President Biden: What is His Choice as a Roman Catholic?

January 29, 2021, the march for Pro-Life in Washington D. C. will take place as it has for 48 years.

There is a war ensuing between many Catholics where those who claim to be for life also support the issue of pro-choice.  They are on a fence and playing the game of, “I am Catholic but choose not to choose total adherence to pro-life.” 

We all have choices to make on many issues, but the reality of babies being torn apart right before birth, or immediately after, as well as at any stage in their mother’s womb should concern every person who believes a baby is a human with inalienable rights and is equal to us in the eyes of God.  What does it take to decide which side to stand on regarding the rights of the unborn? 

To the church in Laodicea, “The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God’s creation, says this; I know your works; I know that you are neither cold or hot.  So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”  (Rev. 3: 14a - 16).  One of the seven churches during John’s trek on Patmos which can parallel the issue of teetering which way should I go.

Some years back there was an article in a Pittsburgh newspaper by some Pittsburgh Religious groups that even though they were pro-life, they supported the idea of those who were pro-choice to stand for what they believed.  My problem was religious groups making a statement like that would do great harm to Catholics who themselves may not be sure of what to believe.  My homily touched that issue and one parishioner leaving church told me he didn’t like my homily.  When I asked why, his response was he was pro-choice.  No doubt I sparked a point of contention right there.  But, not until I received a phone call from the pastor, who was not the celebrant for the Mass, called and told me in all his years as a priest he never had so many phone calls and questions regarding a homily.  After this I realized how deep the preaching went.  The CCD students later that morning questioned their teachers and wanted some indication of what was correct.  I was told never to preach about abortion again.  When I told the pastor about the parishioner who was pro-choice he couldn’t believe it.

President Biden says he is against abortion, but the party affiliates are influencing his thinking on abortion and those in his Democratic Party may well determine which side of the fence this president will favor.  As a Roman Catholic this president has a choice to make when what he does or says when it comes to the faith he supposedly supports to stand for what the Church teaches.  Of course, God is the final judge, but in the Office of the Presidency, how many will follow his choice and who will become guilty of their choice as preserving life from conception to death?  

Ralph B. Hathaway, January 2021