Wow. An American Catholic Bishop is conducting a very public correction of one of the political members of his flock. How many times have we heard politicians use their Catholic identity as political capital, while not exactly adhering to what being Catholic actually means? NZ has a number of these types of politicians - people that I've been shocked to find quite happily describe themselves as Catholic while supporting Government policies that quite honestly no Catholic politician should support if they want to be faithful to what they are supposed to believe.
Related Link: Bp. Tobin publicly instructs Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) What Does the Prayer Really Say?
Congressman, I’m not sure whether or not you fulfill the basic requirements of being a Catholic, so let me ask: Do you accept the teachings of the Church on essential matters of faith and morals, including our stance on abortion? Do you belong to a local Catholic community, a parish? Do you attend Mass on Sundays and receive the sacraments regularly? Do you support the Church, personally, publicly, spiritually and financially?New Zealand has state funded, hospital enacted abortion on demand in all but name. What are our Catholic politicians doing about this? As far as I know - nothing.
In your letter you say that you “embrace your faith.” Terrific. But if you don’t fulfill the basic requirements of membership, what is it exactly that makes you a Catholic? Your baptism as an infant? Your family ties? Your cultural heritage?
Related Link: Bp. Tobin publicly instructs Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) What Does the Prayer Really Say?
My bishop, Thomas Wenski, is amazing:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/may/040518.html#6
http://www.theledger.com/article/20091111/COLUMNISTS/911115020?Title=Reform-Should-Be-Abortion-Neutral-
"New Zealand has state funded, hospital enacted abortion on demand in all but name."
I'm not from New Zealand, but do you have any sources for this statement? I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
Jonathan,
ReplyDeleteWhat part of that statement do you need sources for? It is well known here that the state pays for abortion, that abortion is available for mental health grounds (98% of abortions are approved on the basis that continuing the pregnancy is bad for the woman's mental health) and that most abortions are performed in hospitals, and that 18,000 abortions are typically performed here every year. Giving "references" means tracking down each part of my statement, and given that state funding is a major part of how this country's health system works, it may be difficult to get something explicit.
A very respectable source for these stats would be "NZ conservative" :-)
ReplyDeleteActually, if you click on the abortion category tag, and page through you will come across posts we have done that do link to source information.
Lucia's points are correct, and they are not in dispute here in NZ. With a 98% grant rate on abortions, which are state funded, we effectively have abortion on demand. Even when a challenge to the high court successfully argued last year the law is being flouted, nothing really changed. If anything does change, it will likely be to alter the law to legally support the current practice - abortion on demand.