.- On
Friday, the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops responded to a
controversial statement recently released by 55 Catholic members of the
U.S. House of Representatives, saying that although their document
listed vital human rights concerns, they pale in comparison to the
fundamental right to life, which is violated in abortion.
Citing their
2004 statement on Catholics in Political Life, the Bishops said they
welcomed the statement as well as “other efforts that seek to examine
how Catholic legislators bring together their faith and their policy
choices.”
At the same time
however they said that “We need to do more to persuade all people that
human life is precious and human dignity must be defended.”
“This”, they
said, “requires more effective dialogue and engagement with all public
officials, especially Catholic public officials,” adding that they
“welcome conversation initiated by political leaders themselves.”
While
acknowledging the important points made in the Democratic statement
regarding important moral concerns like “priority for the poor, the
protection of family life, the pursuit of justice and the promotion of
peace”, which the USCCB called “fundamental priorities of the Catholic
moral tradition”, they also stressed the need to reaffirm the fact that
“abortion is a grave violation of the most fundamental human right—the
right to life…”
This right, which the bishops said “is inherent in all human beings,” is what “grounds every other right we possess.
Here, they cited
the late Pope John Paul II, who said, in his apostolic exhortation,
Christifideles Laici, that “The inviolability of the person which is a
reflection of the absolute inviolability of God fínds its primary and
fundamental expression in the inviolability of human life.”
“Above all,” the
Pope wrote, “the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human
rights -- for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to
family, to culture -- is false and illusory if the right to life, the
most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other
personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination….”
Echoing one of
the statement’s concerns, the bishops said that “while it is always
necessary to work to reduce the number of abortions by providing
alternatives and help to vulnerable parents and children, Catholic
teaching calls all Catholics to work actively to restrain, restrict and
bring to an end the destruction of unborn human life.”
The bishop’s
statement, entitled, “A Statement on Responsibilities of Catholics in
Public Life,” was signed by Cardinal William H. Keeler, Chairman, USCCB
Committee on Pro Life Activities, Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick,
Chairman, USCCB Task Force on Catholic Bishops and Catholic
Politicians, and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, Chairman, USCCB Committee on
Domestic Policy.
U.S. Bishops respond to Catholic democrat statement: Human rights are an illusion if fundamental right to life is not protected
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