Post Dispatch weighs in on Abp. Burke's Pastoral Letter

Earlier this summer, Burke told news outlets it was a grave sin for Catholics to vote for a politician who supports abortion rights. Last month, he seemed to soften that stance by saying that only if a Catholic were to vote for a politican who supports abortion rights because of that politician's position on the issue, would the voter be committing be a grave sin.

Unfortunately, the Post determined and opined that Archbishop Burke was softening his stance. In fact, he was not. The failure of the Post to understand the theological principles and concepts in previous conversations with the Archbishop are clarified in today's Letter.

In the 8,600-word letter, Burke further explained the statements he made last month, but in the following paragraph, he seemed to backtrack, writing, "...there is no element of the common good, no morally good practice, that a candidate may promote and to which a voter may be dedicated, which could justify voting for a candidate who also endorses and supports the deliberate killing of the innocent, abortion, embryonic stem-cell research, euthanasia, human cloning or the recognition of a same-sex relationship as legal marriage. These elements are so fundamental to the common good that they cannot be subordinated to any other cause, no matter how good." [my emphasis]

As much as one may wish to view this as "backtracking", it is not. This is precisely what Archbishop Burke has consistently stated. But the Post, which appears to be dissatisfied with the clear, concise and unambiguous teaching of the Church as presented by the Archbishop, is, nonetheless, quick to "qualify" or temper the truth contained in the Pastoral Letter:

Using complicated Catholic moral teaching, Burke explained the way in which a Catholic voter must go about choosing a candidate for public office by comparing the candidate's positions to Catholic tradition.

While there are complicated principles of Catholic moral teaching reflected in the Letter, the Archbishop simplifies it - he brings it to a level for understanding by the ordinary layman who might not have a firm grasp of these principles.

The Archbishop should be praised and thanked for this Letter which is aimed at teaching the faithful of the archdiocese and others who would read it. Furthering the common good by responsible citizenship is something which one would think the Post Dispatch would embrace.

Perhaps, I am reading the Post's articles with jaundiced eyes and see things which are not really there. Experience has taught me, however, to be discerning when reading secular sources like this.

Read it yourself here.