A debate over abortion has split the US bishops’ conference, with Church leaders disagreeing over its relative importance compared to other issues.
At the bishops’ plenary meeting in Baltimore, bishops debated whether to include a long quotation from Pope Francis to their letter to Catholic voters. The paragraph criticises those who focus too much on single issues, saying that while unborn children must be defended, “equally sacred” are the lives of the poor and vulnerable.
What the bishops said
The bishops voted not to include the whole paragraph, by a margin of 143 to 69. But that result is not easy to interpret, as so many issues were raised in the debate. The bishop proposing the paragraph be included, Cardinal Blase Cupich, said that the Pope’s words contained “all of the elements in the call to holiness that we are to exercise as faithful citizens”.
The drafting committee said it would include a short quotation summarising the sense of the paragraph, but that including the whole thing would make it too long. However, Cardinal Cupich was then supported by Bishop Robert McElroy, who added that he objected to the letter calling abortion the “preeminent” political issue of our time. This sparked a dispute not directly related to the words in the Pope’s paragraph.
What commentators said
The debate about the word “preeminent”, although not related to the vote, attracted most attention – and even some bishops thought it was the subject of the vote. Bishop Joseph Strickland said the bishops had “voted to uphold the preeminence of the sanctity of the life of the unborn”. The author and podcaster Taylor Marshall tweeted that it showed the 69 bishops who voted for the paragraph were “not Catholic”. But JD Flynn of the Catholic News Agency said such remarks were based on a misconception. “The vote was over whether bishops should quote a long paragraph, or summarise it.”
At Catholic Culture, Phil Lawler said the vote nevertheless showed the disagreement “between those bishops who saw abortion as their top public policy challenge” and those who draw “with a broader brush”.
Having been unable to sell in churches for well over a year due to the pandemic, we are now inviting readers to support the Herald by investing in our future. We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values.
Please join us on our 130 year mission by supporting us. We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching. For more information from our chairman on contributing to the Herald Patron's Fund, click here
Make a Donation
Processing ...
Donors giving £500 or more will automatically become sponsor patrons of the Herald. This includes two complimentary print/digital gift subscriptions, invitations to Patron events, pilgrimages and dinners, and 6 gift subscriptions sent to priests, seminaries, Catholic schools, religious care homes and prison and university chaplaincies. Click here for more information on becoming a Patron Sponsor. Click here for more information about contributing to the Herald Patron's Fund
