Answering the Archdiocese of SF

Recently I objected to statements made by the Archbishop of SF on FB where he used distortions, inciting language, and propaganda to demean the Catholicism of Democrats, and specifically Biden/Harris and Speaker Pelosi.  How did the AB do this? He did it through his view that the issue of abortion is THE singular evil (besides gay marriage & tipping over statues of Junipero Serra) through which we, American citizens, should make political decisions, and then allow the AB to deny the Eucharist to those who make choices he deems unacceptable. 

The Archdiocese wrote a response to my comment. I am thankful for the response. Thankful because there are many good people who work for the Archdiocese, some of whom I know and respect, and the response gives me a chance to reply in more detail to the comment so that those people might know why I made my original objection to the remarks of the AB. The AB made his remarks on a network that is eagerly chasing the profits made by Rupert Murdoch on Fox, Newsmax, and is a promoter, like Fox News, of the "big lie" that has put our democracy in such great danger.

The response of the Archdiocese of SF on their FB page on July 31, 2021 to my original comment:

Ted, If you read the Archbishop's pastoral letter, or paid attention to the science of the development of a baby, or the actual legislation or the language of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, you would know that currently in California, a baby can be killed legally by abortion up until the moment before birth and that a baby is a human life from conception. Further, in the state of California, abortion clinics are basically unregulated, unlike other clinics, because of the power of the abortion lobby and Planned Parenthood which actually writes legislation which is then enacted. Also the abortion lobby, NARAL and Planned Parenthood, have fought against any law that bans discriminatory abortions based on race or sex, a common practice which has created a high male-female ratio in the population in China and India. I hope you will take another look at this issue -- because I cannot think of you as someone snowed by a death-dealing corporate lobby and force. I know you want the good -- and abortion is an evil that strikes at the root of all that is good by destroying innocent human life.

First and most importantly, the issue of abortion, whether & when it should be performed, who should perform it, and what restrictions should be put on the choice of women to make a decision about these questions has been used by right wing extremists who carried out the Jan 6 insurrection under the leadership of King Herod (45). Church leaders like the AB through his efforts to weaponize the Eucharist are indirectly supporting the actions on that day. His words and actions, I believe are evidence of serious sin as they are harmful to the well being of our democracy and ultimately could lead to more violent acts of insurrection and additional deaths/injuries of innocent people, citizens, men and women, all ages, all nationalities & religious belief. Today, a third Capitol policeman died, committed suicide, as a result of the violence of January 6.

Secondly, I and no one I know supports "abortion on demand" up until the moment of birth as is implied in the statement: "a baby can be killed legally by abortion up until the moment before birth." Yes, if there is a choice to be made about who will live, the baby or the mother, and who makes that choice, yes,  that choice is "legally regulated" in CA as it is in many other states and countries. More demagoguery, as if a healthy woman could walk into a clinic and decide on her own, moments before delivery, simply because of convenience, to terminate the pregnancy at the last minute. Roe V Wade and no American legislation condones or has enacted legislation to make that choice a legal option. The AB would have you believe that many American woman, prospective mothers have the same concern for their pregnancy that they might have in choosing a flavor of ice cream, thus promoting that ancient story of Eve as the one who should not be trusted.  

Lastly, and thirdly, the claim that "... a baby is a human life from the moment of conception." is more of the same political tactic that streams through the response and original statement of the AB and it is this: own the language of the debate however possible including demonizing those who disagree with you. If I disagree with the AB, then the implication is I am opposed to the protection of human life. This tactic is demagoguery at its worst. Instead, the truth and dirty little secret of the AB is that if the AB had his way, "humane vitae" would be in full force and all form of contraception to avoid unwanted pregnancies would be outlawed. As HV says clearly: "Any form of artificial contraception is an intrinsic evil."

I am reminded of a HS student who turned to a priest for counsel years ago.  He feared his girlfriend was pregnant and she had decided to get an abortion if she was. The priest asked the student why he had not at least thought of using some form of protection, like a condom. The student replied, "Oh Father, I couldn't do that, it would be against the teaching of the Church." Unless and until the Church reconsiders its teaching contained in Humanae Vitae, and curbs the propaganda of AB Vigano and his cadre, It is easy for me to see where the greatest cause of unwanted pregnancies & threats to our Bill of Rights exist today. The propaganda being promoted is that we can not believe both in our Catholicism and our Citizenship in the USA. Oh, yes, we can believe in both our Catholicism, and Citizenship, but we must choose AB Cordileone's version, as he defines its for us.