Bishop Braxton's letter on The Catholic Church and New House Bills Expanding Abortion 'Rights'
Diocese of Belleville
Office of the Bishop
The Catholic Church and New House Bills Explaining Abortion 'Rights'
by
The Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton, Ph.D., S.T.D.
Bishop of Belleville
February 17, 2019
Dear Priests, Deacon, Seminarians, Religious, and Parish Life Coordinators
Dear Diocesan Staff
Dear Principals and Teachers
Dear People of God
May the Peace of Jesus Christ be with you!
The Catholic Church in the United States stands at a critical crossroad. On the one hand, the Church is facing the greatest crisis in its history with the unspeakable sin, scandal and crime of members of the clergy abusing children and concealing that abuse. On the other hand, the Church, has long been a powerful moral voice proclaiming the truth of Christian morality and the dignity and worth of every human life by opposing injustices, the violence of war, unjust penal systems, euthanasia, abortion, racial, ethnic, and religious prejudice, the destruction of the environment in our common home and forms of oppression causing great harm to the most vulnerable, especially young children. The abuse crisis has caused more and more people to close their ears to the voice of the Church which, in their view, no longer has credibility. At this crossroad, some Catholics, including leaders of the Church, may feel compelled to withdraw from the Public Square and remain silent in the face of so many cross currents.
However, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are not free to do that. We believe in the mercy and forgiveness of God. We believe that we should truly repent for our sins, seek forgiveness from those we have sinned against, pray for the strength we need to be faithful to our repentance over and over again. Then, as redeemed sinners, we must humbly take our place in the Public Square proclaiming the dignity and worth of every human person.
It is from this vantage point that I write to you today.