A pro-life amendment to the healthcare reform bill passes thanks to the grassroots efforts of ordinary citizens who pressured their representatives. While we watch intently to ensure that no slight of hand tricks happen at the last minute in the combined version, we remember what happened just a week ago.
The USCCB has requested every diocese to explain how the proposed bill contained provisions that fund abortion from federal funds and even prepared a handout to be distributed with the bulletin. From the polls later, it appears that only a few churches collaborated. The question is why?
Some say it was rushed. But how did the other communities manage? Everyone got the notice at the same time.
Others think that it will be meddling in partisan politics and that can jeopardize the tax exemption of the Church. Ka-ching! That's 30 pieces of silver for the unborn.
Then there are those in liberal communities who will not welcome such an opposition. Places like the archdiocese of Washington, D.C. filled with feminists, Democrats, and liberals make it daunting to speak about the sin of abortion. So, the bishop tucks tail and run. Like St. Peter, he denies the Lord over and over again. I just hope he will repent soon or just step down because he cannot protect God's unborn.
Still others are quiet dissenters from the Church's teaching against abortion. Those need to be identified and reported to the Vatican. Just think that only 30% of the bishops protested Notre Dame's awarding of an honorary degree in law to a man who has consistently denied the weakest their most fundamental and inalienable right to life.
So, if your bishop did not have the notice read in his diocese you may want to ask. Needless to say that what is worse than a wolf in sheep's clothing is a wolf in the shepherd's garb.
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Will the bishops' "vigorous" effort have an impact? It depends on how many parishioners contact their representatives and senators. That, in turn, depends on how well the pastors and other parish leaders promote the effort in the parishes. Let us pray fervently that they do. Unfortunately there is not much cause for optimism. Many priests and bishops are shivering in their pants over the IRS, the ACLU etc. Others are totally disinterested and uninformed on the life issues and would not be able to say anything intelligent, much less helpful, about them from the pulpit. It's probably better they remain silent. Remember Archbishop Neiderauer's admission on a talk radio program in San Francisco a year or so ago that he did not know what Nancy Pelosi's position is on abortion is. That's true. He must be the only active Catholic in the bay area who didn't! And a few weeks ago, a reporter asked Cardinal Mahoney about the health care bill. He simply said that that is not his field of interest, immigration is, and that the reporter should find someone else to ask.
That's the example set by the leaders of two of the country's largest sees. Can we expect great enthusiasm from the lower ranks of clergy?
And yes, many priests are covertly pro-abortion. Many parishes are dominated by people, clerical and lay, who are steeped in feminist philosophy. For them, speaking against abortion, not abortion itself, is the sin to be avoided.
Thank God, there are exceptions. God's message is being spoken effectively in some parishes. And we can take consolation in the facts of history. In times of difficulty in our church, those who remained faithful were usually in the minority.
Abp. Wuerl obviously thinks himself to be a better canon lawyer than the Apostolic Asignatura himself, Abp.Burke. Pride goes before a fall. Unfortunately, it is costing the unborn their lives.
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