Bishop Vasa: Pro-Abortion Candidates are 'Disqualified'

By John-Henry Westen
9/13/2008
LifeSiteNews (www.lifesitenews.com)

"Abortion needs to be in our country a defining issue and we ought not be afraid to make it a defining issue because when we do that we will have an end of abortion in this country."

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (LifeSiteNews) - During the opening day of the Catholic Leadership Conference, Baker Oregon Bishop Robert Vasa clarified the teaching of the US Bishops Conference regarding voting in favor of pro-abortion politicians. The question of whether Catholics may remain in good standing with the Church while voting for pro-abortion politicians was raised.

Bishop Vasa responded referencing the document of the United States Catholic Conference titled "Faithful Citizenship", noting a pro-abortion stance disqualifies candidates from consideration by faithful Catholics.

LifeSiteNews.com spoke with Bishop Vasa after the session. Describing the deliberation among US bishops over the "Faithful Citizenship" document, he said: "When we were working on the document 'Faithful Citizenship', and the issue of whether or not a person's adamant pro-abortion position was a disqualifying condition, the general sense was 'yes that is a disqualifying condition'."

However, during the discussions mention was made of the document by Pope Benedict just prior his elevation to the pontificate which noted that Catholics may in good conscience vote for a politician who supports abortion in the presence of "proportionate reasons." Bishop Vasa explained the notion of proportionate reasons, saying, "The conditions under which an individual may be able to vote for a pro-abortion candidate would apply only if all the candidates are equally pro-abortion."

He added: "And then you begin to screen for the other issues and make a conscientious decision to vote for this pro-abortion candidate because his positions on these other issues are more in keeping with good Catholic values." In that case, he said, "It doesn't mean that you in any way support or endorse a pro-abortion position but you take a look in that context at the lesser of two evils."

Speaking of politicians with a pro-abortion stand he said, "When we have someone who has that stand on a disqualifying issue, then the other issues, in many ways, do not matter because they are already wrong on that absolutely fundamental issue." Only when taken to a level of insanity could a 'pro-war' candidate be considered on par with a pro-abortion candidate in the Bishop's view. "If we had a candidate in favor of a war in Iraq in which we decimate the entire population and we kill as many civilians to impose as much terror on everybody as possible to make sure . . . If that was in opposition to a pro-abortion person then I'd have a real conflict of conscience because you'd have a direct and intentional killing of innocent persons on one hand and the direct and intentional killing of persons on the other hand", said the Baker Bishop.

"But we don't have that issue with capital punishment, we don't have that issue with the war in Iraq we don't have that issue with the present Administration," he added.Bishop Vasa explained that as a man from the Midwest, the analogy of a combine worked well to describe how a sifting of candidates could be undertaken. He described a combine as having a series of sieves, the first of which eliminates the largest and most obvious refuse. In the analogy the first screen would eliminate pro-abortion candidates, "to weed out the greatest evil," he said.

He concluded saying, "Abortion needs to be in our country a defining issue and we ought not be afraid to make it a defining issue because when we do that we will have an end of abortion in this country."

- - -

LifeSiteNews.com is a non-profit Internet service dedicated to issues of culture, life, and family. It was launched in September 1997. LifeSiteNews Daily News reports and information pages are used by numerous organizations and publications, educators, professionals and political, religious and life and family organization leaders and grassroots people across North America and internationally.

Keywords:

NEWSLETTERS »

Rate This Article

Was this helpful to you? Very Helpful Somewhat Helpful Not Helpful at All

Would you be interested in more articles like this? Yes, I am Interested No, I am not Interested

Rate Article

1 - 10 of 36 Comments

sharon
3 years ago
Keep speaking out on this horrific, evil issue Bishop Vasa. It is so critical for us to hear unity on this issue from all you Bishops. Everyone is listening and waiting for a united voice on these evil issues from our beloved Bishops. I am praying for your continued courage..
Thank you for your efforts and keep up the great job.
God Bless You and all Bishops and priest and religious.
In Christ, Sharon
sharon
3 years ago
Keep speaking out on this horrific, evil issue Bishop Vasa. It is so critical for us to hear unity on this issue from all you Bishops. Everyone is listening and waiting for a united voice on these evil issues from our beloved Bishops. I am praying for your continued courage..
Thank you for your efforts and keep up the great job.
God Bless You and all Bishops and priest and religious.
In Christ, Sharon
Jim Pearson
4 years ago
I would like to have a list of all representatives, U.S, and State of Texas that are Pro Abortion or Pro Choice.
Thank you Jim Pearson
Josh
4 years ago
Max and all other like-minded individuals: Your condescending attitude towards those who espouse culture-of-life values belies the moral bankruptcy in your positions as well as disqualifies any support for those positions you hold. I say, vote on your conscience - a conscience informed by the truth, not man's lowly opinion.
Max
4 years ago
Great- that should be enough to prevent your meddling in the name of "life." God knows where you people were before this issue became a lightning rod for you to get some plate money.
ioannes
4 years ago
To those who suggest that the Republican administration and Congress have done nothing to help the pro-life cause are just repeating soundbites without examining the issue. I suggest you read the pro-choice america/naral website for several concrete examples why they are upset with the past 8 years and why they are freaked out if John McCain wins.

Second no politician can overturn Roe v. Wade. That is up to the Supreme Court and who do you think will give us a better chance at that. McCain may be a gamble who he would appoint and certainly a Democratic congress would make it as difficult as possible but with Obama you get absolute certain pro-death appointees which will destroy another generation.

Just look at the states that have tried to restrict abortion on a wide scale like South Dakota. Their constitutional amendment was immediately challenged in court. Sorry but there is nothing a pro-life administration is going to do about that without a change in the judiciary.

Many state that overturning Roe v. Wade will not solve anything but just turn it back over to the states. Then they complain that the Republicans haven't done enough. Do you not see the correlation? Perhaps nothing gets far because Roe v. Wade is still in place. It must be overturned first before substantial changes will be affected.

Don't forget that Obama has promised to immediately sign the Freedom of Choice Act undoing any current restrictions on abortion as well as releasing international funding of abortion that President Bush has prevented, i.e. the Mexico policy.
Max
4 years ago
@ j frantz:"We have had 8-years of a pro-life administration and nothing has changed."

And nothing ever WILL change. It is amazing how forums like these are such a magnet for self delusion. You will never overturn Roe v. Wade, EVER, no matter who is elected because no elected politician will do what it takes to kill it. And the reason is no politician is going to alienate the female electorate in this country, unless the candidate runs in an ignorant impoverished backwater like Alabama.

And ass for Anne, what country do you live in? I don't elect anyone to protect my "soul."

Pathetic minds.
Max
4 years ago
When it comes to the freedom of the American people, you know bloody well what you can do with your Eucharist. Worship as you will. Don't give us your phony moral certitude that we as a free people should orders from your kind.

Good day.
Florian
4 years ago
We do not have the right to compromise the word of God. Abortion is killing and it is contrary to the word of God. The problem is that many want to pick and choose the how they want to live despite God's law, they cannot call themselves true Christians.
Bonnie
4 years ago
Right on, Anthony! I've been posting this same thing wherever I can re: the Eucharist. Seems to me that the time for the Bishops Leadership Council is NOW to stop these hypocrites from receiving the Most Holy Eucharist. It is after all a grave sin to receive Jesus when you flatly refuse to follow in His footsteps!
Thank you, Anthony, for opening up this "can of open sins".

Prev12 3 4 Next

Comments submitted must be civil, remain on-topic and not violate any laws including copyright. We reserve the right to delete any comments which are abusive, inappropriate or not constructive to the discussion.

Though we invite robust discussion, we reserve the right to not publish any comment which denigrates the human person, undermines marriage and the family, or advocates for positions which openly oppose the teaching of the Catholic Church.

This is a supervised forum and the Editors of Catholic Online retain the right to direct it.

We also reserve the right to block any commenter for repeated violations. Your email address is required to post, but it will not be published on the site.

We ask that you NOT post your comment more than once. Catholic Online is growing and our ability to review all comments sometimes results in a delay in their publication.

Name *

Email *

Comment *

Send me important information from Catholic Online and it's partners. See Sample

Post Comment