US Catholic bishops told President-elect Barack Obama his
election was not a referendum on abortion, even though a majority
of Catholics helped elect him despite an abortion rights stand the
bishops oppose.
In particular, the bishops said, they were alarmed that his
election might provide support for federal legislation which could
overturn all state-level restrictions on abortion.
"The recent election was principally decided out of concern for the
economy, for the loss of jobs and homes and financial security for
families, here and around the world," Cardinal Francis George of
Chicago, head of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a
statement issued on their behalf.
"If the election is misinterpreted ideologically as a referendum on
abortion, the unity desired by President-elect Obama and all
Americans at this moment of crisis will be impossible to achieve,"
he added.
"Aggressively pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive
orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and
would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their
religion," George said.
The bishops, ending their semi-annual meeting in Baltimore, had
directed George to issue the statement after discussions indicating
their frustration and fears about the abortion issue.
Some bishops actively opposed Obama because he believes women have
the right to choose whether to have an abortion.
The bishops' group in a general pre-election statement urged
Catholic voters to make their choices as a matter of conscience
considering all life issues.
Obama won 52% of the Catholic vote to 47% for Senator John McCain,
according to exit polls.
George said the US Supreme Court's Roe v Wade decision in 1973
which legalized abortion was bad law and it might be enshrined in
legislation in the Freedom of Choice Act, the latest version of
which was introduced in the last session of the US Congress.
That proposal, he said, would pre-empt the 50 states from trying to
impose restraints on abortion, such as parental notification or
protecting the lives of infants born alive after a failed
abortion.
Under the proposal the law would come in effect if Roe v Wade
were overturned.
But Steve Krueger, national director of Catholic Democrats, a group
which backed Obama, said the Democratic Party's platform, under
Obama's guidance, backed for the first time a strategy for reducing
abortions.
"The Democrats embraced the moral dimension of abortion in a
totally new way this year," added Patrick Whelan, president of
Catholic Democrats.
"We thoughtfully argued throughout the campaign that President-elect Obama was the candidate who would best protect the sanctity of life by working to reduce the number of abortions, in part by working to address a broad range of social issues that are intimately connected to it."
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