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    • March 2, 2009

    Obama’s Choice of Sebelius Heats Up the Pro-life Battle

    by Deal W. Hudson

    President Barack Obama has selected a pro-abortion Catholic governor, who has been told by her bishop not to present herself for communion, to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Writing last year in his diocesan newspaper, Bishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, discussed a meeting with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius where he told her “that someday she’s going to have to stand before God and account for her public service.”
    The Catholics United/Catholics in Alliance/Catholic Democrats axis of Obama supporters immediately cheered the selection of Sebelius, with Catholics United having enough notice of the pick to put up a Web site called “Catholics for Sebelius.” The site presents a list of “Catholic leaders” supporting the nomination, including Doug Kmiec; Nicolas Cafardi; Margaret Steinfels, former editor of Commonweal; and Father Thomas Reese, former editor of America.
    When Sebelius’s name was first floated for HHS, Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, noted that almost every Obama appointee is pro-abortion, but the selection of Sebelius would create “a battle between those Catholics who are honestly pro-life, and those who feign a pro-life position while always embracing the likes of Sebelius.”
    The battle may have already started. Obama’s Catholic supporters are definitely feeling confident, as they have attacked both Bishop Naumann and Donohue for their criticism of Governor Sebelius. They seem unconcerned with the recent wrist-slapping given Speaker Nancy Pelosi by Pope Benedict XVI at the private audience she requested in Rome, or the subsequent statement of Denver’s Archbishop Charles Chaput that Pelosi should not present herself for communion.
    Sebelius’s record on abortion refutes any attempt she or her supporters may make to soften her image. She has claimed to “have worked hard to ensure that abortions are rare, safe, and within the bounds of the law.” But Sebelius vetoed bills that would have created abortion safety regulations and protected women from being coerced into having abortions.
    Most notoriously, Sebelius hosted a 2007 party honoring Wichita late-term abortionist George Tiller, who by his own account has performed over 60,000 abortions. Two months after the Sebelius party in Tiller’s honor, he was arrested and arraigned on 19 criminal counts for illegal late-term abortions.
    Obama’s selection of Sebelius came the day after he rescinded the HHS “conscience exemption” put in place by the Bush administration. In December, Sec. Mike Leavitt announced a “right-to-refuse” rule allowing medical care personnel not to participate in practices they found morally objectionable, such as abortion.
    As expected, the new Obama administration is removing, one by one, all the restrictions set up against abortion and its federal funding, that have been put in place since Roe v. Wade in 1973. Obama lifted the Mexico City policy only days after his inauguration, allowing federal dollars to be given to organizations performing abortions overseas.
    Although the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) has not yet been introduced, the strategy of the Obama administration appears to be pursuing the equivalent outcomes of FOCA without passing FOCA itself. Putting someone like Governor Sebelius at the helm of Health and Human Services will put tremendous pressure on all health-care institutions to provide abortions under the cover of “women’s health care.”
    The first Catholic hospital system to bend to the pressure is Caritas Christi, owned and operated by the Archdiocese of Boston. Only a few days ago, maybe eager to cozy up to the Obama administration and Sebelius, Caritas Christi announced a joint venture with the Centene Corporation to join a state-mandated health-insurance program that would include coverage for abortion and contraceptives — what the Catholic hospital system calls “confidential family-planning services.”

    Deal W. Hudson is the director of InsideCatholic.com and the author of Onward, Christian Soldiers: The Growing Political Power of Catholics and Evangelicals in the United States (Simon and Schuster).

    Tagged as: abortion, America, Barack Obama, health

    The views expressed by the authors and editorial staff are not necessarily the views of
    Sophia Institute, Holy Spirit College, or the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts.

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    Deal W. Hudson

    By Deal W. Hudson

    Deal W. Hudson is president of Catholic Advocate, an organization which engages and encourages faithful Catholics to actively participate in the political process to support elected officials and policies that remain consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Formerly publisher and editor of Crisis Magazine for ten years, his articles and comments have been published widely in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, and U.S. News and World Report. He has also appeared on TV and radio news shows such as the O'Reilly Factor, Hannity & Colmes, NBC News, and All Things Considered on National Public Radio. Hudson worked with Karl Rove in coordinating then-Gov. George W. Bush's outreach to Catholic voters in 2000 and 2004. In October 2003, President Bush appointed him a member of the official delegation from the United States to attend the 25th anniversary celebration of John Paul II's papacy. Hudson, a former professor of philosophy for 15 years, is the editor and author of eight books. He tells the story of his conversion from Southern Baptist to Catholic in An American Conversion (Crossroad, 2003), and his latest, Onward, Christian Soldiers: The Growing Political Power of Catholics and Evangelicals in the United States, was published in March 2008. He is married to Theresa Carver Hudson, also a Baptist convert, and they have two children, Hannah, 21, and Cyprian, 13, who was adopted from Romania in 2001.

    More from Crisis

    • Dan Deeny

      Deal, Thank you for this article. Now, what are the bishops going to do? What will happen if some of these people do present themselves for communion? Why don’t the bishops point to the racist component of the abortion business (rescinding the Mexico City Policy, the location of the Planned Parenthood clinics, the Pro-Life students at UCLA and their telephone calls, etc.)?

    • Bob

      Apparently Sebelius’ Bishop publicly said that she should no longer present herself for Communion. Essentially then (and maybe I’m wrong), hasn’t Sebelius excommunicated herself and is no longer Catholic? I think that all these public, elected congressmen, senators, etc. that claim to be Catholic and por-abortion, their bishops should (like Martino, but he did not name Bob Casey directly) publicly name names and announce that they should not receive Communion? I think that they are essentially (until they repent) no longer Catholic, and we should not call them Catholic. This is really getting disgraceful, and the Eucharist and its teaching must really be protected.

    • Mother of Two Sons

      You would think that there is no way that a woman, a mother could ever support or do such a thing as abortion. But that is because we forget that most of our current women leaders are a product of the 60′s generation, who disregard facts when it isn’t supportive of fun,or frivolity…or feel free to eliminate all consequences of their actions if those consequences don’t fit into their plans.

      Unfortunately not enough women/mothers who love babies run for office — they are busy loving their babies…. or wouldn’t consider such an occupation.

      And why would they, Sarah Palin experienced what will happen if you run for office and you are beautiful, wrinkle-less or at least pre-wrinkle, and a lover of family and babies from conception forward! She is the poster woman of what we need in the Senate and Congress!

      It is time for THE American Woman, lover of sex, babies and families to realign their schedule to include TAEBO and prepare to run for office locally and nationally NOW! Men follow Women, sorry Deal.

      Wouldn’t you agree, most, Senators and Congressmen,who are Pro-Choice Men say the same thing: “it is the woman’s private decision, between their doctor and their God” — a dead giveaway that they would be relieved if their sexual extracurricula activites ended in an abortion vs a pregnancy.

      The saddest unintended consequence of Abortion on Demand societies is that even Pro-Life Senators and Congressmen, men and woman who, as a result of their own or unmarried daughter’s sexual improprieties, might find themselves anonymously choosing abortion if their affairs ended in a pregnancy…. that is the terrible thing about Abortion becoming a “normal” and readily available alternative.

      Those of us, who hear the cries of the babies, past, present and future, must get brutally honest. 50 million aborted babies and no reversal of the ROE v WADE American conscience after 35 years? It dawned on me recently that perhaps it is because Pro Life at heart women/men have had/supported abortions; someone they know, a daughter, a son’s girlfriend, a friend or perhaps even themselves have had an abortion. Now they feel that they can’t do anything about it since they had one or agreed with the decision of another. In some sick way they believe that they are being a hypocrite if they deny another woman the option when they took it.

      Just like slavery was always about the BLACK RACE having the right to live LIFE freely not subject to the decision of their OWNER/slavemaster so is Abortion about BABIES,of all races, having the right to live LIFE freely not based on the decision of their Womb Holder-Mother.

      If we could get enough articulate, passionate (not angry) and beautiful (INSIDE-OUT) women to run for office today, and if the GOP Conservatives would sponsor a boot camp that would properly prepare them for the battle ahead, we could win this for the babies……… WE ARE THE ANSWER, not the reversal of ROE v WADE alone.

      With this Sebilius appointment, I am just sick for our country, for our babies who shed their innocent blood, not unlike the slaves, and can find not a one advocate in this OBAMA administration.

    • Doreen


      I am exhausted, frustrated, disheartened and appalled by the number of so called Catholics in public office. Get real, Catholicism is not about picking and choosing what you believe; it is not a cafeteria. If you join a baseball team or any other team, you don’t tell the coach “Well, I’ll follow some rules of the game but not others!” What a disgrace! These public figures who support abaortion go against a fundamental belief of the Church and are not Catholic despite who they may perceive themselves to be. It’s about time they get honest, face the truth, and join some other faith. Stop polluting the Catholic Church.

    • ABC

      Thank God for politicians like Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and intellectuals like Professor Douglas Kmiec who provide so many thinking Catholics with inspiration to resist the Republican Theocracy others would make the price of being Catholic.

    • Will

      “Pro-Abortion Catholic Governor?” Sounds like an oxymoron to me. I think that the Bishops are being put in a position where they are going to have to say something and not try to dodge the issue [as we sometimes have seen].

      It will be interesting to see what the Bishops say about Catholics in political office and abortion. Seems pretty simple to me, but I am just a simple layman and thus unable to see all the “nuances” of the issue. How can you have “nuances” on abortion?

    • Kevin in Texas

      Thank God for politicians like Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and intellectuals like Professor Douglas Kmiec who provide so many thinking Catholics with inspiration to resist the Republican Theocracy others would make the price of being Catholic.

      I’m sorry ABC, but your use of “thinking Catholic” in this way is a perfect example of the modern “art” of twisting and corruption of language to achieve nefarious ends. Kmiec and Sebelius are two examples of practitioners of said art, although Kmiec at least ostensibly claims to be pro-life. Sebelius doesn’t come close to doing that.

      Catholics think with the mind of the Church on moral issues; these two you mentioned, and other pro-choice Catholics, do no such thing.

      Finally, your use of ridiculous hyperbole like theocracy would suggest that you are far more partisan Leftist than pro-life Catholic in your approach to abortion. Last time I checked, and well-represented across these comment boards, many Democrats and liberal-leaning independents are genuinely pro-life in their moral view of the issue.

    • Tess

      Deal,

      Maybe you should refer to these types of folks with the adjective phrase “Apparently Self-excommunicated Catholic in Denial and Delusion” (insert name here).

    • Marian Rose

      Catholics think with the mind of the Church on moral issues;

      In other words, no thinking allowed.

    • Ron

      As a Kansan there are many of us who will say “good riddance” to our governor but sorry her pro death stance will now be foisted upon the whole country.

    • Kevin in Texas
      Catholics think with the mind of the Church on moral issues;

      In other words, no thinking allowed.

      Marian, if you believe that, then you haven’t done much thinking at all. You seem to be conflating two very different animals with regard to weighty moral matters: rational discourse and knee-jerk, reflexive dissent.

      I would ask those who dissent from Catholic teaching on abortion (as well as similar life issues) if they have actually read and considered thoughtfully those encyclicals and apostolic letters which actually address these issues directly in both philosophical and theological terms. Somehow I doubt most dissenters have done so. Much easier to make facile arguments based not on sound reasoning but rather on appeals to emotion and “freedom of conscience.”

    • Mary

      No one is forcing Democrats to kill, yet. They chose this path for themselves and those who defend and support it are culpable.

      Thank God for politicians like Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and intellectuals like Professor Douglas Kmiec who provide so many thinking Catholics with inspiration to resist the Republican Theocracy others would make the price of being Catholic.

      Hmmm….sounds familiar…
      The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector.’
      Luke 18:11

      “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not;
      In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths.
      Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the LORD and turn away from evil;
      This will mean health for your flesh and vigor for your bones.”
      Proverbs 3: 5-8

    • Fernando

      The sad thing is that the Church doesn’t realize that they lost all moral authority over such issues when they chose to protect pedophiles, and betrayed the laity.

      The LAST person I want to hear telling me what I shouldn’t do is a Catholic priest.

      How can you excommunicate public sinners when public sinners are the ones GIVING communion?

    • sbcorgi

      The Church gives us True Freedom, is not about having the ability to do what ever one deems on a whim or even after careful deliberation. It is the freedom to know that if we keep her teachings we are just and we then have the freedom to live our lives in peace.

    • Billy Valentine

      … Have absolutely no shame. You can’t get any more pro-abortion than supporting infanticide (Obama). You can’t get any more pro-abortion than supporting late-term abortion and celebrating the abortionist that performs them (Sebelius).

      Is there ANYTHING that Obama or Sebelius could possibly do to lose the support of groups like Catholics United? Because they certainly can’t get any more pro-abortion than they currently are.

    • Barry

      Deal,

      At least be honest in your coverage of Gov. Sebelius’s record.

      You failed to mention that she provided funding for Life Support centers, passed a large increase to adoption tax credits, expanded adoption support funding, signed Alexa’s law related to crimes against the unborn, and supported parental consent laws.

      All of this has added up to over a 10% decline in abortions in her state during her time as Governor. She also appointed the DA who is now prosecuting Tiller, who she distanced herself from years ago, refusing his financial support for her Governor’s campaigns.

      Half truths are a form of lies. I know it doesn’t charge the base up as much to be honest, but it is a moral responsibility.

    • Laura

      Abortion is not a Catholic issue alone.

      However, one must consider what the Catholic Church ALONE has at the very center of its teaching before discussing why many rightfully believe you cannot support abortion and call yourself a Catholic.

      1. Jesus Christ – God’s only Son – came to earth to suffer and die for our sins. He is the Lamb of God. We are to accept the sacrifice and forgiveness and repent. Turn away from sin (aka 10 Commandments), love God and our neighbor.

      2. At each Mass, bread and wine are consecrated, made holy and become THE Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Heaven literally descends upon the Earth. We take in the very being of our Lord and all of Heaven into our bodies and based upon our lives and wills, we either become more and more like Him or we blasheme and condemn ourselves to judgment.

      Now that we have made that clear, when one understands what an abortion is, how it is performed, the effects on both mother and child, how can one who says she is a Catholic (referencing 1 & 2) and support abortion? The two are irreconcilable and even though she may be “coming from a loving perspective” meaning that she really wants what is good and right and pure, her thinking in such a case is faulty. One must be careful when she says she is following her conscience. A conscience must be well-formed in order for it to make good decisions. You cannot be a practicing Catholic and support abortion. They just do not belong together in the same sentence. This is an identity crisis at its worse and what is even more disturbing is that she may be damning herself, not only for supporting infanticide but for doing so while proclaiming love of the Lord and eating His Body and drinking His Blood. We Catholics believe in mortal (deadly) sin and one of the teachings of the Church is that you bring judgment upon yourself when you knowingly take Eucharist while carrying mortal sin. This is not a teaching that one can simply dismiss like deciding to receive the Eucharist on the hand or tongue. This is serious and when the Bishops and priests come out and threaten excommunication, they are actually demonstrating love for her for her actions are bringing tremendous, tremendous harm.

    • Kevin in Texas

      The sad thing is that the Church doesn’t realize that they lost all moral authority over such issues when they chose to protect pedophiles, and betrayed the laity.

      The LAST person I want to hear telling me what I shouldn’t do is a Catholic priest.

      How can you excommunicate public sinners when public sinners are the ones GIVING communion?

      Ah, yes, Fernando, because only a perfect person can judge when an act is in accordance with or contrary to the natural law. The rest of us, human beings and thus sinners all, have no right to tell anyone else that anything they do is objectively right or wrong.

      Besides the lack of logic in your point, there is the lack of a basic understanding: it’s not the Church that has decided abortion is wrong (or any other sin, for that matter!), but God who has declared it so. It’s a cliche, but don’t shoot the messenger (the Church) for sending the message passed on to it by God Himself.

      Our modern thought processes seem so devoid of reason and logic. Aquinas must be rolling over in his grave! Heck even Chesterton is!

    • Jean

      As a Kansan and a Catholic blogger who has witnessed the work of Kathleen Sebelius for the past few years, all I can say is that we must pray and fast for her conversion. George Tiller — one of the most powerful late-term abortionists in the world — has funded her way to the top with his blood money. She is 100% culture of death. We must act now and voice our concern to our public officials. If we don’t, this country is headed for hell in a hand basket.

    • Rich

      The sad thing is that the Church doesn’t realize that they lost all moral authority over such issues when they chose to protect pedophiles, and betrayed the laity.

      The LAST person I want to hear telling me what I shouldn’t do is a Catholic priest.

      How can you excommunicate public sinners when public sinners are the ones GIVING communion?

      Fernando. You’re absolutley right – and they did this grave evil to protect a power system founded on twisted theology that allows only “celebate” men to be priests. When the Catholic Church allows normal men and women be priests, then we can give its words credence.

    • R.S.Newark

      Can someone, anyone get a quote out of Sebelius regarding her dismal thoughts ad beliefs?

    • Diane

      If you are a pro-life Catholic politician, you are a pro-life Catholic politician.

      If you are a pro-choice Catholic politician, you are pro-choice politician(period). Don’t use the word Catholic, leave the church and don’t receive the Body and Blood of our Lord.

      You made your choice — now live with it.

    • Andy
      The sad thing is that the Church doesn’t realize that they lost all moral authority over such issues when they chose to protect pedophiles, and betrayed the laity.

      The LAST person I want to hear telling me what I shouldn’t do is a Catholic priest.

      How can you excommunicate public sinners when public sinners are the ones GIVING communion?

      Fernando. You’re absolutley right – and they did this grave evil to protect a power system founded on twisted theology that allows only “celebate” men to be priests. When the Catholic Church allows normal men and women be priests, then we can give its words credence.

      Ah, so we’ll listen to the church when it’s on OUR terms? How good for us that we don’t need God or a church at all. As long as Rich is okay with it, we know it’s right.

    • R L Taylor

      The defense of abortion rights (no such thing as pro-choice since the child has no choice) hinges on trying to use some complicated algorithm to define life, church, etc. Jesus always had simple answers to those whose eyes were opened. He spoke in parables so that those who had faith understood-not so easy for those who lacked faith. So, Fact: From the moment of conception, that union of sperm and egg creates life that is uniquely human-human dna, 24 chromosomes, etc. Pro-abortionists want to talk about viability. I would surmise that God sees all life as viable. Regardless of the defense of aborting “non-viable” life, it is the killing of a human being, in it’s most vulnerable stage of growth. To me it is murder, and such serious sin blackens the soul, and makes one unworthy of communion with Jesus. Those who partake of communion in that state eat a judgment on themselves, and without serious repentance condemn themselves to everlasting punishment. I recommend they do some soul searching. I can speak for my position, but I won’t judge them. I’ll leave their judgment to God. I personally would be worried about my salvation if I held the same pro-abortion view as many of those whom I read.
      As far as excommunication of public figures, if the sin is public the Church should take a teaching opportunity toward it’s faithful, that says this is wrong. Jesus did that with the pharisees, calling them over and over again “Hypocrites.”

    • A READER
    • Paul P.

      As a Kansan and a Catholic blogger who has witnessed the work of Kathleen Sebelius for the past few years, all I can say is that we must pray and fast for her conversion. George Tiller — one of the most powerful late-term abortionists in the world — has funded her way to the top with his blood money. She is 100% culture of death. We must act now and voice our concern to our public officials. If we don’t, this country is headed for hell in a hand basket.

      We also need to pray and fast for other leaders who are voting for Kathleen. We need folks who are willing to stand for principles instead of political posturing.

    • Sarah Harkins-K-State CRs

      I really liked Brownback and believe is a pro-life leader in the Senate, and that won’t change. However this vote for Sebelius is terrible.

      She represents the Obama pro-abortion agenda in Kansas, and will now represent the United States as the leader of Planned Parenthood. Brownback should’ve voted against her on that basis alone and not allow the fact that he’s voting

      Deal, I can’t agree more on FOCA. This move could be seen as a precursor to FOCA in the future. To say the least, I’m really scared.

    • Paul Merriman

      Deal- Your article was fair– a little leaning but fair.
      When a girl / woman first learns that she has a baby inside her, the last thing she wants is an abortion. They obviously have abortions as a desparate last resort-painful, embarassing, expensive, their religion, and self-disgust.
      And the “church” and the clergy pile on.
      Let’s turn to the men –who cause this— Ask the church to refuse THEM Communion—and let’s try to get help rather than condemn those who in conscience want to help the girl and her troubles.
      An old song goes ” She is more to be pitied than censured , more to be helped than despised”….
      There’s a lot of hate in your responses Deal.
      What of ” Judge not” — and ” Pray for…”.
      pmm

    • Hunter

      To say the least, I’m really scared

      What culture warriors don’t realize is that we’re not scared for ourselves, we’re scared for them and we’re scared for the priests and Bishops that have thwarted and twisted our faith to let things get so bad. The horror of the accountability they’ll come face to face with, is heartbreaking.

    • Mary

      Obama is a lucky guy! According to statistics, Obama’s mother fits the profile of a single mother who would likely have chosen to abort her baby if it was legal. It wouldn’t have mattered if her baby had a beating heart was sucking his thumb and could feel pain. It wouldn’t have mattered that this baby was going to one day be the president of this great nation. An abortionist would have had the legal right to tear Obama’s fully formed limbs from his body. His head would have been crushed by forceps. All body parts would have been suctioned from his mother’s body. Without his mother’s awareness, his body parts would have been quickly reassembled. All pieces of a baby’s dead body must be accounted for. If the method of murder is saline solution, the baby would have appeared discolored but its lifeless body delivered intact.

      *You may be one of the millions of caring and intelligent people who have been deceived. Do your own research on early and late term abortions. Research what happened to Roe of Roe vs. Wade. Research the stages of fetal development in the womb. Talk to one of the millions of the women who were deceived by abortionists and regret killing their baby. Info. is available at Priestsforlife.org. Watch a video of how an abortion is performed. Don’t become another victim of deception. *Please google- 40DaysForLife – Together we can stop the lies and deception of the abortion industry.

    • Bob

      It seems so clear:

      What’s inside a woman’s womb when she becomes pregnant? A baby, human life. Anyone want to dispute that?

      What happens when you have an abortion? That baby in that womb is killed.

      The Catholic Church teaches this killing of the baby is murder, this teaching is doctrine, and going against this doctrine is a grave and mortal sin against God, and, therefore, you are not Catholic.

      Therefore, these pro-abortion legislatures are not Catholic. Let’s stop referring to them as Catholic.

    • Doreen

      In moral issues, like abortion, a person judges whether the issue is right or wrong, Paul M., that’s why it is a moral issue, but it doesn’t necessarily follow that you judge the person to be morally right or wrong. Even Jesus told the crowd he was the “Bread of Life” and then let them decide if they wanted to stay with Him or leave him and scripture says some of his followers left. They left Him over the issue and Jesus did not try to make it easier for them to believe what He had to say. He gave them the truth without sugar coating it. People will make all kinds of excuses to defend abortion– wrong. The truth is abortion is the deliberate taking of an INNOCENT life!
      It is morally wrong and should lnot be defended.

    • MARY CRAVEN
    • Dave

      The Church has authority in moral matters because Jesus Christ gave the authority to the Church. If Jesus gave the Church authority, then it cannot be lost by bishops making mistakes, even gravely sinful mistakes. Judas, an Apostle, committed the worst sin of all time, yet this did not cause the authority of the Apostles to be revoked.

      To be Catholic is to believe that the Church was founded and given authority by Jesus Christ. If you do not believe this, then even if you believe SOME of the doctrines of the Church because you personally judge them acceptable, you do not believe that the Church was given authority by Jesus, and you are more accurately described as a Protestant.

    • mary craven
    • Baby Rose

      Most Democratic women who make it in politics today, due to the extreme expense, become members of Emily’s List which has 3 criteria: Must be a woman; must be a Democrat and must support abortion (choice…to murder babies).

      Kathleen is up to her chin in blood money. She has been through dialogue with 3 Catholic Bishops over a period of years to no avail. She is in persistent sin and has no business even being a public servant if (as Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life says) she can not properly distinguish between who are her constituents; who deserves life or (public sanctioned) death.

      This system has become fundamentally flawed.

    • Mike Smith

      Obviously, neither Washington nor Boston have a bishop right now. I mean, how could Georgetown U. continue poke the Church in the eye on sexuality, and how could any “catholic” hospital in Boston bend to the Culture of Death— if a bishop was in charge. Okay, to sue me for speaking the obvious! Catholics have a God-given right to faithful (That means strong!) bishops. The Church continues to collapse because folks continue to leave it in disgust. Will judgment day be worse for them than for these “bishops?”

    • BDK

      R.S. Newark asked for some quotes about where Gov. Sebelius stands on abortion….this is from a speech she gave in 2006 that U.S. News and World Report has up on their God and Country blog….

      “Of course, no discussion of life and dignity of the human person can be complete without discussing the important issue of abortion.

      My Catholic faith teaches me that all life is sacred, and personally I believe abortion is wrong. However, I disagree with the suggestion that criminalizing women and their doctors is an effective means of achieving the goal of reducing the number of abortions in our nation.

      There is another way. By working in support of the common good we can better protect human life and the dignity of all people.

      If we work hard and match our rhetoric with our actions, we can create a culture that is more welcoming of mothers and treasuring of our children. We must redouble our efforts on prevention and personal responsibility. We must stand with women who feel so alone that abortion seems like their only choice. These women need people to walk with them, not cast stones at them.

      A recent study found the abortion rate in Kansas declines as employment opportunities, access to health care and support networks for women and children increase. By supporting our children with quality schools, increasing access to affordable health care for expectant mothers and their babies, creating jobs that pay fair wages and creating additional incentives for adoption, we are moving in the right direction.

      I’m proud that the abortion rate has declined 11% in Kansas during the last three and half years. Of course, more needs to be done.

      If we truly wish to reduce the number of abortions further, we need to work together to truly promote a culture of life, by helping women and families get the support they need when facing unexpected pregnancies and to continue to reduce the number of abortions. Health care, child care, job opportunities, affordable housing

    • prayerwarrior4Jesus

      Calling oneself a Catholic does not make it so! Sebelius is not a Catholic. She doesn’t think like one, she doesn’t believe like one, she doesn’t act like one, she doesn’t speak like one, she doesn’t obey like one — she is not a Catholic!

      All those who do not follow the teachings of Jesus Christ are neither Catholic nor Christian. Abortion is a grave sin and a grave evil, so offensive to God and humanity. It doesn’t matter how much their supporters want to ignore the obvious: abortion is murder! It’s as simple as that. Many in this country and all over the world claim to be Catholic and believe that it’s okay to burn, dismember and kill children. You cannot be Catholic and Christian and believe that it’s ok to do that.

    • Andy

      Calling oneself a Catholic does not make it so! Sebelius is not a Catholic. She doesn’t think like one, she doesn’t believe like one, she doesn’t act like one, she doesn’t speak like one, she doesn’t obey like one–she is not a Catholic!

      I’ve heard this one too many times to let it slide again. Of course she’s a Catholic. You can’t undo baptism. That doesn’t mean she’s a good Catholic, or a Catholic in a state of grace. I don’t know.

      You can be Catholic and be pro-abortion. You can be Catholic and wrong. And yes, sadly, you can be Catholic and end up in hell. That’s the real danger here.

    • Mark

      “Is there ANYTHING that Obama or Sebelius could possibly do to lose the support of groups like Catholics United…” – Billy Valentine

      Only one thing … change the D after their names to an R.

    • Baby Rose

      So Gov. S. wants less abortions.

      Why does she support the abortionist over the child & mother? Why does she support Obama whose abortion voting record is of the most far left liberal bent in the history of the USA?
      She must be a charter member of Catholics for Choice (murder). She is publically supporting an intrinsic evil; regardless of her personal view. Her words do not match her actions.

      Shame on Senator Brownback for giving her cover & calling her appointment an honor for the state of Kansas… he who anually attends the Washington D. C. Catholic prayer Breakfast and the March for Life — as a speaker! These must be merely political moves for him. I thought he genuinely cared. Silly me.

    • R.C.

      Andy:

      As I understand it, Christian baptism makes one a Christian (who may or may not make it to heaven); it is being in communion with Rome which makes one a Catholic. Hence the acceptance by the Church of all Christian baptisms (provided no-one monkeyed about with the Trinitarian formula) as being sacramentally valid, no matter which Christian denomination (or even non-Christian) performed it. But a baptized Baptist is not a Catholic until he believes what the Church believes, accepts the authority of the Bishop of Rome, and is received by the Church.

      That’s how it was explained to me, anyhow. But it’s possible either that (a.) I misunderstood something, or (b.) there’s some “flex” in the definitions of the terms.

    • John

      I happen to be a EM at the mass and if was told they could not receice and I knew what they looked like well! I would hold my hand over the plate and tell them they can not receice and please move on!! [smiley=angry] These people think that they are above the Pope and more than that above God.

    • Melissa

      As Catholic lay faithful, I think we should be more concerned with giving our love and prayers to Gov. Selibus, instead of passing judgement on her. It is the work of the Bishops to reprimand and encourage/reprimand any behavior, as I understand the workings of the Church. Can we all agree that abortion is a non-negotiable issue? Yes. Is it productive to beat her down and give her anger and malicious words? Is that what Christ recommends? I will leave the official dealings to the Bishops, and hope that you will all join me in helping me to rejoin the Governor back into the communion of the Church with love.

    • Sam

      “The first Catholic hospital system to bend to the pressure is Caritas Christi, owned and operated by the Archdiocese of Boston. Only a few days ago, maybe eager to cozy up to the Obama administration and Sebelius, Caritas Christi announced a joint venture with the Centene Corporation to join a state-mandated health-insurance program that would include coverage for abortion and contraceptives — what the Catholic hospital system calls “confidential family-planning services.”

      How long, O Lord, how long? When will you send us a shepherd and not a hireling? The last thing we need is yet more treason coming from Boston.

      BTW, I didn’t grow up in this ecclesiastical and political cesspool called Boston. I’ve read Phil Lawler’s book “The Faithful Departed” twice, and I better understand the dynamics here as a result. That doesn’t mean I like it though.

      We need Cardinal O’Malley sent to Rome to head some harmless curial office like maybe Social Communications and then we need someone with fortitude appointed our new archbishop. Hmmm, Fabian Cardinal Bruskewitz or Joseph Cardinal Martino have a nice ring to it.

    • R.C.

      Will someone who knows Canon Law, or church history, or whatever is the relevant discipline, please answer the following question:

      Is there any way the Pope, in propriety and without exceeding his just authority, could say to the U.S. bishops: “This scandal has gone far enough and we must make a stand; therefore, you will now, in every diocese, institute the practice of turning away from communion those who are (a.) well-known public persons and (b.) whose opposition to the Church teachings on abortion is also publicly well-known, until such time as they (1.) publicly reverse their views, (2.) express contrition, and (3.) have undergone a penitential period of pro-life activism proportional to the extremity of their former support for legal abortion, of not less than one year.”

      I realize this isn’t going to happen! It’s always too much to hope for, that the good guys will actually be assertive about doing good; we’re apparently always constitutionally required to demonstrate docility. (I’m not bitter!)

      So, I know it isn’t going to happen. But “He’d never do that” isn’t an answer to my question.

      My question is: Is there any way he actually has proper authority to do it? Or would a request/command like this constitute an improper (and thus justly ignorable) interference in the affairs of his fellow bishops? I know there is a dividing line between the Pope’s supreme authority and the Pope’s role as “just another bishop”; but because I don’t know where that line is, I don’t know on which side of that line a request/command such as this might fall.

      Put another way: Is the Pope not issuing a decree such as I described because he thinks it would be wrong to do so? Or just because it’s actually not within his just authority?

      I’d be somewhat comforted to learn that the Pope wished he could do this, but thinks he cannot. For, of course, I keep wishing he’d do it, and I’d like to think he agreed with me (!) about the desirability of it. If he could do it, but chooses not to, then he probably has good reason…and perhaps I’m wrong to wish for it.

    • Mark

      As Catholic lay faithful, I think we should be more concerned with giving our love and prayers to Gov. Selibus, instead of passing judgement on her. It is the work of the Bishops to reprimand and encourage/reprimand any behavior, as I understand the workings of the Church. Can we all agree that abortion is a non-negotiable issue? Yes. Is it productive to beat her down and give her anger and malicious words? Is that what Christ recommends? I will leave the official dealings to the Bishops, and hope that you will all join me in helping me to rejoin the Governor back into the communion of the Church with love.

      Melissa, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas was a guest on Chuck Neff’s Relevant Radio program Monday afternoon and he said that he is not the first Bishop that Ms. Sebelius has ignored.

      “Love” is desiring the highest and best (God’s will) for another. Apparently, Ms. Sebelius mistakes kindness for weakness so it may be time for “love” to take on another form.

    • Ender

      At least be honest in your coverage of Gov. Sebelius’s record.

      Indeed – let me add a few brush strokes.
      - In 2003 and 2005 she vetoed medically-supported laws to introduce health and cleanliness regulations to abortion clinics.
      - In 2008 she vetoed a measure to upgrade parental notification laws (1) requiring that any adult accompanying a minor show identification, declare in writing their relationship to the minor, and identify the father of the unborn child; (2) require the minor to show some form of photo identification providing identity and place of residence; and (3) if the minor chooses to seek a judicial waiver, prohibiting any employee of an abortion provider or clinic from assisting her with the requisite court filings and proceedings.
      - Over the past three years she has vetoed measures requiring explicit medical reasons for late-term abortions; requiring abortion providers to report the diagnosis or the nature of the condition which necessitated a post-viability abortion; and permitting injunctive relief for either a completed or about-to-be-performed illegal late-term abortion and adding certain prosecutors (in addition to the Attorney General) to prosecute violations of existing prohibitions on late-term abortions.

      She also appointed the DA who is now prosecuting Tiller, who she distanced herself from years ago, refusing his financial support for her Governor’s campaigns.

      At a 2007 reception in the governor’s mansion she was photographed with Tiller holding a Sebelius campaign t-shirt. Also at that reception was LeRoy Carhart, notorious for performing partial-birth abortions.

    • Melissa

      Mark, I appreciate your response, and understand your sentiment that “love” may need to take on another form. While I agree completely that a just consequence for Gov. Selibus’ repeated and public repudiation of Catholic teaching is appropriate and/or necessary, two things come to mind for me.
      1. At judgement, our actions alone will be weighted and measured. It doesn’t matter what others did or said to us, but how we acted that decides our faithfulness.
      2. Our Monsignor once spoke on the idea of mercy: “Mercy is helping those that have not earned nor deserve our help.”
      It is these two ideas that motivate my line of thinking, at least for how we lay faithful might best live.

    • Sam

      So Gov. S. wants less abortions.

      Why does she support the abortionist over the child & mother? Why does she support Obama whose abortion voting record is of the most far left liberal bent in the history of the USA?
      She must be a charter member of Catholics for Choice (murder). She is publically supporting an intrinsic evil; regardless of her personal view. Her words do not match her actions.

      Shame on Senator Brownback for giving her cover & calling her appointment an honor for the state of Kansas… he who anually attends the Washington D. C. Catholic prayer Breakfast and the March for Life — as a speaker! These must be merely political moves for him. I thought he genuinely cared. Silly me.

      Baby Rose,

      I used to respect Sen Brownback. Not anymore. One more reason to leave the GOP and join the Constitution Party… or stop voting altogether.

    • Sam

      R.S. Newark asked for some quotes about where Gov. Sebelius stands on abortion….this is from a speech she gave in 2006 that U.S. News and World Report has up on their God and Country blog:

      My Catholic faith teaches me that all life is sacred, and personally I believe abortion is wrong. However, I disagree with the suggestion that criminalizing women and their doctors is an effective means of achieving the goal of reducing the number of abortions in our nation.

      There is another way. By working in support of the common good we can better protect human life and the dignity of all people.

      If we work hard and match our rhetoric with our actions, we can create a culture that is more welcoming of mothers and treasuring of our children. We must redouble our efforts on prevention and personal responsibility. We must stand with women who feel so alone that abortion seems like their only choice. These women need people to walk with them, not cast stones at them.

      A recent study found the abortion rate in Kansas declines as employment opportunities, access to health care and support networks for women and children increase. By supporting our children with quality schools, increasing access to affordable health care for expectant mothers and their babies, creating jobs that pay fair wages and creating additional incentives for adoption, we are moving in the right direction.

      I’m proud that the abortion rate has declined 11% in Kansas during the last three and half years. Of course, more needs to be done.

      This sounds like the stale old Douglas Kmiec/Bill Clinton/Barack Obama lies.

      1) Make abortion safe, legal, and rare by expanding the welfare state — Fallacy here is the implicit assertion that expanding the welfare state is the only way to help the poor. It is still morally wrong to be pro-abortion even with the cloak of helping the poor through dubious means of expanding the welfare state.

      2) Personally opposed to abortion but … — Another tired old culture of death lie. If say I was personally opposed to slavery in 1860 but favored keeping it legal, then I was pro-slavery, not anti-slavery.

      3) Misuse of the common good argument — If the common good is to mean anything, then it needs to be extended to the most vulnerable among us: the unborn.

    • Steve

      There is no language strong enough for the bishops to use in castigating these quasi-catholic political figures. Response should be immediate and repeated.

      “You are no longer accepted in our churches without public repentance.”

    • Baby Rose

      Sam,
      Is there a web-site for the Constitution Party? Any info. would be much appreciated. Thanks. Don’t stop voting; it is a privledge others have died to secure.

      I’m not only past ready to vote Obama & his Administration out (my husband nicknamed him this week: Kid Vicious) but I’m ready for an impeachment in the mean time…before our Nation becomes too wounded. We must think of our heirs.

    • Bill Sr.

      The choice is clear to most of us. Bow to political correctness or our Christian conscience.

      How can this be that those who are willing to give a mother the

    • R.C.

      So I’m guessing nobody knows, re: the Pope having authority to get the U.S. bishops to turn away these Quislings?

      I just figured someone would either say:

      (1.) “Oh, sure, he’s always been able to do that whenever he wanted; but he hasn’t because he’s too worried about being pastoral.”

      or else,

      (2.) “No, actually, you see, a lot of people misunderstand what the Pope actually is and does; what you suggest isn’t the kind of thing his office does.”

      …to clarify the matter.

    • Mike Moehlenhof

      … Have absolutely no shame. You can’t get any more pro-abortion than supporting infanticide (Obama). You can’t get any more pro-abortion than supporting late-term abortion and celebrating the abortionist that performs them (Sebelius).

      Is there ANYTHING that Obama or Sebelius could possibly do to lose the support of groups like Catholics United? Because they certainly can’t get any more pro-abortion than they currently are.

      So true my friend…Catholic United doesn’t represent nor will they ever represent the pro-life movement. All that the Catholics for United do is participate in the Obama pro-abortion movement in America. They are just puppets for Barack!

    • Sam

      Sam,
      Is there a web-site for the Constitution Party? Any info. would be much appreciated. Thanks. Don’t stop voting; it is a privledge others have died to secure.

      I’m not only past ready to vote Obama & his Administration out (my husband nicknamed him this week: Kid Vicious) but I’m ready for an impeachment in the mean time…before our Nation becomes too wounded. We must think of our heirs.

      Baby Rose,

      You’re right about how the right to vote was paid for in blood by countless generations of US soldiers. I was simply venting my disillusionment at the GOP for taking my pro-life vote for granted since 1988 when I first voted in a national election. The Democrats are beyond the pale as far as life issues go; yes there are individual Dems who are pro-life and courageously so, but they are spitting in the wind of a party whose official platform and national leadership are unashamedly pro-abortion.

      Here is the website: http://www.constitutionparty.org/.

      The seven founding principles of the Constitution Party are:

      1. Life: For all human beings, from conception to natural death;
      2. Liberty: Freedom of conscience and actions for the self-governed individual;
      3. Family: One husband and one wife with their children as divinely instituted;
      4. Property: Each individual’s right to own and steward personal property without government burden;
      5. Constitution: and Bill of Rights interpreted according to the actual intent of the Founding Fathers;
      6. States’ Rights: Everything not specifically delegated by the Constitution to the federal government, nor prohibited by the Constitution to the states, is reserved to the states or to the people;
      7. American Sovereignty: American government committed to the protection of the borders, trade, and common defense of Americans, and not entangled in foreign alliances.

      Here is my commentary based on Catholic moral and social teaching:

      Principle 1 — Self-explanatory. This is the Church’s teaching on life.

      Principle 2 — Key here is the “self-governed individual” which fits pretty well with the moral teaching that true freedom is the freedom to do what we ought, not what we want (Pope John Paul II taught this).

      Principle 3 — Family is one man married to one woman with their children as divinely instituted. Self-explanatory with Catholic moral teaching. The only thing left out in that equation is marriage of one man to one woman for life.

      Principle 4 — Buttressing the right to private property is part of Catholic social teaching since “Rerum Novarum.” What is left unsaid is the duty of those who have private property to share from their surplus with the poor out of charity, not government coercion through Obamunistic wealth redistribution or welfare state expansion.

      Principle 5 — There is nothing in Catholic social teaching or moral teaching addressing the US Constitution. But, if you look at the US Constitution as an admittedly poor analogy to the Bible, then like the Bible, it should be interpreted according to the intent of those who had the authority to put it together. In the Bible’s case, it should be read according to the mind of the Church. Likewise, the Constitution should be interpreted according to the original intent of the Founders, not current social fads or God help us, international case law (as Justice Kennedy among others is apt to cite).

      Principle 6 — Harmonizes with the principle of subsidiarity in Catholic social teaching where the lowest level possible (preferably non-profit or local government) takes care of the poor in society.

      Principle 7 — This sounds like a pretty close fit with Catholic just war teaching where force is legitimate used in self-defense of national borders when attacked. Application of this principle would satisfy many Catholic critics of US foreign policy in wars such as Iraq. The end of entangling alliances would mean that we are actually free not to respond militarily if there is no compelling national interest in doing so. Imagine a strong US military pulled largely within our borders (including Alaska and Hawaii) to defend ourselves instead of being spread way too thin throughout the world guarding people from killing each other over matters which are really none of our business.

    • beth

      judgment day will decide

      who’s in and who’s out

      babies suffer in meantime

      get tough,rc’s, get tough!