Totally Inconsistent with Catholic Social Doctrine

The ramblings of Joe Biden and others are reported in the Christian Science Monitor. Biden states that "animating principle" of his faith, as taught to him by church and home, was that the cardinal sin was abuse of power...

I don't recall the Church teaching that "abuse of power" is one of the "cardinal sins" which are (by most Catholic catechisms): Pride, Covetousness, Lust, Anger, Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth.

Nevertheless, by his support of abortion rights he refuses to acknowledge that the wanton murder of the helpless, defenseless unborn is the epitomy of that "abuse of power" which he claims is the animating principle of his life.

He also says,

"There are elements within the church who say that if you are at odds with any of the teachings of the church, you are at odds with the church. I think the church is bigger than that."

Witness either pride or ignorance: "I think the church is bigger than that."

There are also elements (heretics) which claim that it is entirely laudable, even necessary, to reject certain teachings of the Church and still be an "ardent, practicing Catholic." These people are deluded.

When it comes to the teachings of the Church in which he professes to be a devout member, he seems to dismiss the fact that one of those "elements" is Jesus Christ, Himself, who said "He who hears you, hears me and he who rejects you, reject Me, and He Who sent Me."

Biden also seems to ignore the fact that the keys of the Kingdom, that is, the power to bind and loose was given, not to one's own malformed conscience or opinion, but to Peter and his successors.

"I get comfort from carrying my rosary, going to mass every Sunday. It's my time alone," he says.

I suppose it's easier to carry a rosary than it is to carry a cross.

"Joe Biden is one of the most sincere Catholics I've known in my 40 years as a priest," says Monsignor William Kerr, executive director of the Claude Pepper Center at Florida State University.

And what does it mean to be "sincere"? Is he sincerely wrong about abortion and the constant teaching of the Church? Is "sincerity" a virtue which trumps fidelity, humility, obedience?

It's difficult to believe that Biden, and other professed Catholic politicians who support infanticide, homosexuality, and other intrinsic evils, can be living in a state of ignorance - especially considering the recent focus on Catholic politicians by the news media brought about by the efforts of a small number of faithful Catholic
bishops.

Rather, the pro-death positions taken by these politicians seems, objectively, to be motivated by a arrogance and pride by which they posit that evil is good, error is truth and truth is relative - and this truth is to be determined by one's own intellect, for which the charism of infallibilty is often claimed, if not by words, then by actions.

Another prime "teaching moment" for the Church has come to the forefront of the nation. Will there be a unified effort to repel and defeat the heresies being proposed by public figures, and will we see an end to the nationwide scandals and sacrileges committed while many US bishops remain silent? Must the faithful be left unguarded and unprotected while the general public is deceived and unborn children remain targets of extermination by the "abuse of power"?



***Updated***
Carl Olson has an excellent article on this at Insight Scoop here.