Catholic Bishop: “It is Not Possible to be a Catholic in Good Standing and Support Abortion”

National   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   Sep 28, 2020   |   1:18PM   |   Washington, DC

Catholic Church leaders across the U.S. are giving a resounding “no” to the idea that Catholics can support abortion.

Their statements come as Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden touts himself as a devout Catholic while supporting abortions without limits and promising to force taxpayers to pay for them.

Colorado Politics reports Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver reminded Catholics that protecting lives should be a priority Friday in a column about the upcoming election.

“It is not possible to be a Catholic in good standing and support abortion or assisted suicide, to promote unnatural sexuality, or to seek to push people of faith out of the public square,” Aquila wrote at the Denver Catholic. “Those who do so – Catholic or not – are helping hollow out our culture and contributing to its demise.”

Aquila did not mention any names or political parties. Instead, he urged voters to research their stances themselves and, while doing so, make the right to life for unborn babies a “premier concern.”

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He continued:

We are quickly approaching the national election on November 3, when our country will be asked to determine who is best suited to represent us in our legislature and as president. Among the premier concerns for Catholics when they vote are: Who will protect human life at every stage? Who will protect natural marriage and the family? And finally, who will defend religious freedom, protect consciences and the right of people to live out their faith in every sphere of society?

The archbishop urged voters to consider the religious freedoms that also are at stake.

“The attacks on Catholics have shifted from the 19th century discrimination and claims that we can’t be loyal citizens, to the recent assertions that Catholics are judgmental and hateful towards women and sexual minorities,” he wrote, noting a recent spate of vandalism and violence against Catholics.

Anti-Catholic discrimination also has been apparent in the reactions to President Donald Trump’s choice of Catholic Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill an open U.S. Supreme Court seat. Barrett began facing false and discriminatory attacks on her faith before Trump even nominated her.

Aquila encouraged Catholics to advocate for religious liberty and vote for life and freedom in November.

Earlier in the week, he also participated in a pro-life rally to raise awareness about a Colorado ballot measure to end late-term abortions, according to the report.

“The media and society, and many politicians put out the lie and the false premise that Catholics only care about the unborn. That is not true. That is a total lie,” he said.

Ballot Proposition 115, if supported by a majority of voters, would prohibit abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy when unborn babies are viable outside the womb. Exceptions would be allowed if the mother’s life is in danger.

Currently, Colorado is one of a few states that allows unborn babies to be aborted for any reason up to birth, and late-term abortionists there openly advertise abortions in the third trimester.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is encouraging Catholics to prioritize protections for unborn babies when they vote in November.

“The threat of abortion remains our preeminent priority because it directly attacks life itself, because it takes place within the sanctuary of the family, and because of the number of lives destroyed,” their voter’s guide states.