New York Catholic Archbishop Timothy Dolan argued that excommunicating Gov. Andrew Cuomo would be counterproductive because the pro-abortion politician loves the abortion issue so much.
Last week, the New York governor signed a radical pro-abortion law to legalize the killing of unborn babies for basically any reason up to birth.
“I get wheelbarrows of letters every day” asking that Cuomo be excommunicated, Dolan told Fox and Friends on Monday. “I think that would be counterproductive, myself.”
He said Cuomo, who claims to be Catholic, likes to be the “bad boy” and brags about advocating for the deaths of unborn babies. In an op-ed for the New York Post, Dolan wrote with disgust about how the governor celebrated the new pro-abortion law by lighting up state landmarks in pink.
Still, the archbishop said he does not think excommunication is the answer.
“We would be giving ammo to our enemies who say, ‘This is an internal Catholic disciplinary matter. This is really not civil rights. This is really not biology. These Catholics don’t have freedom when it comes to this.’ I think we’d be giving our enemies ammo,” he told Fox.
SIGN THE PETITION: Excommunicate Andrew Cuomo for Legalizing Abortions Up to Birth
Later, Dolan added: “We have a governor that brags about it. We have a governor that uses his dissent from Church teaching as applause lines. We have a governor that takes quotes from Pope Francis out of context to draw an artificial cleavage between the bishops in New York and the Holy Father himself. He’s not going to be moved by this. So what would be the use?”
Dolan did condemn the new pro-abortion law as “ghoulish” in his op-ed, writing:
I’m thinking first of the ghoulish radical abortion-expansion law, which allows for an abortion right up to the moment of birth; drops all charges against an abortionist who allows an aborted baby, who somehow survives the scissors, scalpel, saline and dismemberment, to die before his eyes; mandates that, to make an abortion more convenient and easy, a physician need not perform it; and might even be used to suppress the conscience rights of health care professionals not to assist in the grisly procedures. …
As if that’s not enough, instead of admitting that abortion is always a tragic choice, and that life-giving alternatives should be more vigorously promoted, the governor and his “progressive” supporters celebrated signing the bill. At the governor’s command, even the lights of the Freedom Tower sparkled with delight.
Cuomo also responded to the criticism Monday by indicating he believes more strongly in the so-called right to abort an unborn baby than his religion.
“The Catholic Church doesn’t believe in a woman’s right to chose. .. I understand their religious view. I’m not here to represent a religion,” the governor said.
“I’m here to represent all the people and the constitutional rights and limitations for all the people — not as a Catholic,” he continued.
However, polls indicate the new law is radically out of touch with most Americans’ views on abortion as well.
It allows unborn babies to be aborted for any reason up to 24 weeks and up to birth for “health” reasons, a broad category that includes basically anything. It redefines a “person” as “a human being who has been born and is alive,” and describes abortion as a “fundamental right.” The law also removes state protections for infants born alive in botched abortions.
It poses serious dangers to women’s lives and rights as well. By removing protections from illegal abortions, the law will open the door for abuses. Back alley abortionists, abusive partners or parents and others no longer will face charges for illegally killing an unborn baby – even if the mother wants her child.
New York lawmakers also are considering a bill to legalize assisted suicide this winter.
