St. Patrick’s Church in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin / St. Patrick’s Facebook page
St. Louis, Mo., Apr 3, 2023 / 14:00 pm (CNA).
The Diocese of Madison clarified late last week that the Church does not endorse nor oppose specific political candidates after a Wisconsin pastor urged parishioners in his weekly parish bulletin message to vote against state Supreme Court candidate Janet Protasiewicz, who is openly pro-abortion.
“The Catholic Church’s involvement in public life doesn’t extend to endorsing candidates for election to public office nor calling for their defeat and thus refrains from partisan political activities. The Church does encourage voter registration and encourages Catholics, as citizens, to vote and to be civically engaged,” the diocese said in a statement sent to CNA.
“However, the Church also has both a duty and a right to call attention to the moral and religious dimensions of public issues, measuring social policies and political activities against the natural moral law and Gospel values. Since the first century, the Church has consistently affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law in its respect for all human life.”
The diocese’s response comes after Father Brian Dulli, pastor of St. Patrick’s Church in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, urged his parishioners to vote against the pro-abortion candidate in Tuesday’s Wisconsin Supreme Court election, a race that observers say could have major effects on the legality of abortion in the state.
As reported by Wisconsin Public Radio, an attorney with the activist group Freedom from Religion Foundation, which is based in Madison, wrote to the IRS last week to complain about the bulletin, asking the IRS to revoke St. Patrick’s 501(c)3 nonprofit status.
The April 4 election is between former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly and current Milwaukee judge Protasiewicz. Protasiewicz has spoken openly about her pro-abortion views while insisting that she has made “no promises” to pro-abortion groups that she will seek to overturn the state’s current abortion ban.
In a March 26 parish bulletin, Dulli urged Catholics not to vote for Protasiewicz, saying she has “tried to make this race entirely an effort to legalize abortion in the state of Wisconsin.”
“Abortion is the intentional taking of a human life. It is murder. Our Catholic faith is clear that this is grave sin. It should never be controversial among Catholics to say that you can never intentionally take any action that knowingly will help in the taking of a human life. You cannot publicly support abortion or abortion advocates and remain a Catholic in good standing,” Dulli wrote.
“As a Catholic, I urge you, for the salvation of your soul; do not vote for her [Protasiewicz] in the Supreme Court race on April 4,” he continued.
“I encourage you to study the race carefully and form you [sic] conscience correctly in accordance with the truths of the Catholic faith.”
In his April 2 bulletin message, Dulli acknowledged that the March 26 bulletin “got much more exposure than usual” and reiterated that “given a choice between any two people, we must say ‘absolutely not’ to the person who says abortion should be on the table.”
“We need to say no to a system that demands human sacrifice of the unborn be on the table. Jesus said that we will be judged by what we do to the least among us. Babies are the littlest and least. If someone consents to the killing of unborn children, they will not stop at the destruction of you or your family,” Dulli wrote.
“Haven’t we seen enough destruction now to know it?”
Reached by CNA on Monday, Dulli declined to comment further, saying he believes the situation has been “talked about enough.”
What’s Tuesday’s election all about?
The 2023 Wisconsin judicial race, which might have remained obscure in other years even within Wisconsin, is garnering national media attention and record fundraising numbers for the candidates. The reasons have to do with a prediction — both among pro-life and pro-abortion groups — that the winner of the election could tip the scales in Wisconsin when it comes to the state’s current abortion ban.
Wisconsin is the only state in the nation with a pre-Roe v. Wade abortion ban in effect, at least on paper. Wisconsin’s ban, which is contained in Section 940.04 of the Wisconsin Statutes and dates to 1849, allows abortion only to save the life of the mother. The state’s Democratic governor and attorney general have said they will not enforce the ban and are currently suing in an attempt to have it overturned.
The law was previously unenforceable following the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, but Roe’s overturning last year allowed the statute to come into effect. So far, it has not been blocked in court, as has happened with pre-Roe bans in West Virginia and Michigan.
Pro-abortion groups within and outside Wisconsin have identified the state Supreme Court race as the key to getting 940.04 overturned. Gov. Tony Evers, along with Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, announced a lawsuit last year to attempt to overturn the law, arguing that it has been superseded by subsequent legislation and cannot be enforced.
The lawsuit is likely to be ultimately decided by the state Supreme Court, which has had a 4-3 conservative majority for the past decade and a half. The current election will determine who will sit in the open seat being vacated by retiring conservative justice Patience Roggensack. The winner will serve a 10-year term.
Pro-life advocates worry that should the state Supreme Court obtain a pro-choice majority, the state’s pre-Roe ban could be declared unconstitutional, as happened last year in neighboring Michigan.
Who are the candidates?
Kelly is a former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice who served on the court from his appointment by then-Gov. Scott Walker in 2016 until he was voted out in 2020. He describes himself as a “constitutional conservative” and on his campaign website charges that his opponents are “judicial activists who seek to impose their own political agenda on our state.”
Amid a contentious campaign, Kelly has earned the endorsement of three statewide pro-life groups — Wisconsin Family Action, Pro-Life Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Right to Life. He said during a recent debate that his numerous endorsements from pro-life groups came about after having conversations with them about his pledge to uphold the Constitution, not because of any promise to keep the abortion ban in place.
In contrast, Protasiewicz has garnered endorsements from numerous top Democrats in Wisconsin as well as from pro-abortion groups such as NARAL, Planned Parenthood, and EMILY’s List. Protasiewicz currently is a judge for Branch 24 of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court in Wisconsin, having been elected to that court in 2014.
Protasiewicz has insisted she has made “no promises” to pro-abortion groups such as Planned Parenthood and EMILY’s List but also has made no bones about her pro-choice views. “My personal opinion is that [it] should be the woman’s right to make the reproductive health decisions, period,” she said during a March 21 debate.
What have Catholic leaders said?
At least two of the state’s bishops, including Bishop Donald Hying of Madison, have reiterated to Catholics that the right to life is a foundational issue that should form their consciences as they decide how to vote on Tuesday.
“Without the right to be born and to live, every other right is worthless,” Hying wrote in a March 30 letter.
“Do we want to live in a country that welcomes the wonder of every human life, supports marriages and families, helps the needy and suffering, seeks justice for all, and builds a civilization of love, or, do we want a society which aborts its children, leaves struggling parents without support, and lives a radical autonomy with no reference to the dignity of life and the common good? Do we elect civic leaders who stand on the unshakeable moral principle that every human life is sacred and of immeasurable worth, or, do we elect those who disregard the fundamental dignity of life and advocate for taking the life of the most innocent in the womb? Such questions we should ask ourselves as we exercise our moral and civic duty to vote.”
Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee also issued a letter, dated March 28, urging Catholics to vote for candidates that uphold the right to life.
“The killing of the innocent has never been supported by Catholic Church teachings. As citizens, we have an obligation to support the laws that protect the innocent. We must take our responsibility, as citizens before God’s judgment, for the times we have supported the destruction of the innocent. We must also take responsibility for the lack of support for the protection of the innocent when we vote for candidates and laws that liberalize abortion laws,” Listecki wrote.
“There is nothing enlightened about an individual who fails to realize that the denial of the right to life for the most vulnerable among us is an attack on the dignity and personal value of every citizen. I could not and would not support a candidate whose position on life is contrary to the teachings of the Church — a position contrary to the teachings and love of Jesus.”
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I was shocked and angry with Sister Dede Byrne’s speech in supporting the most despicable monster we have ever had in the Oval Office. She forgot to mention his ordering the separation of parents from their children. Children put in concentration camps in cages with no health care, poor quality of food and no one accountable. She forgot to mention the republican platform of taking away all the financial safety nets for these poor girls who get pregnant. The republican pro lifers care only about the fetus and once that baby takes a breath they walk away. Trump has been accused of sexually molesting at least 25 young women. He has been accused of raping a 14 tear old. He cheated on all three wives, paid off a porn star. He is a disgrace to the USA, As a Catholic I was appalled with cardinal Dolan’s support of this non christian who makes horrible comments about women. If this is what the Catholic Church is supporting I want no part of it. I will find a more healthy religion that does not exploit the poor, especially young women. I will never set foot in a Catholic Church again. If you don’t print this it will show me again what hypocrites you are.
You’re always welcome back.
See the movie ‘Unplanned’.
Patricia, Where do I even start? So many lies and half truths that you uttered but our faith still clings to the hope that your eyes will see the light. You sound like a teacher that is always listening to NPR, am I close?
No, I am a registered nurse who has seen the dark side of the Church. These are not half truths, these statements are true. Separation of children from their parents, put in cages with no medical care, dispute that. The Republican Party has waged a battle against the poor and Nolan is despicable. I think he likes the good fat life.
I could go on and on about things the church has done hiding pedophile priests and allowed it go on and on. My eyes have seen the light but obviously you have not. If you don’t acknowledge the problem then there will be no solution. The Catholic Church is a giant Boys Club. If it were run by competent women a lot of the problems would have been solved before it became criminal. Like hiding Law in the Vatican so he didn’t have to face criminal charges, no denying that.
Patricia,
I think anyone familiar with border security would dispute your comments. Children are routinely brought across the border by adults not related to them and once apprehended are kept apart from adults for their own safety.
Human traffickers should be the target of our righteous anger, not the decent men and women serving along the border.
This woman only expressed her opinion. She has zero authority to speak on behalf of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. I hope everyone who reads or sees her speech realizes that. She has no more authority than you or I, she’s just offering her opinion while wearing a habit. Personally I find it disgusting to claim you are pro life when what you actually are is pro birth and who cares what happens to them once they are in the world.
Karen,
I hope your comments aren’t directed at Sister Deirdre? From what I’ve read she’s dedicated her entire life to others. That’s a far fetch from disregarding life outside of the womb.
I hope we’re all strongly pro-birth. Nothing beneficial can be enjoyed without first having being born.
🙂
Its now November, and Trump is trying to set up a dictatorship in America. S. Deirdre may have meant well, but she has given support to a ruthless tyrant. Religious should not speak out about politics. I suppose she wants Rome to reclaim the Papal States. Laws won’t stop abortion (an old Priest who I deeply respected told me that). The only way to stop abortion is to change people’s hearts. She supported a egocentric bigot who wouldn’t know religion if it hit him on the head (Remember 2 Corinthians?). I grew up near Dallas Tx in the 1950’s. Abortion was “illegal”, but it was common knowledge that if a woman wanted an abortion, she could check locations and prices to find the underground clinic of her choice. Our Catholic cemetery has two of the casualties of bargain basement abortions from the early 1960’s. Beautiful young girls who needlessly died. Laws don’t change peoples behavior. Think Prohibition. Some of you need to grow up. Instead of supporting crooked politicians, support maternity shelters, etc. I do. Deep down I think many Catholics are rabidly anti-abortion because they like the politics of many Republicans. Scribes and Pharases all.
Oh, flapdoodle. Seriously. A “ruthless tyrant?” What has he done that is so ruthlessly tyrannical? Saved babies? Protected religious freedom?
“Abortion was “illegal”, but it was common knowledge that if a woman wanted an abortion, she could check locations and prices to find the underground clinic of her choice.”
It wasn’t “illegal,” it was illegal. And while possibly people determined to do such an evil thing could find out a way to do it, I am quite certain that it was not as widespread as it is now.
“Our Catholic cemetery has two of the casualties of bargain basement abortions from the early 1960’s.”
Two, huh? Two who broke secular as well as moral law, and died doing it. Does your Catholic cemetary have room for the sixty million babies who have been killed since Roe v. Wade?
As far as the statistics on death because of illegal abortions, in the 1960’s as well as other times: https://www.liveaction.org/news/women-died-illegal-abortion-roe/
“Deep down I think many Catholics are rabidly anti-abortion because they like the politics of many Republicans.”
Deep down I think many pseudo-Catholics are rabidly Democratic because they want abortion to be legal.
“Scribes and Pharases all.”
Should I join in your version of Christian charity and say “Worshipers of Moloch all?”