A Plea to Progressive Catholics: You Have Power, Use It!

Last updated on: July 3, 2023 at 5:33 pm by Dennis Knapp

0 Comments

A Plea to Progressive Catholics: You Have Power, Use It! 2023-07-03T17:33:40-06:00 Dennis Knapp

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Recently, I wrote a review of Mark Shea’s Book, The Church’s Best-Kept Secret: A Primer on Catholic Social Teaching. In the review, I mentioned the conundrum progressive Catholics, like Mark Shea, put their fellow American Catholics in, namely, having the choose between “evil” conservative pro-life politicians and “good” pro-choice progressive politicians. Such a conundrum need not exist. If these same progressive Catholics demanded progressive politicians, especially Catholic ones, abandon their extreme abortion platform, the conundrum vanishes.

In this article, I beg and plead with progressive Catholics to put political pressure on progressive politicians, especially Catholic ones, to abandon their extreme abortion platform. If you cannot do this, why? Just think of all the progressive policies that could pass if this “one issue” were removed for “one issue” voters.

Sadly, progressive Catholics have their work cut out for them. Thirty progressive Catholic politicians just made a statement that incurred a rebuke from the USCCB over abortion. This does not bode well for the possibility of change, but I believe in you.

Pro-Choice Catholic Politicians’ June 24th Statement on Catholic Support for Abortion Rights

Again, thirty progressive Catholic politicians invoked Catholic Social Teaching to SUPPORT abortion. In the shocking statement, they gravely misinterpret Catholic teaching on conscience and Social Justice. For example, the statement reads:

As Catholics, we believe all individuals are free to make their own personal decisions about their bodies, families, and futures. The role of informed conscience is at the very core of our faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church plainly states that “A human being must always obey the certain judgment of his [or her] conscience. If he [or she] were deliberately to act against it, he [or she] would condemn himself [or herself].” We regard conscience as both a sacred gift and a responsibility: we are called to follow our conscience.

And

The fundamental tenets of our Catholic faith — social justice, conscience, and religious freedom — compel us to defend a woman’s right to access abortion. We are committed to advocating for the respect and protection of those making the decision if and when to have children.

In turn, the USCCB rebuked and corrected these errant Catholic politicians. They responded:

Nevertheless, conscience is not a license to commit evil and take innocent lives. Conscience cannot and does not justify the act or support of abortion. In fact, conscience ‘must be informed and moral judgment enlightened’ with the Word of God in faith and prayer, and ‘guided by the authoritative teaching of the Church’ [CCC 1783, 1785]. Moreover, the reality that the preborn are our living sisters and brothers is not only a matter of faith, but is attested to by science and sound reason.

Progressive Catholics must first start with these thirty errant Catholic politicians. All progressive Catholics should immediately send a letter (or email) to these Catholic politicians demanding they give up their anti-Catholic abortion positions and repent. Again, I believe in you.

The Plea or Confirmation of a Plea Bargain

Again, progressive Catholics must pressure progressive politicians, especially progressive Catholic politicians, to abandon their views on abortion. Currently, progressive politicians can count on the vote of progressive Catholics (even though they support unlimited access to abortion, which is anti-Catholic). Now, imagine if they could no longer do so. Imagine millions of progressive Catholics refusing to vote for progressive politicians unless they abandon their extreme views on abortion. Talk about a game changer. Furthermore, imagine the support these politicians could receive from all Catholics, Catholics like me, if they simply abandon their extreme views on abortion.

Moreover, the fact that such an approach has not yet occurred to progressive Catholics, makes me wonder… Maybe progressive Catholics tolerate the deaths of the unborn in exchange for passage of progressive policies. Maybe they plead guilty of this moral crime thinking the death of the unborn is a worthy exchange for progressive polices; for the common good. Or the good of those who survive the womb.

Final Plea

In conclusion, I hope my plea does not go ignored by progressive Catholics. I hope they show their unwavering support for the unborn by demanding their politicians abandon their extreme abortion platforms or risk losing their votes. This way, Catholics need not choose between “evil” conservative politicians and “good” progressive ones. In fact, if these progressive politicians abandoned their extreme abortion platform, they would increase their appeal, and therefore, their voter base. Conversely, if progressive Catholics have no desire to demand this change from their progressive politicians, can they just admit they are pro access to abortion and move on. Just admit they agree with the thirty pro-choice Catholic politicians and not the Catholic Church on this issue. But I believe this is not the case.

Therefore, I wait in rapt anticipation for progressive Catholics to mount a full-scale campaign to make progressive politicians, especially Catholic ones, change their extreme platform on abortion.