U.S. bishops voice hope for Obama administration, point to possible obstacles to desired unity for all

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Last week, the bishops of the Catholic Church of the United States met in Baltimore for our annual fall assembly.

There has been much discussion about the recent election and how it might affect life issues. The bishops voiced hope for President-elect Barack Obama and his administration at our meeting, but we also pointed out possible obstacles to our desired unity.

We welcome this historic moment of transition in our country’s history, and we look forward to working with our new president and Congress.

The unity that we desire will be impossible to achieve, however, if the new administration aggressively seeks pro-abortion policies. Such policies can only alienate all of those Americans who believe that life begins at conception and ends with a natural death.

As Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said, “The common good is not the sum total of individual interests; it is achieved in the working out of a common life based upon good reason and good will for all.”

I agree wholeheartedly with Cardinal George and would like to share with you a statement that the bishops unanimously approved given by Cardinal George concerning this matter.

The statement follows.

“If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor; if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil” (Ps 127, vs. 1).

“The Bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States welcome this moment of historic transition and look forward to working with President-elect [Barack] Obama and the members of the new Congress for the common good of all.

“Because of the Church’s history and the scope of her ministries in this country, we want to continue our work for economic justice and opportunity for all; our efforts to reform laws around immigration and the situation of the undocumented; our provision of better education and adequate health care for all, especially for women and children; our desire to safeguard religious freedom and foster peace at home and abroad. The Church is intent on doing good, and will continue to cooperate gladly with the government and all others working for these goods.

“The fundamental good is life itself, a gift from God and our parents. A good state protects the lives of all. Legal protection for those members of the human family waiting to be born in this country was removed when the Supreme Court decided

Roe v. Wade in 1973. This was bad law. The danger [that] the Bishops see at this moment is that a bad court decision will be enshrined in bad legislation that is more radical than the 1973 Supreme Court decision itself.

“In the last Congress, a Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) was introduced that would, if brought forward in the same form today, outlaw any ‘interference’ in providing abortion at will. It would deprive the American people in all 50 states of the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry.

“FOCA would coerce all Americans into subsidizing and promoting abortion with their tax dollars. It would counteract any and all sincere efforts by government and others of good will to reduce the number of abortions in our country.

“Parental notification and informed consent precautions would be outlawed, as would be laws banning procedures such as partial-birth abortion and protecting infants born alive after a failed abortion. Abortion clinics would be deregulated. The Hyde Amendment restricting the federal funding of abortions would be abrogated. FOCA would have lethal consequences for prenatal human life.

“FOCA would have an equally destructive effect on the freedom of conscience of doctors, nurses and health care workers whose personal convictions do not permit them to cooperate in the private killing of unborn children. It would threaten Catholic health care institutions and Catholic Charities. It would be an evil law that would further divide our country, and the Church should be intent on opposing evil.

“On this issue, the legal protection of the unborn, the bishops are of one mind with Catholics and others of good will. They are also pastors who have listened to women whose lives have been diminished because they believed they had no choice but to abort a baby. Abortion is a medical procedure that kills, and the psychological and spiritual consequences are written in the sorrow and depression of many women and men. The bishops are single-minded because they are, first of all, single-hearted.

“The recent election was principally decided out of concern for the economy, for the loss of jobs and homes and financial security for families, here and around the world. If the election is misinterpreted ideologically as a referendum on abortion, the unity desired by President-elect Obama and all Americans at this moment of crisis will be impossible to achieve.

“Abortion kills not only unborn children; it destroys constitutional order and the common good, which is assured only when the life of every human being is legally protected. Aggressively pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion.

“This statement is written at the request and direction of all the Bishops, who also want to thank all those in politics who work with good will to protect the lives of the most vulnerable among us. Those in public life do so, sometimes, at the cost of great sacrifice to themselves and their families; and we are grateful. We express again our great desire to work with all those who cherish the common good of our nation. The common good is not the sum total of individual desires and interests; it is achieved in the working out of a common life based upon good reason and good will for all.

“Our prayers accompany President-elect Obama and his family and those who are cooperating with him to assure a smooth transition in government. Many issues demand immediate attention on the part of our elected ‘watchman’ (Ps 127). May God bless him and our country.”

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Rev. Daniel M. Buechlein, O.S.B.
Archbishop of Indianapolis
Nov. 17, 2008