Archbishop Chaput Corrects Senator Biden on Abortion

9/9/2008
Archdiocese of Denver (www.archden.org/)

"Abortion is a foundational issue; it is not an issue like housing policy or the price of foreign oil. It always involves the intentional killing of an innocent life, and it is always, grievously wrong."

In this important election campaign, Archbishop Charles Chaput has shown consistency, courage and the heart of a true teaching Bishop. He faithfully defends the truth and shows pastoral concern for all who err, including Catholics in public life.

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DENVER (Catholic Online) - On September 7, 2008, the nominee of the Democratic party for the Vice Presidency of the United States, Senator Joseph Biden, was interviewed on "Meet the Press by Tom Brokaw. Biden is a professed, practicing Catholic. He, like Speaker Nancy Pelosi before him,responded to the questions concerning his position on the Right to Life by making inaccurate and confusing comments concerning Catholic teaching on the Right to Life life.

He also demonstrated his lack of understanding of biology, the Natural Law, the separation of Church and State, authentic pluralism and the proper role of Catholic elected officials.Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. and Bishop James D. Conley of Denver issued a response to the Catholics of their Diocese. Catholic Online presents it below in its entirety:

Public Servants and Moral Reasoning:A notice to the Catholic community in northern Colorado

To Catholics of the Archdiocese of Denver:

When Catholics serve on the national stage, their actions and words impact the faith of Catholics around the country. As a result, they open themselves to legitimate scrutiny by local Catholics and local bishops on matters of Catholic belief.

In 2008, although NBC probably didn't intend it, Meet the Press has become a national window on the flawed moral reasoning of some Catholic public servants.On August 24, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, describing herself as an ardent, practicing Catholic, misrepresented the overwhelming body of Catholic teaching against abortion to the show's nationwide audience, while defending her "pro-choice" abortion views. On September 7, Sen. Joseph Biden compounded the problem to the same Meet the Press audience.

Sen. Biden is a man of distinguished public service. That doesn't excuse poor logic or bad facts.Asked when life begins, Sen. Biden said that, "it's a personal and private issue." But in reality, modern biology knows exactly when human life begins: at the moment of conception. Religion has nothing to do with it. People might argue when human "personhood" begins - though that leads public policy in very dangerous directions - but no one can any longer claim that the beginning of life is a matter of religious opinion.

Sen. Biden also confused the nature of pluralism. Real pluralism thrives on healthy, non-violent disagreement; it requires an environment where people of conviction will struggle respectfully but vigorously to advance their beliefs. In his interview, the senator observed that other people with strong religious views disagree with the Catholic approach to abortion. It's certainly true that we need to acknowledge the views of other people and compromise whenever possible - but not at the expense of a developing child's right to life.

Abortion is a foundational issue; it is not an issue like housing policy or the price of foreign oil. It always involves the intentional killing of an innocent life, and it is always, grievously wrong. If, as Sen. Biden said, "I'm prepared as a matter of faith [emphasis added] to accept that life begins at the moment of conception," then he is not merely wrong about the science of new life; he also fails to defend the innocent life he already knows is there.

As the senator said in his interview, he has opposed public funding for abortions. To his great credit,he also backed a successful ban on partial-birth abortions. But his strong support for the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade and the false "right" to abortion it enshrines, can't be excused by any serious Catholic. Support for Roe and the "right to choose" an abortion simply masks what abortion is, and what abortion does.

Roe is bad law. As long as it stands, it prevents returning the abortion issue to the states where it belongs, so that the American people can decide its future through fair debate and legislation.In his Meet the Press interview, Sen. Biden used a morally exhausted argument that American Catholics have been hearing for 40 years: i.e., that Catholics can't "impose" their religiously based views on the rest of the country. But 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.If we claim to be Catholic, then American Catholics, including public officials who describe themselves as Catholic, need to act accordingly. We need to put an end to Roe and the industry of permissive abortion it enables. Otherwise all of us - from senators and members of Congress, to Catholic laypeople in the pews - fail not only as believers and disciples, but also as citizens.

+Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.
Archbishop of Denver

+James D. Conley
Auxiliary Bishop of Denver

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1 - 10 of 41 Comments

Jojo
4 years ago
All wars are unjust."thou shall not kill"- I am a Secular Humanist and I can understand that commandment. But I will never understand the reasoning of Catholics- it is all right to send off our men and women to be killed and to kill but not okay to allow a woman who will die if she carries a baby to term an abortion. I would genuinely like to know why Catholics feel this way and what in their minds justifies killing people for oil, and also willingly cause a woman's death by making abortion illegal to her when it may be the only thing that may save her life.
Sincerely,
Jojo
Gene Climer
4 years ago
I really appreciate the love of Catholics for babies of all ages. Before we judge Obama, we need to look at the context of his life, and the Church he comes from. What lessons in Love did he take forward from that experience? Even so, before we vote for him, we need to examine his position. If you like Obama, you'll want to watch this video:

http://americaschoicenow.com/

Thanks,
Gene
lyle
4 years ago
Allie, You are totally correct that the pro-life movement should include protection of all life. As a catholic, I do not support the death penalty, unjust war, (Iraq and Afghanistan are not unjust wars) and the atrocities of Darfur. However, if we as a civilized nation can kill the innocent unborn by the millions we have developed such a culture of death that it is easy for some to make the leap to caring less about the innocent people of Darfur. The culture of death has permeated our society at all levels. We have cheapened life for so long that violet death is exceptable to some people. We need to protect all life, and that has to start with the most innocent, the unborn, who cannot speak for themselves.
Ted Norbert Jr.
4 years ago
To increase the importance of the voice of the majority. Two term limits similar to the Presidency should be legislated for the Senate and House of Representatives as well. That would effectively eliminate professional politicians.
allie
4 years ago
Perhaps I am just naive. But isn't pro-life more than anti-abortion. Isn't pro-life and the value of life extended to be anti-war, anti-death penalty and willing to help in situations around the world where people, innocent people, both children and adults, are dying from lack of clean water, shelter, lack of food and other basic necessities. I do not understand why the 'catholic' stance is limited to focusing on unborn life. YES, it is hugely important, but isn't all human life, be it in the US or Darfur or Iraq or Afghanistan or Cuba?
Dan
4 years ago
John, there is a big difference between waging a war against Islamic fascists and killing the most defenseless, innocent human beings in the world through abortion. Nobody has a right to choose to kill another person for the sake of convenience. Further, if you don't believe that God has given man the authority, rather, the obligation to ban such a practice, then I suggest you read the Scriptures. It is true that we ought not judge the worth or the value of a person, but we'd better be able to judge a person's actions when it pertains to the taking of innocent life.
Chris. G. (Australia)
4 years ago
Congratulations to the Colorado bishops for upholding the defense of the defenseless once again. I find it baffling that some people and senators cannot see that abortion is always going to be wrong no matter how you look at it. Hopefully our politicians from all parties and walks of life will realize that their job is to defend the tiniest, most vulnerable humans, those still in the womb. I pray for a conversion of hearts.
Michele R Robertson
4 years ago
If a woman doesn't want to bring a "fertilized egg" into the world, then she should "choose" not to engage in sexual activity. A woman does have the right to choose. If she chooses to have sex, then she sets in line a series of events that can lead to the creation of life. It is at this point she must make her choice, not after the "damage is done" so to speak. Think of it as playing Russian roulette. You can pull the trigger and if a bullet comes out and hits someone, you are responsible for your choice of pulling the trigger.

You can make the choice not to do so, but once its done the choice can not be unmade. The same goes for random sexual encounters. If you are not in a position in life where you can provide a home for a child, then don't pull the trigger.... I understand the desire to have a healthy sexual relationship, having been married for 12 years, but I also know that we are taught in grade 4 how babies are made. If you don't want to make a baby, then don't. If you are in a relationship based on love, the man in your life should respect your choice not to have sex much more than he would respect your "choice" to put a end to something that if left alone would become an innocent sweet infant. I believe in a woman's right to choose.... just at a different stage in the process.
Michele - age 32, mother of 3
john
4 years ago
Why is it that we are told there is no judge like god, and yet daily people act as though they are the gatekeepers and are completely righteous to decide what a person can and cannot do with their own body. They will be judged in the end. And how is it that we would choose between a candidate that promotes nothing but death and destruction abroad and one who believes in a woman's choice, and not in abortion.
J. Stein
4 years ago
I am not a Catholic, and I have never based my pro-life/anti-abortion position on religion. I have based it on a constant ethic of protecting children, sanctifying life, and scientific evidence. This Archbishop delivers a concise and convincing articulation of the pro-life stance, arguing (1) abortion is about biology, not faith, (2) "life" begins at conception (though "personhood" may be debatable), (3) Roe v. Wade negates states' rights to determine law.

It's interesting to note that while Sienna's long comment delivers some interesting points, she does nothing to counter or invalidate Chaput's key premises. She does, however, draw an implicit and logical line between abortion and euthanasia.

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