By Hugh McNichol
Pewsitter.com
August 25, 2008 - Barack Obama’s selection of pro-choice "Catholic" Senator Joe Biden as his running mate on Saturday has resulted in the expected focus on Biden and his religious beliefs. Predictably, the weekend news included an article about Senator Biden attending his Catholic parish for Mass. Many misguided and malformed Catholic voters and the press are reveling in the fact that Senator Biden is representative of Catholic population. He is not. Senator Biden is Pro-Choice in his political platform. That option is not one that the Catholic Church endorses.
I was hoping to see the incumbent Bishop emeritus of Wilmington, Bishop Saltarelli running down the Kirkwood Highway in Delaware, swinging his crosier fending off the Pro-Choice Catholic infidels. However, it did not happen. However the local parish priest at Senator Biden’s parish did take the time to tell Action News that some Catholics will agree and some will disagree with Senator Biden’s political agenda. Amazement!
Whatever happened to just saying to the parishioners that Senator Biden’s consistent proclamation of pro-choice legislation is morally wrong and faithful Catholics should oppose such political and social platforms!
Furthermore…did anyone take the time to exclude Senator Biden from the reception of the Holy Eucharist! Objectively his malformed consciences on the issues of abortion are contrary to the teachings of the Church!
Such abilities to, "look the other way," or to pastorally rationalize justifications for pseudo-Catholics to continue unquestioned in their ill catechized and incorrectly formed moral certitudes are examples of the need for strong Catholic leadership in the area of moral and social issues.
The silence of the American Bishops and the clergy contributes to the adage…silence gives consent! The strongest actions the Bishops Conference in the United States has taken so far this election year is the reminder to pray a novena for the outcome of the November elections. Novenas are always commendable and laudable, but we need the forcefulness and public visibility of strong Catholic leaders that are unafraid to speak for the true convictions of the Catholic Church.
Archbishop Burke, formerly of Saint Louis diocese and now head of Apostolic Signatura, is a straight shooter and does not mince words. He tells Catholics when they are not living up to the vocational calling all Catholics have to live and proclaim Christ to the World. Benedict XVI doesn’t dance around political semantics and correctness either. Being Catholic means living Catholic in all aspects of our faith, whether it is politically correct or not.
Come on Catholic hierarchy and Catholic people alike….let’s get some backbone and realize that Pro-Life is the only platform a faithful Catholic can endorse. Pray for strong leadership in the Church and pray for the return of orthodox Catholicism to the majority of American Catholics that mistakenly think their political alliances are not important to their observation of the Catholic faith.
Hugh McNichol is a Catholic author and journalist that writes on Catholic topics and issues. Hugh studied both philosophy and theology at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. He writes daily at: http://verbumcarofactumest.blogspot.com & http://catholicsacredarts.com & www.pewsitter.com 
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