Joseph F. Naumann, 71, has served as Archbishop of Kansas City, Kansas since 2005. He was born in St. Louis, was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1975 and an auxiliary bishop in 1997. He served in a variety of parishes and administrative roles before coming to Kansas City as coadjutor archbishop (with the right of succession) in 2004.
Throughout his priesthood he has been active in supporting the pro-life movement, and serves as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities. On January 28, Archbishop Naumann celebrated the annual March for Life vigil Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. In his homily, he admonished Catholics to fight the culture of death with “prayer, fasting and almsgiving.”
CWR: In January 2020, 100,000 people participated in the 2020 March for Life, and the featured speaker was President Donald Trump. Where do we stand today?
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann: The circumstances are very much different. I’d say we had many more than 100,000 at the March for Life a year ago, and would have had more than that this year had it not been for the virus and fears that the March would be taken over by people with other agendas. The passion that our people have to build a culture of life and to protect the most vulnerable, the unborn, is strong, particularly among our young people.
CWR: Do you think the 2021 March for Life was at all effective as a virtual event this year? What kind of participation did you observe?
Archbishop Naumann: The downside of having a virtual event is that we cannot observe the participants in the same way. But, considering the correspondence I’ve received, and what I observed at the Vigil Mass, I’d say a lot of people were tuned in and watching.
I was also pleased to see so many U.S. bishops from New Hampshire to Hawaii livestreaming Holy Hours after the vigil from their cathedrals. It was beautiful.
CWR: Do you think it was a mistake to cancel the March for Life? Will it return next year?
Archbishop Naumann: It was a wise and prudent decision to cancel the March, considering the event at the Capitol that happened a few weeks before. It was not the time to have a mass demonstration. And, God willing, it will definitely return next year.
CWR: Mr. Biden professes to be a devout Catholic, yet is 100% pro-choice on abortion. How do you think America’s bishops ought to respond to this situation?
Archbishop Naumann: I can tell you how this bishop is responding. The president should stop defining himself as a devout Catholic, and acknowledge that his view on abortion is contrary to Catholic moral teaching. It would be a more honest approach from him to say he disagreed with his Church on this important issue and that he was acting contrary to Church teaching.
When he says he is a devout Catholic, we bishops have the responsibility to correct him. Although people have given this president power and authority, he cannot define what it is to be a Catholic and what Catholic moral teaching is.
What he is doing now is usurping the role of the bishops and confusing people. He’s declaring that he’s Catholic, and is going to force people to support abortion through their tax dollars. The bishops need to correct him, as the president is acting contrary to the Catholic faith.
CWR: Fr. Robert Morey of St. Anthony Church in Florence, South Carolina (who retired this year) refused to give then-candidate Joe Biden Holy Communion at Mass in 2019 because of Biden’s pro-abortion stance. What do you think of Fr. Morey’s action?
Archbishop Naumann: I think he was acting on and following his conscience. I believe the president has the responsibility not to present himself for Holy Communion. When Catholics receive the Eucharist, they are acknowledging the Real Presence of Jesus, and also belief in the teachings of the Church. President Biden doesn’t believe in the Church’s teachings on the Sanctity of Human Life, and he should not put the priest in the situation where he has to decide whether or not to allow him to receive the Eucharist. He should know that after 78 years as a Catholic.
CWR: Would you give Mr. Biden Communion?
Archbishop Naumann: I don’t think I’ll ever be in that situation; I don’t anticipate him coming to Mass in Kansas and coming up to me to receive Communion.
I do believe that his bishop has a responsibility to dialogue with him about this issue. What he is supporting is a serious evil. I don’t know the disposition of his mind and heart, but his act of supporting legal abortion is wrong.
CWR: You had some good news in Kansas; the Kansas Senate joined the Kansas House in passing by a two-thirds majority the Value Them Both amendment to counter the Kansas Supreme Court’s finding of a right to abortion in the state constitution. The public will vote on it in August 2022. What do you think the campaign for and against this amendment will be like over the next 1.5 years, and how do you anticipate the vote will go?
Archbishop Naumann: The way a constitutional amendment works in Kansas is that it needs a supermajority of the legislature, or a two-thirds vote, to put it on the ballot before the voters. We were able to get this supermajority in January. I am grateful and proud of our leaders in the Kansas legislature that made this happen.
Now we need a majority of Kansans to vote in favor of the amendment. I do believe they will do so, although we face a challenging opposition which is already trying to confuse the public about what the amendment says and doesn’t say. The amendment corrects an error of the Kansas Supreme Court, which says the state constitution has a right to abortion. That puts all our pro-life legislation in jeopardy, and makes it impossible to pass more pro-life legislation in the future.
CWR: What is your opposition saying?
Archbishop Naumann: They falsely suggest that the amendment will outlaw all abortions. While I hope someday that legislation will be in place to protect every unborn child, this amendment does not outlaw all abortions. It corrects what the Kansas Supreme Court said, and allows people, through their representatives, to decide what our public policy will be, rather than what just a few people on the Supreme Court say.
CWR: You’ve had some public conversations recently about the morality of receiving COVID-19 vaccines which may have been developed using human tissue taken from aborted babies. Your focus, if I am correct, is whether or not Catholics could morally receive such vaccines, not if they should or shouldn’t. Is that correct?
Archbishop Naumann: Yes, that is a statement I made with Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana. We said that it is permissible for Catholics to receive the vaccine if they choose to do so, and their motivation may be a positive one, concern for spreading the virus to the vulnerable in our society. We all have a moral obligation to work for the common good, and protecting the vulnerable through a vaccination can be a good, but you should not be compelled to do so.
People may have good reasons for not wanting to be vaccinated. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have a remote connection to cell lines that came from tissue taken from aborted babies, and they may want to separate themselves from that. People also may have concerns about the side effects of vaccines.
But we said taking the vaccine despite its remote connection to abortion is not an immoral act because preserving one’s health and that of others outweighs that, and the past abortions were neither desired nor intended by those now using the vaccines.
CWR: Some bishops have gone beyond saying that the vaccine is morally permissible, insisting that Catholics do have a moral obligation to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Pope Francis is reported to have said in an interview on January 10: “I believe that morally everyone must take the vaccine. It is the moral choice because it is about your life but also the lives of others … There is a suicidal denialism that I would not know how to explain but today people must take the vaccine.”
Archbishop Naumann: Did the pope really say that? It was reported by the secular press, but I’m not sure what Pope Francis said. I am not saying people have a moral obligation to take the vaccine.
CWR: What other pro-life concerns do you have?
Archbishop Naumann: On a national level, the greatest concern I have is that the president and speaker of the House want to do away with the Hyde amendment, which prohibits federal tax dollars from funding abortion.
The pro-abortion side is moving away from the language of “choice,” and is coercing people to get involved with abortion, in this case using their tax dollars for something they believe is immoral. We need to speak strongly to our representatives. This is unacceptable.
CWR: Are you concerned about passage of H.R. 5, the so-called “Equality Act,” which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said will be “a momentous step toward finally and fully ending discrimination against LGBTQ Americans.”
Archbishop Naumann: Yes, it concerns me very much. I fear it will coerce religious institutions like ours to do things that violate our conscience or prevent us from participating in government programs. This is related to gender issues and other issues as well. Unless it can be improved, I would oppose it vigorously.
CWR: Any other thoughts?
Archbishop Naumann: The Church has a comprehensive approach to building the culture of life. I would like to make people aware of a USCCB program, Walking with Moms in Need, which helps mothers in difficult pregnancy situations to get the help they need. It is our goal not only to make abortion illegal, but unthinkable.
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Biden is a faithful Catholic just like Judas was a faithful disciple.
Thanks Leslie. You have spoken the truth without ambiguity.
Yes thats true. Biden is not a good catholic or person. Abortion is murder plain and simple. Adoption is the best choice.
Agreed, but not having sex is the ONLY “choice” if you don’t want to bring another human being into the world. And, “my body, my choice” is such a lie. It’s not the woman’s “body” who is being ripped apart and thrown out like trash. It’s another human being’s innocent body.
“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
I wonder how President Asterisk will respond when he hears those words from Christ’s own lips.
I so agree….I have grave concerns about babies that won’t be adopted. Legal adoption fees are expensive-in the thousands of dollars. Not all babies are adoptable…severe birth defects, etc. Our church, plus all who promote adoption, must be ready to ‘put their money where their mouth is’….building, maintaining, staffing orphanages. Otherwise we are just noisy gongs and clanging cymbals.
On wonders just how much money you’ve actually put where your mouth is, Donna. Do you walk the walk or simply talk the talk?
Adoption fees cost thousands of dollars. Are you and the church and the government willing to pay those fees? Many babies are not adoptable due to mental or physical disabilities. Are you and the the church and the government willing to pay for state-of-the-are orphanages in every state??
Donna, I’m really impressed by the sheer unmitigated spite you spew.
There are few orphanages in the US because for 70 years and more they have been replaced with a system of foster care, because it is considered better to have them in homes and small groups where they can receive individual attention rather than being crammed into group homes. https://www.americanadoptions.com/adoption/do-orphanages-still-exist
So I don’t know whence comes your demand that they should be re-started and funded.
There are many Catholic agencies that help with adoptions.
As for the cost of adoptions: https://adoption.org/why-is-adoption-so-expensive
There are people who adopt babies with physical and mental defects. They are not “not adoptable.”
Donna, are you willing to pay for the abortion of the babies that are deemed “not adoptable”?
Of course not….that’s an absurd response.
It’s not my responsibility to pay for all of that, sorry.
Donna, don’t dodge the issue. The question isn’t whether we — any of us, or the churches, the government, etc., are willing to pay the cost of adoptions procedures, but whether YOU are. You are only at liberty to speak for yourself in that regard, and it’s as clear as it can possibly be that you aren’t.
Bishops should stand up for truth! What wimps!
It’s so sad that most wont take a real stand against abortion and gay marriage and for Jesus in the sacrament
of Holy Communion! Our church is Sick, Sick Sick!
Rita Mohacsi
Why is he still getting communion and going to church
Nan – because it looks good in the papers and looks good to his fellow liberal ‘catholics’, many of whom agree with him and voted for him.
They are afraid of revenge! I did not say this before but it’s clear others have!😊
Unfortunately a large amount of Catholics should not be receiving communion because of their use of birth control. Life starts at conception and birth control causes a conceived baby to be flushed from the womb. Birth control prevents the conceived baby from implanting in the uterus by making the uterus lining to thin. The baby has nowhere to implant. It’s very sad.
Forget Biden! What about what faithful CATHOLICS the majority of bishops, cardinals and the POPE are? As a devout Catholic for 75 of my 80 years, I am nearly destroyed by the Judas actions of our hierarchy. God in Heaven, Christ Jesus, Holy Spirit, have mercy, help and protect our Christ following, Church teaching couple of real Bishops and Cardinals and all our devout priests.
Thank you
He should be excommunicated. He does the Church a great public disservice with his stand against its very basic teachings on the intrinsic value of human life and on the proper understanding of the role of marriage and the family.
Is his marriage even valid?
I have to challenge this article and these comments. You’re positing that President Biden can’t be a good Catholic, in that his stand on abortion respects the rule of law, and differs from Church doctrine. It must follow, then that for anyone (those in religious vocations included) to be considered members in good standing in the Roman Catholic church, compliance with Church doctrine is an absolute requirement. I seem to recall a parable around the comment that “let he who is without sin…”
Further- is compliance with Church doctrine the right barometer? What about compliance with Biblical teaching? If I remember correctly, there are some pretty unusual strictures in Leviticus- and I don’t recall anything explicitly in the Bible concerning abortion, specifically.
To me, these comments smack of hypocrisy.
What gives you the bizarre notion that Church doctrine contradicts Biblical teaching? And only the Church has the authority to interpret the Bible, so what you consider to be “Biblical teaching” may be misinterpretation.
“It must follow, then that for anyone (those in religious vocations included) to be considered members in good standing in the Roman Catholic church, compliance with Church doctrine is an absolute requirement.”
Assent to Church doctrine is an absolute requirement. “Members in good standing” is not the way to phrase it. One can be a faithful Catholic and commit a sin through weakness. One can also be an unfaithful Catholic and commit a sin through pride, arrogance, selfishness, and so on. Some sins carry with them the penalty of excommunication. Abortion is one of them.
“I don’t recall anything explicitly in the Bible concerning abortion, specifically.”
I don’t recall anything explicitly in the Bible that says everything muse be explicitly in the Bible.
Try “Thou shalt not kill.” It doesn’t say “abortion;” it doesn’t have to. Abortion is a subset of killing.
“To me, these comments smack of hypocrisy.”
To me, your comments smack of smug self-satisfaction, and ignorance.
Biden has never described himself as “devout.” That’s a word the secular media gleefully add to the name of a Catholic with whom they agree for having adopted an unorthodox opinion.
The secular media is using the word “devout” in the way the notorious Kinsey report defined the term well over half a century ago: by definition, a “devout Catholic” was someone who frequently attended Sunday Mass.
Jo Biden is not even a Christian, how could him be a CATHOLIC? “If you love me, keep my COMMANDMENTS!” John 14:15. Jesus is the FOUNDATION OF the CATHOLIC FAITH!Without HIM, the Cathoic Faith could never be in EXCITENCE! Biden is NO CATHOLIC! Because he promotes Anti God Laws! Abortion, Same Gender union and Euthansia! They are all NIt Life Laws! God is LIFE! Thus, they are Anti God’s LAWS! Therefor, Biden is Anti God, how could he be a DEVOUT CATHOLIC? Anyone who sais who is a Christan, but h who believes any ofthe Anti LIFE Life = Anti God’sLaws, couild never be a CATHOLIC!
I can’t help but wonder why comments like this weren’t shouted from the rooftops BEFORE the election. They knew then who Biden was!!!!
Joe Biden confuses no one; we all know exactly who he is and who he is not. Joe Biden is the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing. What confuses Catholics is the lack of PRO ACTIVE, vocal and visible “shepherding of the flock” by the USCCB. No “thou shalt not”, not even “thou should not.” WHY NOT?
Dan,
Biden doesn’t confuse intelligent people, but he can easily confuse dumb people.
I have a relative who’s a former Catholic who thinks the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is a legitimate Catholic congregation and that Catholics worship Mary as God. This person, by the way, considers himself to be intelligent and informed.
Biden can easily influence people with his self-deceptive beliefs.
I agree. The Bishops knew exactly what Biden intended to do if he won. He bragged about it. But most of them remained silent and silence means consent. Thank God for the few faithful and courageous Bishops who told the truth.
I have to say, I heard many bishops speak out and the Pope has said over and over that life begins at conception and abortion is wrong and the Church has not changed in that respect. THe media loves to spin things to confuse people; rather like Biden being a faithful Catholic. Beware of wolf in sheeps clothing….it is very evil to support abortion and especially to lead people to think you are faithful but believe such in and support such evil. Then to demand all of us to pay for it is despicable.
Biden is doing the devils work. He is the wolf in sheeps clothing!!!!
Indeed, why have the public murderers not been publicly excommunicated?
I also wish that Catholic clergy had spoken out before the election. But it is more important that we support them now that they are speaking out rather than criticizing them for not doing so earlier. It takes great courage and they need our support.
My parish priest did and still does speak out against abortion. It is a shame that this did not happen in all parishes.
AGREED!!
Why are they courageous? When I was growing up, every Sunday’s homily talked about sin, immorality, chastity, even birth control even pre-marital sex, etc. Today, we have come so far from the truth, that it’s considered “courageous” to talk about Catholic dogma and beliefs.
There is no such ardent and unwavering preaching of the Gospel today because the Church has metamorphosed from Church of sinners called to be saints to Church of Nice people who need not be offended.
I wish there had been a vigorous debate when the letters “d” and “b” along with letter “r” somehow were mixed up and the word “adoption” became the word “abortion”
They spoke out the media just refused to televise it.
Because he was touted as a moderate. And sheep are stupid.
Jesus calls for repentance, and tells people to go and sin no more; He doesn’t say, “Hey, do whatever you want, it’s all fine.”
Hello, second Leslie.
I just posted my comment in the wrong place; it was intended to reply to Donna Erpelding, below.
Judge not less you be judged….Jesus would accept Biden, women who have had abortions, etc. into his inner circle with compassion, mercy, and grace. None of us can condemn another without knowing their reasoning for making the decisions that they make.
I am not being the judge, murder has already been judged and those that murder will have their judgement day. those of us who do not stand up for life will also be judged. Biden is lying when he says he is a faithful Catholic, that is not me judging that is him lying because the Church tells us we cannot have it both ways. We can be forgiven but not when we intentionally mislead the flock and intentionally do evil. This isn’t about our judgement…Christ talked about many things that we are to do and stand up for.
I’ve known some women/girls who have had abortions….In conversation they told me their stories…one had an abortion because her family insisted on it, another told me she had an abortion because her boyfriend insisted on it. We all cried. Both women/girls said they can’t wait to give their baby hugs when they get to heaven.
I think there is maybe something about repenting an turning away from your prior lifestyle (sins) that’s gonna keep Joe in a very hot place, THANK GOD
Those that had repented and changed their ways were accepted, not those that continued in sinful scandalous lifestyles. By the way, Christ was not in their company while they were committing such, and He made it clear that they were to cease in such ways.
He would – if they showed genuine contrition, and he would impose another condition: sin no more. When Joe publicly and genuinely accepts those conditions I’m sure he will be welcomed in the Church
Judge not less you be judged(sic)
Jesus wants you to brush up on your deficient knowledge of Scripture, Donna. Pay close attention to the following along with Matthew 18 where Jesus Himself instructs on how to excommunicate the unrepentant.
“And why even of yourselves, do you not judge that which is just?” Jesus Christ, Luke 12:57
Judgments about intrinsic right and wrong principles and behavior are obligatory and something everyone does even when they hypocritically pretend that they don’t. This is not the same thing as judging a soul, which is what the “Do not judge” commandment refers to.
I am extremely disappointed in our Church leadership. Biden, Pelosi and the overwhelming majority of Democrat politicians support abortion at any point. They also support immigration policies that are dangerous for USA citizens and the illegals that they encourage to come here. They are also champions of not tolerance but endorsement of LGBT rights and lifestyles to the point of pushing it in our schools.
Where was our leadership? A few spoke out. Other obfuscated and dissembled like Biden’s own Bishop, misleading and confusing church members. There is no room for dissent. These positions are in direct conflict with Church teachings. Even worse, leadership remained silent despite the fact that these leaders and the Democratic party are in a position to affect 330 million people, not just one individual. I call on our leadership to lead, follow or step down.
That’s correct! If the Bishops had been following
the church teaching before the election, Trump
Would still be our President.
CWR: Would you give Mr. Biden Communion?
.
Archbishop Naumann: I don’t think I’ll ever be in that situation…”
.
That is a Yes/No question. Please give a Yes or No answer.
Agree I found this response really disappointing. When it comes to CINO politicians approving of abortions the bishops are just AWOL.
We’re getting there – to the “NO!”
The Bishops are taking it in short steps but I think the day is getting here.
I am in middle-aged. I know one day the bishops will say, “No Communion for abortion suppporters,” but do not think I will live long enough, not even if I live another forty years.
Jesus would deny Communion to no one. He would welcome all to the table…. even those who need Christ the most.
Donna, I have absolutely no idea what religion you practice; but it is not a table, it is an altar. The Eucharist is the the Body of Christ, and those who receive Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin are committing a further sin; they are receiving unworthily, and “Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord.”
You are wrong. He would deny it to people who openly defy Church teaching on this incredibly important point, and to those who deny Church teaching on the same-sex marriage issue, and not only do they defy Church teaching, but they also use their power to advance legislation to that point.
Donna Erpelding – It is May 12, 2021 10:16 a.m. edt. I am responding (once again) to your post of 2/16/21 @ 11:48.
You said – “Jesus would deny communion to no one. He would welcome all to the table – even those who need Christ the most.”
I agree with this to a point, but I must add – They must repent of their sins first and then vow to sin no more. In other words – they must admit that what they did was WRONG and that they will NEVER DO IT AGAIN.
“I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy Grace, to confess my sins, do penance and to amend my life forever.”
Kathryn,
That is exactly what I was thinking and wondering!! Should have been a resounding NO, considering the topic!! But no answer speaks volumes!!
Well, did anyone think that the bishop was taking prudential measures in his response? These comments of his are all made public, and it seems to me that, as his other comments were so definitive in regard to the other who had to decide on whether or not to give the president Holy Communion, we can safely assume the best and stay focused on praying for all the clergy and not losing any peace over something that could very well be a truth in either direction, but which at this point is not in our hands at all. Except for anything we can do by prayer.
The real question is, who do follow the devil or Christ? Abortion is against life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It also undoes God’s weaving us in the womb.
Absolutely….are you and the church willing to provide for the mother and child…during pregnancy and afterward? …. health care, housing, food, diapers, counseling, clothing, child care, etc.? Being pro-birth is one thing, being pro-life, womb to tomb is another.
As it happens, there are a number of Catholic charities which help with those very things.
You, appear to be one of those people who would argue that a parent who decided that a ten-year-old child was an expense and an inconvenience should be allowed to kill that child.
Pretending that there is a difference between “pro-birth” and “pro-life” is a bit of special pleading on the part of people who want to be able to slaughter innocents for any flimsy reason they can come up with.
Archbishop Nauman had the guts not to give Communion to the then Kansas Governor Sebillious. The Archbishop had private meetings with her before he publically refused her Communion.
Archbishop Naumann’s response was entirely appropriate. He was asked a hypothetical question, not unlike someone asking the question “Yes or no, have you stopped beating your spouse?”. Neither response would be appropriate for the vast majority of people. Suppose Biden had made a valid confession to the Archbishop immediately prior to Mass. If he was in a state of grace, it would be wrong for the Archbishop to deny him Communion. Naumann is also not Joe Biden’s Bishop and was probably being sensitive not to usurp his bishop’s authority.
The first day on the job President Biden said he would can, on the spot, anyone who worked for him who was not nice etc… It took three weeks to fire the deputy press secretary who used extreme language/threats on a white house reporter pursuing a valid story on independence.
He is a career politician who says and does the opposites.
My understanding is that the press secretary resigned.
He was told to.
“Biden said he would can [fire], on the spot, anyone who worked for him who was not nice etc…”
He ought to have fired himself as soon as he said the above.
As a politician who believes abortion should be legal, Biden appears to be in need of serious and speedy enlightenment by his priest, bishop, cardinal, or by the Holy Spirit. If the first three fail to do their jobs, the latter surely will not. Justice will follow mercy. Biden then may, too late, see the light.
He didn’t fire him. He suspended him for a week. The guy resigned
Abp. Naumann, to you goes this year’s ‘Captain Obvious’ award.
Don’t look for the Prez to visit K.C. any Sunday for the next 4 years.
Biden’s plans were out in the open before the election. People have a responsibility to inform themselves. I am flabbergasted at the general cluelessness.
Biden is doing what he said he would do when he was running for president. Where were the statements then that he should stop defining himself as a devout Catholic?
CWR refers to Biden as 100% pro-choice. “Pro-choice” is the preferred term of the abortionists. They are actually pro- abortion, as the legal action they take against any state law requiring informed choice proves. If we allow the abortionists to get us to use their terms we are well on the road to defeat.
When answering CWR’s question about Father Morey refusing communion to Biden, Archbishop Naumann says Father Morey was following his conscience. No, he was following Canon law 915, which bishops refuse to do, hiding behind the excuse, “We don’t want to weaponize the Eucharist.”
Archbishop Naumann’s, and other bishops’ statements that “his (Biden’s) bishop should dialogue with him” are getting tiresome, and are obviously an excuse for not taking action. Biden has been a Catholic for 78 years, and been pro-abortion for decades. If his bishop was going to dialogue with him he would have done so by now.
I would like to have seen some concern expressed by the archbishop for Biden’s salvation, if he in fact believes it is at risk.
AMEN!!
Exactly, Crusader. Thank you. Why is it that this plain and absolute truth is not acted upon by the bishops in this country?
His Bishop is Wilson Gregory who said of President Trump when he visited the shrine of St John Paul II that the Knight of Columbus (owner of the Shrine) should not have allowed him to visit, that same week end we sang all are welcome in this place in the churches in the Washington DC area. How ironic !!!!
All those who profess Christ as Son of the Living God, professing their faith in Him as Savior and Lord, are called to imitate Christ, to follow Christ, to “be imitators of God as dear children.” This doesn’t apply only to priests, religious, etc. – it applies to all, including politicians – senators, representatives, governors, military, even the President.
It’s a simple yes or no, light or darkness, comparison. One cannot claim to be in the light and walk in darkness. One cannot claim to follow Christ while promoting ideals and approving of ways that are contrary to Christ and God’s divine law – and the natural law. One cannot claim to be “not of this world” while also bowing to it. One cannot serve Christ, the Author of Life, and the devil, the father of lies, a murderer from the beginning.
It’s time Christians – true Catholics who follow Christ in word and deed completely, not just in those things that they agree with while avoiding the things they don’t – to stand up for Christ, for truth, for the narrow gate and hard way that leads to life, and expose the lies of the devil that promote a wide gate and easy road that leads to destruction.
“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Eph 5).
With all due respect to Archbishop Naumann, in my opinion, Catholics are not confused by Mr Biden and no one is usurping the role of Bishops, but the Bishops themselves. In regards to our faith, from the preeminent issue of abortion to the Hyde amendment, you knew and now it’s confirmed, know, what Mr Biden is; a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Yet the US Catholic flock never saw or heard proactive, highly visible, highly vocal shepherding from our Bishops. From the pulpits, in the media, in all the Catholic daily meditation and reflection sites, the USCCB offered no official, consistent, frequent, organized Catholic direction. There was no “thou shalt not”, no “thou cannot”, not even a “thou should not.”
The question, “Why not?” is the root of my confusion.
Personally, I’m not comfortable blaming any Catholic confusion on Mr Biden’s detrimental actions,.. because we knew.
What a perfect response from Dan Coyle!! This is exactly how I feel! We all know MANY “good catholic friends and family” who voted for Mr. Biden -why didn’t our bishops speak out with a consistent message-the confusion comes from within our church!!
So agree…Let’s follow Christ in word and deed completely…From my perspective that would mean we feed, clothe, shelter, provide health care, provide child care, counseling, etc. for mother and child…not just ‘pro-birth’ but completely ‘pro-life’… womb to tomb. That would be following Christ in word and deed.
No, communism isn’t “following Christ in word and deed.”
Several comments….one about Catholic Charities…I have been deeply involved with Catholic Charities in our community for over 20 years. Yes, they generously offer much personal care – counseling, rent assistance, food and hygiene products, diapers, even furniture and appliances, clothing, help pay health bills, immigration lawyers, adoption lawyers,etc. If I am interpreting your comment regarding ‘communism’ then I can assume from your perspective Catholic Charities is a form of ‘communism’.
You said “we feed, clothe, shelter, provide health care, provide child care, counseling, etc. for mother and child…not just ‘pro-birth’ but completely ‘pro-life’… womb to tomb.”
That means that you think that the mother and the child should be supported by others until they die. Not that they should work and earn, but that others should have all the responsibility for them for all their lives.
Communism.
Catholic Charities is a temporary helping hand for those in need. There’s a difference.
What a revolting idea. You would have made a good Bolshevik back in the day.
I thank God for Archbishop Neumann for his fidelity to the Gospel and its strong commitment to prolife values and pray that other members of the Hierarchy including Pope Francis will follow his example.
I do respectfully question the comment about President Biden’s reception of Holy Communion by the qualification that “[I] don’t know the disposition of his mind and heart…” Many clerics use this same qualification to beat a convenient and cowardly retreat on this question. But Biden has made the disposition of his mind and heart abundantly clear. It’s far beyond “I can’t impose my views on others” to extreme promotion and international funding, and therefore encouragement, of unlimited abortion.
Geeezzzzzz, all priests and bishops should just say and do what they should like Fr.Billy, I hope Fr. Billy isn’t attacked for just being honest and good as a Catholic should be. Shame on all the supposedly Catholic politicians who actually voted for abortions at later months (and any time!), even if a baby survived an abortion, they are OK with killing the baby? Now if that isn’t satanic to most catholics, I pray for all those lost souls. Catholic Priest Unloads on Pro-Abortion Catholics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BefWRj0c6pI&feature=youtu.be
Idea, actually 2 ideas:
1) We all hope and pray that Archbishop Naumann is but the FIRST of MANY, and I don’t think at this point that it is very far-fetched to hope that. I sense a tipping point, IOW that the Bishops know that the time for clerical b.s. is coming to a close.
2) Pray for the soul of Joe Biden – Lent is here and it would be a good idea.
Some place a saying of recognize the log in your own eye, first, before judging others.
A devout Catholic recognizes exploiting the poor, the foreigner, the immigrate, the homeless is wrong, as all human life is Prolife.
A devout Catholic stands against Unjust war, Genocide of Millions of humans as the US exterminates in Yemen. A total defiant action to the Catholic Teachings, as the forever, Unjust wars the US has waged the past twenty years..
Unbridled Capitalism, is defiant to the Catholic faith, as Jesus himself stood against in his chasing the money changers, out of the Temple.. Calling to an end to paying the Temple tax, that forced many to Borrow money to pay..
Recognizes, Unbridled Capitalism, Trillion dollar borrowing and near two thirds of a Trillion Military budget, weapons to exterminate “the poor” humans is morally Wrong.
The sudden closing, elimination of Orphanages. Raging human sex slave crisis in the US, Mexico. Slaughter of Catholic priests in Mexico, and women and children. Drug epidemic, all of Americas, that has destroyed an entire generation, as Phonograpy that ties to the sex tracficing, that times to the internet itself.
Homeless families, wage and debt slavery, all point to defiance to Pro life, Pro Quality of life.
Pro Quality of Life, to All Human life, is the real issue to real Devout Catholics.
A Call of Unity, not denial and isolation.
Yes, remove the log from your own eye first, then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye. You should obey the bible verses you quote. And no true Catholic would continue to repeatedly post these falsehoods.
I was wondering. If the political contributions Trump got for his attempt at reelection were traced would tose contributions lead back to people and organizations that believe in abortion?
In Matthew 2:13-17 Jesus sits with sinners and tax collectors. President Biden can certainly make a difference as he sits with his memebers of congress because he believes in God, Trump never did.
Again Matthew 7:1 let God judge
Further the Catholic Church has enough problems. The scandals that have been going on for years now regarding preists, bishops etc is enough isn’t it?
If people and organizations that believe in abortion made political contributions to President Trump, they got a president who said he would fight against abortion and who kept his word..
How do you claim to know whether President Trump believes in God? And if Biden does, he has an extraordinarily odd way of showing it.
As for the scandals, they are terrible. They are also sins that are prevalent in the world today and have, sadly, poisoned the Church as well, and been covered up, wrongly. That doesn’t mean that the Church shouldn’t speak out against murder.
I hear your frustration but it is misplaced…we will never stop all the evil in the world until Jesus christ is preached to the world and people beg for forgiveness for their evil deeds…when one who is a Christian and catholic flaunts the truth of our faith and is not corrected that misleads the non believer…until catholic people are purified and speak as one in christ for all truth the world will not change…we need to believe with conviction these truths before we evangelization the results will be mediocre at best…we are in a new apostolic age let’s act like it before another Annanias.and sapphira.happens…
In my judgment, you didn’t participate in any spelling bees or learn how to diagram a sentence in parochial school, Lyle.
Its very thought provoking in Einstein noted, if he ever meet a Christian who was as he thought one should be, he would become one himself. The chances of finding one today in the USA is more unlikely than ever..
Calumny and Detraction are both mortal sins to which we cannot expect God to forgive us for, for they are attacks on others that cannot be made right..
Is not that what this entire article is?
Would a real devout Catholic, address this issue, in admonishing the sinner, in a loving and kind way. We are to admonish the sinner, yes, in a loving and kind way.. Not shouting the sins of others over the internet.
The Pledge of Allegiance is not said, because people would be lying in saying it today, proven by this site..
A true Catholic would have a great admiration, appreciation, and pray devoutly that God guide our President Mr. Biden as he takes a leadership of a nation that has fallen. Fallen to corruption, evil wars, genocides, denial of the poor, building walls, and the corruption of that which destroys the foundation of the Family Structure,, the foundation of a upright civilization.
Family is the foundation of a nation…
If we want to honest, if you want to destroy family, a casino in the midst of a community is the pit of hell to destroy a community. the foundation, family Yet few want to admit, that our past leader, Trump did that exact event to a community.
and the theory of destroying a community by, is well fact today..
Can we ask Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann that we consider and invoke a campaign to pray and call on God, and past President Kennedy for a miracle to lead us out of a broken nation that once again makes family, All Human Life Pro Life, every life on Earth.
The children, again, are the top priority, education, with clarity, integrity, and harmony to all our actions, of Pro Life.
Please stop cutting and pasting the same posts with the same points under a new article. It’s getting redundant at this point. And no genuine Christian is going to endorse or support Joe Biden.
If you think that President Kennedy was a saint, you are so breathtakingly, staggeringly, monumentally ignorant. Have you ever actually read a biography of him?
“And why even of yourselves, do you not judge that which is just?” Jesus Christ, Luke 12:57
Isn’t it Church Law that anyone who procures or takes part in abortion is excommunicated Latae Sentenciae? It is in fact, so Biden is not a Catholic, he is outside of the Church, as he is battling for so called right to murder a child. WHERE ARE THE BISHOPS?!!! Bidens excommunication is what is needed to be shouted from the rooftops by the Bishops. How did it happen that the most evil of men during the last 80 years have been Consecrated Apostles? These men will surely endure the wrath of Sts. Peter and Paul. Can one imagine the Apostles out playing golf, being entertained and just having a jolly good time. And not preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Savior.
Precisely, Angelo. Thank you for noting that the bishops are egregiously failing in their duty to declare Biden’s excommunication.
I have counseled women who have had abortions…There are different reasons for their abortion choice such as the family insisting on the abortion, the boyfriend insisting on the abortion, mother’s health as well as the baby’s health are in grave danger, etc. Are the families, the boyfriend, the doctors all liable for the abortion? Are you suggesting that all involved in the abortion decisions be excommunicated?
If they encouraged or forced or performed the abortion, then yes, they also participated in the sin. Are you not aware of the various ways of participating in someone else’s sin?
I am saying that by Church Law All who take part in the mortal sin of abortion are de facto Excommunicated. The Catechism teaches 9 ways we are guilty of another’s sin. This is why the Church points out reality, before Our God who is a God of Justice. We are guilty and will receive the same punishment for another’s sin by, COUNCIL, COMMAND, CONSENT, PROVOCATION, PRAISE OR FLATTERY, CONCEALMENT, PARTNERSHIP, SILENCE, DEFENDING EVIL. The Catechism has always taught this with an explanation for each. This is not my teaching, this is the unchangeable teaching of Jesus Christ through the Holy Roman Catholic Church He established for our salvation. And I am not being heartless, I pray for the repentance and conversion of all involved in Abortion.
Catholic Bishops with credibility are those who act are faithful to their duty under Canon 915, as was Father Morey; since Canon 915 directs priests that “others obstinately persisting in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion.”
Are Caholic Bishops promoting a double standard about Holy Communion? A Bishop is not speaking with strength of character when (1) he publicly insists that a politician like Biden obey Canon 916, and not present himself for Holy Communion; while (2) in the next breath giving an evasive answer when asked about his own duty as a priest to obey Canon 915 and withold Holy Communion.
Your comment is the most incisive and useful of this entire article, Chris. Thank you. I wish CWR would give it the prominence and endorsement it deserves.
A devout Catholic stands against the murdering of more than 60,000,000 of the most defenseless of human beings since 1973.
AGREED!!!!
Where were you during this time? Did you step up to adopt one of these innocent? Did you provide for the health care, the food, clothing, shelter of the mother and child during the pregnancy and perhaps for years after???
My wife and I did. Five adoptions. Etc. Enough with the Jimmy Carter arguments.
In my state of Florida you can get pro-life (Choose Life) license plates where a portion of the license plate fee goes to support pro-life organizations. My parish has a yearly fund raiser called Baby Bottle Boomerang where parishioners take baby bottles home to fill with money and return to support a local pro-life birthing alternative center. I support both.
Archbishop Naumann is a courageous and forthright bishop. We need to support him and other bishops when they speak out.
Wow! You’re almost there, Bishop Naumann. Now, just eliminate the word “devout.” Come on, you can do it. Easy now, a little bit of truth at a time…
If Biden should stop defining himself as Catholic, that holds for House speaker Pelosi. Furthermore, both should stop defining themselves as defenders of the Constitution and defenders of democracy. Word is out that the Party is planning to keep the large contingent of military surrounding the Capitol in place at least until the Fall. Republicans have requested response from Speaker Pelosi and have been shunned. The message, adding to this unusual military show of power by the Party Biden’s unprecedented executive orders, refusal to negotiate with Republicans is dictatorship. Biden is a despot. He and Pelosi falsely claim Catholicism while increasing access to abortion without limitation, irrational sexual identity practice/policy are likely suffering religious guilt, and with guilt fear and paranoia. When we develop a false conscience consciously subduing the truth [inevitable because it is written upon our hearts by God], instability sets in. Indications of that form of guilt are irrational hatred and fear. Historically, there’s evidence of that in Martin Luther’s admonitions to the German princes to garrote and slaughter the rebellious peasants. Televangelist Jimmy Swaggert who viciously attacked the morality of his counterparts while himself engaged in adultery with prostitutes. Until exposed. Archbishop Naumann is fulfilling his responsibility as defender of the faith unlike other bishops, who must follow his example. Were they to join him it should make Biden and Pelosi think harder about their Catholicism. With more voices including presbyters and laity, and prayers they may convert to the truth. Grace is always at work when appealed. Although our major difficulty is the Vatican’s approbation and lack of criticism it mustn’t deter us.
100% agree. just wish more clergy would have made these comments before
the election. Look up Fr Edward Meeks on utube….he is a convert and gave
an awesome homily on this subject BEFORE the election. Sadly he took a lot
of flack for pointing out the obvious.
I don’t know ANY Catholics whom I would define as being devout, who would call Biden ‘devout’ – not a one.
To repeat – We, the laity, need to support bishops like Archbishop Naumann when they speak out. It’s not all on the bishops. (See Robert Royal at The Catholic Thing, Feb. 15).
The whole lot of you are so pious! Father Keith Symons molested me repeatedly in Sarasota Florida. The church hid him and paid me 35 years later a dismissive and insulting settlement.
Abortions are not a choice I would recommend to anyone, but I know several people who have had an abortion. that is between them and “god” as they understand the concept.
Judge not, lest ye be judged.
Rory Michael, You say, “Judge not, lest ye be judged”, and yet you slam dunk the pious? You name a priest by name and area. That could be libelous. Is money the only medicine that can heal your wounds? Try frequent Confession and frequent Communion, penance, fasting and prayer. I know of a priest who was falsely accused, the accusers only wanted 20 million dollars. In their quest for money they destroyed a priest who looked forward and lived for His daily Mass and hearing Confessions in order to apply the remedy of God’s Mercy. The accusers destroyed all he was born and lived for. All for 20 million they didn’t get. The accusers have waisted 30 years of their lives faking emotional distress. I am sure they have suffered 30 years of emotional distress, that they brought upon themselves for what they thought would be easy money. God Bless you and may you seek shelter under the Mantle of Our Holy Mother.
Andrew Angelo
FEBRUARY 16, 2021 AT 5:35 AM, your reply to Rory Michael
FEBRUARY 15, 2021 AT 8:37 PM is one of the more heartless responses I have read on these pages, lacking any sensitivity. You imply a false allegation so effectivley deny the abuse. This is the re traumatising of those abused by thoughtles and heartless comment. For those abused by Catholic Priests and Bishops it is a frequent occurence when they turn to the “Body of Christ”. I would advise them to steer clear of the likes of you who walk around the garden of other peoples lives wearing your hob nail boots.
To check the possible veracity of Rory’s post one has only to search;
https://adamhorowitzlaw.com/tag/diocese-of-st-petersburg/
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Keith Symons:
A Michigan native, Joseph Keith Symons was ordained in 1958 for the St. Augustine Diocese. When the Diocese split in 1968, Symons ministered for the Diocese of St. Petersburg. He held numerous chancery positions there, was elevated to Auxiliary Bishop in 1981, and was appointed Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee in 1983.
In 1994, Symons was accused of sexually abusing a minor, and the following year, Symons admitted it. Symons claimed that was his only victim and was allowed to remain in ministry. In 1998, another man disclosed sexual abuse as a child by Symons. Symons resigned several days later and admitted to having sexually abused five boys early in his career. Bishop Symons returned to, Michigan where he lived in a convent and led adult spiritual retreats.
Investigation records show Catholic Church officials were aware that Bishop J. Keith Symons molested altar boys three years before he was forced to resign. Records also show that while serving as St. Petersburg’s Chancellor in the early 1970s, he accepted into the Diocese a known perpetrator of sexual abuse of children. Symons quietly left cash for the mother of two of that priest’s victims when she confronted him years later, thus proving injustice.
Christopher Hallam, You say that my comment was heartless, I could say the same about your comment. Perhaps every priest that is accused should immediately be declared guilty or presumed guilty, only because he was accused. Then the Diocese pay out millions of dollars. You and I are coming from different spectrums. I have so far seen two priests in my Diocese who were falsely accused. One of them at the last moments of the trial was spared, as two witness came forward and testified, it proved his innocence. The other priest was declared guilty by the jury. The Diocese put no canonical sanctions on him because they knew he was innocent. Get this story, two brothers. The oldest testified in Court that his younger Brother told him the priest was molesting him. Then the older brother went to confront the priest in order to make him stop molesting his brother. The priest then turned around and molested the older brother for 5 years. This case was previously thrown out of Federal Court twice, at the third try the jury felt so sorry for the victims that they declared the priest guilty but decided no money was to be awarded to the two brothers. Not too long ago it was being said, “Accuse a priest. Wait for the check from the Diocese in the mail” It is not fair that we look at only one side of the issue and ignore the other. Fr. Benedict Groeschel was fired from EWTN for coming to the defense of accused priests, he too was called heartless. Rory insulted faithful Catholics, that’s why I commented. There are a lot of questions I would like to ask Rory, since he was the one who freely came on this platform. Maybe Rory is innocent, or not, I don’t know. I only come in defense of the innocent party. And I don’t believe money heals all wounds, If there are wounds then Jesus the Divine Physician can and will heal them. To Jesus through Mary.
I am so sorry for what was done to you an innocent by the evil priest; but it is a direct result of hierarchy who did not follow the teachings of Christ. So very many more innocent lives will be destroyed because of hierarchy in the Church who turned their backs on the evil of abortion for whatever gains it brings them. As to the “god” of those people you speak of who had abortions as a solution to their problems – destruction of a life can never be a justification for one’s problems. Such justification is an abandonment of civilization, much less god centered decision. Again, my prayers for your continued suffering as for all those who slaughtered their children.
Yes, abortion is evil! But what about those who did nothing to assist the mother or the unborn child? What about those who do nothing to assist the mother and the baby child? What about supporting health care, food, clothing, shelter, etc. for as long as it is needed to be truly ‘pro-life’ not just pro-birth?
There is no difference between being pro-birth and pro-life.
There is a difference between that and being pro-abortion, which is what you appear to be.
Debbe, Are you saying that because of food, shelter and so on, are reasons that justify the murder of an innocent human being. Have you ever heard of Divine Providence. You should read what St. Catherine of Sienna in her Dialogue with God spoke about in what you say about shelter food Etc…
ROry Michael: Why stop at abortion? Should people be allowed to go out and murder adults, rob banks, rape, pillage, and loot, because the Church teaches that those are wrong and some priests have done evil?
I’m sorry for anything that you have suffered. How does butchering babies make it better?
Please show the exact source where President Biden claimed to be a “devout” Catholic. The press uses that term. I’ve never heard the President use it.
Biden proclaimed that he carried a Rosary in his pocket at all times. Whether or not he used the term, saying this was to profess himself to be a “devout Catholic.”
He needs to look at his life and his eternal salvation. At this point, if he died today, I doubt God will forgive his many, many slaps in God’s own face against HIS Church. He can carry all the rosaries in the world. Gang members wear rosaries around their necks. If you don’t KNOW what the rosary stands for and honor it, it means nothing.
Why isn’t the Church excommunicating Biden, Pelosi, etc.? They have NO BUSINESS in the One True Chruch of Jesus Christ with the evil they are spewing. Ever notice how angry, Pelosi ALWAYS is? I HATE that she and Biden pretend to be Catholic. They are not Catholics. Maybe they had the sacraments, but they are no longer Catholic. They can be inside a church as much as they want, but it doesn’t make them a Catholic, just like standing in a garage doesn’t make you a car.
Jane, The fact is Biden and Pelosi according to Church Law are in fact excommunicated. The problem lies in our complacent and cowardly Bishops who will not be the Apostles they have been called to be, and proclaim Biden and Pelosi’s excommunication for all Catholics to know. Some have suggested these Bishops are successors of Judas Iscariot.
One excommunicates himself, not the Church. Biden is not in good standing with the Church.
Reading the message of this article and others similar in various catholic news media there is a clear and constant “reality” that the faithful disciples of the Lord must face. There is a “schism” in the leadership in America. The Truth is One, yet the bishops are not one in teaching and defending Truth. Let us pray during the lenten season that — all bishops will have the courage to be one as the Lord wants it to be.
The bishops have lost all credibility. Aside from perhaps a handful of them, they have all proven time and time again that they do not truly speak for the Catholic faith or for true Catholics. When they should have been loudly condemning all abortion-loving murderers like Biden and the gender-bending left, all we heard from the likes of Wilton Gregory, Cupich, and the rest, was “orange man bad!” We are all so utterly sick of you bishops. We don’t hear you anymore, we don’t listen to you anymore, because you are full of lies, deception, and most certainly full of cowardice. Disgusting!
Joe Redman, I was so struck by your comment that all I could say is “Viva Christo Rey!!!”.
If you read carefully what this man says, it is obvious that he is a politician first and a cowardly Catholic leader second or third. Shameful!, but not a surprise. He can’t give a direct answer to giving communion to Biden. Very wishy washy response. I do not expect to see this published.
Adjust your expectations!
Where is Biden’s home state Bishop in all this ??
Strange — no one hears of him or from him.
Cardinal Wilton Gregory needs to do some very deep soul searching by declaring that he will not deny Joe Biden the Eucharist. Abortion is not debatable. Gregory needs to revisit Catholic teaching as stated in the Catechism and deny Biden the Eucharist!
Giving real meaning to, Ignorance is Bliss.
When the reality is, their is alot of Hypocrites in Church, or claim affiliation… but their is room for more, common all.
Many thanks to Bishop Naumann for speaking up. This situation in our Church and in society at large is untenable in the long run. The dishonesty and hypocrisy of so many has led to horrendous divisions and will continue to do so. There are Church prelates who attempt to confuse the faithful with their lip service to intrinsic evil such as , abortion, active practice of homosexuality, the redefinition of traditional marriage, the suppression of religious conscience while they emphasize other “social justice” priorities of the Church. The problem is good and well-meaning people can differ in their strategies when it comes to items like immigration, climate, care for the poor and suffering, racism, etc. It is called prudential judgement. There is no leeway with intrinsic evil. Many in this modern church, from the top on down, have a real problem with integrity and honesty.
USCCB, an NGO in search of a spine!
One need not read further than paragraph 17.
Q: CWR: Would you give Mr. Biden Communion?
A: Archbishop Naumann: Blah, blah, blah…
Mind you, this is from the Chairman of the Pro-Life Activities Committee.
Disgusted.
Let’s look at some real data. The Affordable Care Act pushed by Biden/Obama was enacted, it lowered the abortions in the U.S. by 70%. They also funded International Family Planning services which has the effect of lowering abortions in those countries by 40%. That equates to approximately 1 million less abortions every year in those countries.
Conservative media and Catholic websites don’t mention this. They also don’t mention that President Trump worked 2 years to eliminate the ACA, and stopped the International funding. Yes, a vote for Trump 4 years ago caused 1 million more abortions a year. So who should not receive Communion now? I don’t go around saying people that voted for Trump should not go to Communion. Labelling Catholics as ‘ “devout or not” and weaponizing the Eucharist for politics should be offensive to ALL Catholics.
That’s quite a claim. And not a very convincing one. The Guttmacher Institute, which strongly supports abortion, is far more reticent:
That makes far more sense. What doesn’t make much sense is your claim that Biden, who has strongly (rabidly, really) supported abortion for decades has somehow, in some strange way, been responsible for less abortions.
“Yes, a vote for Trump 4 years ago caused 1 million more abortions a year.” Well, that’s dubious, to put it as nicely as possible.
“… weaponizing the Eucharist for politics should be offensive to ALL Catholics.”
An ideological perspective that raises plenty of questions. For instance, if many people voted for Biden because of his pro-abort stance and he proudly goes to bat for the same, why would it be wrong for a Catholic bishop to uphold the sanctity and meaning of a Catholic sacrament given at a Catholic Mass? Since when is “political” for a bishop to uphold Church teaching—which has been around many centuries longer than the U.S. and “Roe v. Wade”? This is typical liberal double standard nonsense: Claim the Church should stay out of politics and then add: “Oh, by the way, everything is political. Everything. So just shut up.”
One of the sick realities of the United States is, its deemed abortions were down in the US because the women are now selling their children into the sex slave dealings.
Railing against President Biden, as presented here defies the teaching of the Catholic faith…
“Railing against President Biden, as presented here defies the teaching of the Catholic faith…”
Pointing out facts about Pres. Biden and his actions are perfectly fine. The Catholic Church still believes in Truth, correct?
Archbishop Nauman discusses why he thinks Joe Biden is “usurping
the role of the bishops and confusing people. “He states;-
• The president should stop defining himself as a devout Catholic, and acknowledge that his view on abortion is contrary to Catholic moral teaching. M ore honest approach from him to say he disagreed with his Church on this important issue .
• When he says he is a devout Catholic, we bishops have the responsibility to correct him.
• What he is doing now is usurping the role of the bishops and
• confusing people
• the president has the responsibility not to present himself for Holy Communion
• CWR: Would you give Mr. Biden Communion?
Archbishop Naumann: I don’t think I’ll ever be in that situation;
• that his bishop has a responsibility to dialogue with him
More talk, no action from the Church of Nice. Yes, the Bishops have a responsibility, a responsibility to to act strongly against this heresy by politicians. Yes Biden is usurping the role of the bishops and confusing people. The Bishops have no unity of action and allow him to do that. All the responsibility for action seems to be expected from Biden. The question re giving communion is neatly sidestepped.
More of the “Nice” approach, it has elsewhere been reported:-
• “these bishops…“argue that abortion is not merely a ‘preeminent’ issue in Catholic Social Te• aching, but rather constitutes the de facto litmus test for determining whether a Catholic public official is a faithful Catholic.”
• also “He added that “if adopted, such a position will reduce the common good to a single issue.”
• “rath er than the conference’s traditional strategy of “engagement, dialogue, and critique.”
• Pope Francis “has placed engagement dialogue, honesty and collaboration at the heart of his approach to public conversation,”
***Jesus did not take the soft “Nice” “engagement dialogue” approach in saying of a harmer of children:- “It would be better for him if a millstone was hung around his neck and he was cast into the sea.”
*** The “single issue” hoary old contention is an empty reason to go soft on child killing.
***For many years there has been abundant dialogue “engagement, dialogue”, “encounter dialogue” but the determined abortion child killing agenda persists. Supporters of abortion do not have to be holding the lethal instruments to be implicated in child killing. Biden and Catholic politicians with this killing agenda are implicated. While the Church leaders argue the serial child killing continues each day. Action is required to send an emphatic clear message to Catholic Politicians and to the world. Positive action must be exercised; otherwise the toleration of the heresy continues to be a scandal for the Church. Look at Biden’s record!
• Joe Biden Vice President in Obama Presidency…. Ignoring, the UNCRC, all scientific medical & DNA evidence, human rights, ignoring common sense, this 8 year administration became the most abortion child killing in American history. Joe Biden fully supported this child killing agenda. Close to six million American children were brutally killed, poisoned, ripped apart limb by limb while alive, head pieced & drained, vacuumed or torn out then disposed of as hospital garbage. Biden & abortion supporters are implicated in the killing.
• Biden, Presidential candidate ,along with Kamala Harris, campaigned on this abortion child killing policy
• Biden, President, >>>is adamantly committed to this child killing and is swiftly dismantling all legislation from the previous administration that was pro life supportive of Children’s Rights and against their brutal child butchery.
>>>Promptly rejoined and funded the World Health Organisation and the Paris Climate Accord. Both organisations have an agenda of worldwide abortion child killing.
• Excommunication: Surely, this support of child killing, this persistent heresy, should be a ground for excommunication.
• Impeachment: Surely, this support of child killing, this ongoing agenda of child killing crime should be a ground for IMPEACHMENT for Biden, and Catholic politician’s supporters of the child killing agenda
Thanks for your reply. The numbers don’t support the decrease in birthrate as the cause. See below http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/ab-unitedstates.html
Year Births Abortions
2009 4.1MM 8.9K
2010 4.0MM 8.7K ACA Enacted
2011 4.0MM 8.3K
2012 4.0MM 8.0K
2013 4.0MM 7.6K
2014 4.0MM 7.4K
2015 4.0MM 6.4K
2016 3.9MM 5.9K
2017 3.8MM 4.8K
2018 3.8MM 3.2K
Low abortion rates in countries correlates with strong health care and education so this is consistent.
Same with my claim about foreign aide. See reference below that correlates the 40% decrease in abortion rates (which translates to approx. 1MM abortions in those countries)
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/06/27/736574110/study-u-s-ban-on-aid-to-foreign-clinics-that-promote-abortion-upped-abortion-rat
So the data suggests Biden has lowered abortions by 1.8MM annually. Nevertheless, I agree as a Catholic Biden should publicly declare the evils of abortion.
Bingo Dan, your statement is exactly correct. We went to MASS last Sunday and the deacon kept talking up Biden and said nothing about his contribution to killing babies. Of course the priests have all told that us Biden is a catholic and we should not fear immigrants, racism, all important social issues. But they’re misleading the flock.
Biden is giving planned parenthood a blank check. So sad that the Bishops in MA are so liberal and are following the wrong boss.
So if Archbishop Naumann would have said a LITTLE more BEFORE the election he would not have to say so much now. We in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas kept wondering “where is he?? Why isn’t he speaking up?” NOW he’s speaking up??? Too little too late, Archbishop Naumann!! Biden was saying he was a devout Catholic a LOT, and BEFORE the election. Arch Naumann was silent. Backpedaling isn’t helping now. I’m not the only one here in KCK upset about his silence then and talking out now!!! Perhaps more of this BEFORE the election would have had LESS Catholics voting for this fake Catholic. No thanks to Archbishop Naumann NOW.
I’m thinking maybe he should worry more about the priests who are molesting and raping children, compared to Biden. How ‘devout’ or those priests?
Two of several obvious points: 1) Abp Naumann is, of course, a bishop and he is also head of the bishop’s Pro-Life Committee; it stands to reason that he would share some thoughts Catholics, Catholic sacraments, and Catholic teaching about life issues, especially in an interview such as this one. 2) Since “an estimated 10% of K–12 students will experience sexual misconduct by a school employee by the time they graduate from high school,” maybe folks who go on and on about abuse in Catholic settings should focus on institutions (public schools) that have much, much, much higher rates of abuse and misconduct than within the Church.
“institutions (public schools) that have much, much, much higher rates of abuse and misconduct than within the Church.”
Not to mention society in general– live-in boyfriends, step-parents, family “friends,” friends of siblings, etc.
Not Biden or any other catholic are “faithful Catholics” if they believe that killing babies in the womb and the elderly or disabled is in line with Catholic teaching. Not now or ever.
It isn’t about religious beliefs, it’s about valuing human life.
To all these bishops, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN????? Hiding??? Now you come out of the closet, bu8t duri9ng the 2020 year, BIDEN has no changed anything, why did you not declare your opposition, you had the whole year???? ,Even gov. Cuomo stood and clapped when New York passed the abortion law, up to and including birth!!!! . You all are weak and afraid of loosing more parishioners. Rich Manco
Anyone who watched what Mr. Biden did to Dr. Bork knows that Mr. Biden has been playing the same measure for most of his adult life. Mr. Biden is in need of prayers as he has been living in a world of his own making where he makes it up as he goes and he believes what he says. It is pitiful to see someone so deluded.
It’s time for everyone to grow up. You can be as “holier than thou” if you want and judge all you want. Who made you God today? Are you perfect, if not put your stones down. Who decided that you should foist and condemn everybody else that does not have your perspective. If a person wants an abortion that is a decision between her and her God, not yours! They will need to deal with whatever consequences there may or may not be and it is None of anybody’s business but the persons and God! As a Catholic, I fully support the right of women to chose. It is her body, not mine.
You’ve packed a lot of judgments into your non-judgmental comment…
“between her and her God, not yours”
There is only one God.
“They will need to deal with whatever consequences there may or may not be and it is None of anybody’s business but the persons and God! ”
How very charitable you are. “Let anybody do anything, and if they’re damned, what do I care?”
“As a Catholic, I”
Snort. Yeah, right.
“fully support the right of women to chose. It is her body, not mine.”
It’s not her body. It’s a baby’s body.
The U.S. President isn’t a religious position. The President cannot make religious decisions for people. Joseph Biden as President has to enforce law in accordance to the Constitution which requires that the Government not establish a state religion. Mr. Biden is not choosing abortion for himself or his family. They are the only ones he can speak for. He cannot deny others the right to make their own decisions.
I do not understand what possible benefit the Pope could see for not excommunicating Biden. Whatever that benefit seems to be, it will be shown to be wrong. Even for a politician, Biden is an exceptional hypocrite. The Pope should remove him publicly from the church so he can no longer sully it.
All Communist regimes try to remove God, religious authority from the populations, state wants control of everything, sound like the Democrats and Biden? The socialism agenda that is now driving our country is an attack on God, Country our unborn, and the constitution. The people leading this parade are traitors to everything our Country has stood for since inception. They are power crazed atheists who have sold their souls for money and power, Just like the thousands of dead who voted for Biden but did not, the thousands of aborted souls who wanted to be born but were not, and the thousands of seniors who were forced to die before their time are all waiting for the Biden and his chosen group of America’s haters.
Biden Delays revamp of Trump’s blacklist for China Investments linked to the Chinese military? The China sea belongs to China, because it has their name? Taiwan, belongs to China because they speak Chinese? Hongkong belongs to China, because Britain gave it back to them? China caused the virus, cause that’s what they do? The Chinese Military wants to invest in our trade secrets, this is why they have spies all over our Country? Communist China is our friend, this is why they gave the Biden family two hundred million dollars, because were such great guys? China uses slave labor, Tortures all religions except what the State controls? What’s wrong with Biden’s China Policy? Chinese military, trying to kill our dollar, steal all our military secrets, C’mon, just a difference in culture?
What Biden is in the present, is not what is needed. Hubris overrides common sense, of which he has little these days.
Through all this, let us hope he is relying on the Lord. No man can make a better choice.
Another cordeleone moment! In the name of all that’s holy JUST EXCOMMUNICATE HIM!!! TAKE THE EXAMPLE FROM THE RICHARD BURTON FILM: BECKET, A MOST POWERFUL AND FRIGHTENING SCENE! Or is it just your all afraid of Pierre???? I doubt he or any of the US bishops could spell backbone!