem NC USA 09/13/2008 06:55 AM EST

This is a very serious matter facing our nation and our church. The good bishop was completely correct as this is regarding each individual human life. This is not a matter to joke or snipe at. Archbishop Chaput and Bishop Conley said it well when they, also correctly, pointed out that "...resistance to abortion is a matter of human rights, not religious
opinion. And the senator knows very well as a lawmaker that all law involves the imposition of some
people's convictions on everyone else. That is the nature of the law. American Catholics have
allowed themselves to be bullied into accepting the destruction of more than a million developing
unborn children a year. Other people have imposed their "pro-choice" beliefs on American society
without any remorse for decades." Abortion is evil and must be stopped.

Published by: John70
Yoncalla Or. U.S.A. 09/12/2008 10:43 PM EST

iT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT THE bISHOPS ARE"ADDING A discussion of certain
Catholics'political support for abortion to the agenda". It's just to bad thats not until AFTER the election!

Published by: Hope F.
VA/USA 09/12/2008 07:31 PM EST

Human life begins at conception..body and soul. Our Blessed Mother was conceived without original sin, so that proves there was a pure soul present.
It is time that ALL Our Bishops speak Loudly in defense of what the Catholic Church teaches, and not let the politicians fool the people and distort the Church's teachings.

Published by: Scott M>
Salem, VA USA 09/12/2008 10:48 AM EST

Rate: Regular

Actually the good bishop is incorrect. Life began about 3.5 billion years ago and has never quit since then. The sperm and egg are both alive before they are joined, so life does NOT begin at conception. It merely changes.

Published by: Joseph Wagner
Sarasota Fl. USAr 09/12/2008 01:50 AM EST

Hi

The Bishops and the church leaves no doubt of when life begins- at conception. We must protect our unborn.

Sincerely,

Joseph J. Wagner Sr

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