Letter from Bishop Listecki to the faithful re: elections
posted by Jason and Darcy
Letter from Bishop Listecki to be Read at Masses
the Weekend of November 1-2, 2008
There are times when a Bishop feels with special intensity his responsibility for the faithful entrusted to him by our Lord, Jesus Christ. For me, this is one of those times.
On Tuesday, November 4 we face the challenge of shaping our nation and its values through the elections. There are important issues before us—issues like the economy, the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, affordable healthcare and immigration reform, among many others.
But as your Bishop, I feel responsible before God to say that towering above all other issues is the foundational right to life and its catastrophic violation by abortion. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI: “Life is the primary good we have received from God, the foundation of all the others. Guaranteeing the right to life is a duty upon which the future of humanity depends.”
This is the civil rights issue of our day. Since Roe vs. Wade in 1973, 48 million innocent unborn children have been killed by abortion in the United States alone. That is more than 3000 each day, one every 30 seconds.
As followers of Christ we are called to speak the truth, to shout it from the rooftops, to vote for people and policies that defend the vulnerable and the oppressed.
Many of us recall the images of Catholic priests, sisters and lay faithful who marched shoulder to shoulder with African-Americans to fight the evil of racial discrimination. The Church made her voice clear, so that everyone would see and know the truth about racism, and act to change it.
But there has been no evil in the history of this country greater than abortion, both for its horror and for its magnitude.
Now we are faced with candidates, platforms and proposed legislation that offer clear choices. On the one hand, we see persons and policies that would seek greater protection for our unborn sisters and brothers, helping to foster a culture of life. On the other hand we see forces of a deepening culture of death that would destroy even those pro-life gains that have been made in spite of Roe vs. Wade.
I refer especially to the so-called Freedom of Choice Act. Politicians who support it are reluctant to talk about it right now, and the media do not seem inclined to bring it up. But there are those running for office who are pushing for passage of this bill.
What would the Freedom of Choice Act do?
- It would sweep away hundreds of pro-life laws limiting abortion that have been established by communities and citizens that clearly see the evil of abortion;
- It would remove bans against the public funding of abortion, so that you could be forced to help pay for abortions through your tax dollars;
- It would strip away state laws requiring the fully informed consent of women seeking abortion;
- It would threaten laws that require the notification of parents with regard to minors seeking abortion;
- It would undermine the conscience protection currently given to doctors and nurses who want nothing to do with abortion.
This is a frightening scenario.
As your Bishop, I do not endorse candidates or parties. But I cannot and will not sit on the sidelines when matters that go to the very heart of the Gospel are at stake.
I ask you to learn where candidates stand on the fundamental right to life, especially those running for highest office. Study their words and their records. Learn their position on the Freedom of Choice Act. Consider who would do the most to defend the lives of the innocent unborn.
Between now and Tuesday, I ask you to join me in praying and offering sacrifices for our nation, the elections and the cause of life. And as you go to cast your vote, I urge you to reflect on the words of Sacred Scripture: “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Rev. Jerome E. Listecki
Bishop of La Crosse
the Weekend of November 1-2, 2008
There are times when a Bishop feels with special intensity his responsibility for the faithful entrusted to him by our Lord, Jesus Christ. For me, this is one of those times.
On Tuesday, November 4 we face the challenge of shaping our nation and its values through the elections. There are important issues before us—issues like the economy, the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, affordable healthcare and immigration reform, among many others.
But as your Bishop, I feel responsible before God to say that towering above all other issues is the foundational right to life and its catastrophic violation by abortion. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI: “Life is the primary good we have received from God, the foundation of all the others. Guaranteeing the right to life is a duty upon which the future of humanity depends.”
This is the civil rights issue of our day. Since Roe vs. Wade in 1973, 48 million innocent unborn children have been killed by abortion in the United States alone. That is more than 3000 each day, one every 30 seconds.
As followers of Christ we are called to speak the truth, to shout it from the rooftops, to vote for people and policies that defend the vulnerable and the oppressed.
Many of us recall the images of Catholic priests, sisters and lay faithful who marched shoulder to shoulder with African-Americans to fight the evil of racial discrimination. The Church made her voice clear, so that everyone would see and know the truth about racism, and act to change it.
But there has been no evil in the history of this country greater than abortion, both for its horror and for its magnitude.
Now we are faced with candidates, platforms and proposed legislation that offer clear choices. On the one hand, we see persons and policies that would seek greater protection for our unborn sisters and brothers, helping to foster a culture of life. On the other hand we see forces of a deepening culture of death that would destroy even those pro-life gains that have been made in spite of Roe vs. Wade.
I refer especially to the so-called Freedom of Choice Act. Politicians who support it are reluctant to talk about it right now, and the media do not seem inclined to bring it up. But there are those running for office who are pushing for passage of this bill.
What would the Freedom of Choice Act do?
- It would sweep away hundreds of pro-life laws limiting abortion that have been established by communities and citizens that clearly see the evil of abortion;
- It would remove bans against the public funding of abortion, so that you could be forced to help pay for abortions through your tax dollars;
- It would strip away state laws requiring the fully informed consent of women seeking abortion;
- It would threaten laws that require the notification of parents with regard to minors seeking abortion;
- It would undermine the conscience protection currently given to doctors and nurses who want nothing to do with abortion.
This is a frightening scenario.
As your Bishop, I do not endorse candidates or parties. But I cannot and will not sit on the sidelines when matters that go to the very heart of the Gospel are at stake.
I ask you to learn where candidates stand on the fundamental right to life, especially those running for highest office. Study their words and their records. Learn their position on the Freedom of Choice Act. Consider who would do the most to defend the lives of the innocent unborn.
Between now and Tuesday, I ask you to join me in praying and offering sacrifices for our nation, the elections and the cause of life. And as you go to cast your vote, I urge you to reflect on the words of Sacred Scripture: “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Rev. Jerome E. Listecki
Bishop of La Crosse
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