Vatican Bars Dissent on Official Church Teachings

Your article fails to point out an important issue. So-called “Catholic” politicians who claim to be “personally against abortion, but have no right to impose my beliefs on others” can be compared to the following. If a black politician were to say, “I’m personally opposed to the Ku Klux Klan’s anti-racial activities, but won’t legislate for an end to racial abuse,” or a Jewish politician to say, “I’m personally opposed to anti-Semitic activity, but won’t impose my beliefs on the public,” both groups would be rightly outraged by such betrayal. The case is the same for Catholic politicians.

The Catholic faith is not an appendage to one’s life that can be turned on or off, but the core identity of who one is. We as Catholics are reborn to eternal life through Jesus Christ and are to pattern our lives after his. This identity must affect all our decisions in whatever walk of life one is pursuing, or our faith is worthless. “None of those who cry out ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my heavenly Father” (Matthew 7:21).

FATHER ROBERTO PIRRONE

Burbank