We address this to all the bishops of America. From Cardinal Theodore McCarrick - shepherd of the Washington D.C. Archdiocese - where Senate and House politicians work - to the individual bishops who have jurisdiction over the poltician in the diocese where they reside, we call on you to truly defend life, to stand up for Christ and take action!
We are now in year 28, and day 38 of the Holocaust of the Womb. His Holiness John Paul II has spoken out constantly. Many of you as responsible shepherds have spoken out often. And yet we wait, and wait, and wait, and continue to wait as certain politicians - over 60 of them - continue to call themselves 'Catholic' while totally ignoring Church teaching, while snubbing their noses at God and His Commandments. Over 40 million unborn have been murdered in the womb, millions of women today are wrought with guilt, and, to borrow a line from "Evita" - the money keeps rolling in.
Some of that blood money has been ostensibly given to the Church coffers by these politicians - Ted Kennedy is one who comes to mind immediately - to buy their way to salvation. Sorry, it can't be done! What price salvation? Jesus told us very simply in John 14: 15: "If you love Me, keep My Commandments." One of those commandments is, of course, "Thou shalt not kill." By these politicians' consistent actions they have clearly shown they do not love Christ. Therefore they do not love His Holy Church and have no respect for His Vicar on earth or those He has given apostolic succession to - you, His bishops.
We don't know about you, but when someone refuses to abide by the rules, there are consequences to pay. For Adam and Eve they were severe. All they did was eat of the forbidden fruit. These 'Catholic' politicians have deprived the fruit of human life to ever ripen. Over the long history of the Church there have been those who have disagreed but were obedient to the Laws and Doctrines. Those who were not were excommunicated. It's as simple as that. Our Lord didn't say to those who walked away from Him, "oh, wait a minute, let's talk this over, let Me explain what I meant." No, He simply said in John 6: 68 to Peter and His Apostles, "Do you also wish to go away?" Many have gone away from His teachings and have been allowed to continue unabated. It is time to separate the wheat from the chaff.
As we documented in our editorial last week They have laid the groundwork, now it's time for the groundswell!, these 'Catholic' politicians are in violation of not only the Commandments, but Canon Law and Church Doctrine. You, as bishops, have done all you can, now it's time for action. It's time to fish or cut bait. If they aren't willing to fish in the same boat, then it's time to cut them adrift. Yes, it's time to begin a wholesale process of official excommunications.
We would respectfully recommend to your Eminences and Excellencies that you offer a grace period just as Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz did to his flock in Lincoln, Nebraska, giving them a reasonable time to change their ways and repent of their actions.
Lent is an ideal time for this probation period and for these politicians to examine their consciences and decide once and for all what is more important: their Faith and the welfare of their soul or their political careers! We would respectfully suggest that if they have not responded affirmatively by Pentecost Sunday the Bell, Book and Candle be officially administered. That gives them 95 days to come to their senses. That is a much longer time than these pro-abort politicians have given the innocent unborns who are often slaughtered in the first trimester.
They say strike while the iron is hot. This is the perfect time to carry out defense of life by going on the offensive. Throughout the recent presidential campaign many of the bishops were on the defensive, fearing incrimination by the IRS if they spoke out too forcefully for or against a candidate. This confused many Catholics which is borne out in the results of the Catholic vote which sadly showed that half of them voted for an avowed pro-abortion, pro-culture of death candidate in Al Gore. Thanks to the other 50%, millions of Rosaries, and God's Ordaining Will President George W. Bush won out. He has shown through the first forty-plus days that he is intent on his Pro Life convictions. This isn't politics, this is fact. In addition, why should you successors of the Apostles be worried about speaking out clearly when Hillary Clinton can campaign in a Catholic church in New York? or Jesse Jackson can embezzle millions under the guise of "non-partisan" politics?
Dr. Frank Joseph wrote in his column What Will it Take? about Bishop Thomas J. Welsh, who blasted Catholic voters who voted for pro-abortion candidates. Said the Bishop, "I find it most alarming because in this election there was a clear-cut choice. We had the experience of the last eight years of the political consequences of a pro-abortion government-- all the things that they can do at the local, national, and international levels," he said. The bishop, who now lives in retirement in his native Allentown, Pennsylvania, was troubled not only by hypocritical citizens but also politicians.
"What disturbs me, then, is the politician, man or woman, who wants to have it both ways," he said. "They say, 'I'm a Catholic,' then espouse all sorts of things that the Catholic Church says are wrong," he said in the interview with the Arlington Catholic Herald. He lamented that the Church is constrained in what she is allowed to say by her tax-exempt status. He noted lawsuits have been filed costing the Church hundreds of thousands of dollars to defend, centering on stripping the tax status of the Church based on charges that she is too political.
The bishop suggests that the time may come when the Church has to say she will give up her tax-exempt status since, "our message isn't getting out." He noted his speech was restricted, saying, "But with the responsibility of being a bishop, I can't speak as a private citizen anymore. I would like to. I should be able to."
Your Eminences and Excellencies, you are able to! You can make a difference without getting political at all. You do indeed have the power to uphold discipline to doctrine. The Catechism and Canon Law back you up, numerous documents throughout Church history reinforce it. We have all seen that talk is cheap, people don't respond unless there are grave consequences. Our country's penal code is established on those principles; so also the penal code of the Church which calls for adherence to Catholic doctrine and the Commandments or there will be serious consequences. It is time to administer those serious consequences for the sake of the souls of living Catholics and the millions of yet-to-be-born souls as well.
Beginning with today's issue of The DAILY CATHOLIC at www.DailyCatholic.org we are introducing a series called "Herod's Heroes". In each issue we will reveal one 'Catholic' politician at a time and call on their specific bishop to get tough. Those same 'Catholic' politicians have caused many to flee into the exile of Egypt; innocent people who fear the wrath of powerful political interests - those whose agendas seek to perpetuate the culture of death through their legislating and votes. These accomplices to murder are heroes only to evil. That is why we have dubbed the series thus. But it takes heroic virtue to overcome this and heroic acts such as standing up for what the Church teaches whether it is popular with society or politically correct.
There are nearly 70 pro-abort 'Catholic' members of the Senate and House. Over sixty of them are Democrats. There are nine senators, only one Republican - Susan Collins of Maine. Working with Dr. Frank Joseph, who first outed these politicians in his column two weeks ago, we will do all in our power to cooperate with the bishops in either making sure these 'Catholic' politicians adhere to Catholic teaching or are shown the door! We will stop at nothing to uphold the Sanctity of Life and prevent the further slaughter of millions of innocent unborns in trying to still the weeping of Rachel (cf. Jeremiah 31: 15-17 and Matthew 2: 15-18), as well as Our Lord and His Blessed Mother Mary - the Immaculate Conception, who, as Our Lady of Guadalupe, serves as Our Lady of the Americas in entreating her children to stop human sacrifice.
We must all fight the evil powers with force - not the force of violence, but the force of our prayers and the force of using your episcopal powers to bring non-complying Catholics in line with Holy Mother Church. If not, show them the door. No compromise. Take no prisoners.
Only by bringing down the hammer will your flocks sit up and take notice. There will be many who will walk away, just as in Our Lord's time. Didn't Jesus say in Matthew 10: 38, "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me, is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it."? It is a cross all loyal Catholics must take up and share the burden of the fallout. But there will also be far many more who will come to their senses and see the Roman Catholic Church means business and adhere to her teachings. Not only that, but even if only a few Catholic politicians repent of their ways, Pro Life measures will be passed that will assure America will embrace the Culture of Life. The pendulum is that close to swinging toward the Sanctity of Life.
We call on you to call these prodigal sons and daughters of the Senate and House back into full communion with Rome. If they refuse to heed your counsel, then as Jesus asserts in Matthew 19: 15-18, "if he refuses to hear even the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican." You have the power to bind and it will be bound in Heaven. Christ, His Vicar on earth and loyal Catholics everywhere are waiting for you to start binding. We have waited far too long, your Eminences and Excellencies, it is time to take firm, unequivocal action. You will have the prayers of millions supporting you and your dioceses will once again thrive through the fruits of your efforts manifested in increased vocations and a greater awareness and respect for Catholic Doctrine.
What do you tell these Catholic politicians? We can't think of anything better than what Christ asked in Matthew 16: 26-27, "For what does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, but suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will render to everyone according to his conduct." In all due respect, if you do not take firm action now, you will be contributing to conduct that will not be judged well by the Almighty. We plead and beg you, dear bishops, before millions more are killed, you have the power, you must use it to truly defend Life! We respectfully call on you to act immediately and we thank you for considering our plea, echoed by millions of loyal Catholics who place their trust in their shepherds to do the right thing. Thank you for listening to this Open Letter to the Bishops of America!