Pro-Choice Catholic Politicians Are 'Misleading Our People,' Says Archbishop

Democratic U.S. vice presidential nominee Senator Tim Kaine 

By Michael Gryboski
Christian Post

Catholic politicians who talk of their faith influencing them but then advocate pro-choice public policy are "misleading our people," says a prominent Roman Catholic archbishop.

Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas was recently selected to head the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee of Pro-Life Activities.

In an interview with The Catholic World Report that was published Monday, Archbishop Naumann spoke about the problems of when "we have Catholic politicians who flaunt their Catholicity, but take positions that our inconsistent with our Catholic teaching."

Naumann cited as specific examples former Health and Human Services Department head Kathleen Sebelius and former vice presidential hopeful Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia.

"[Sebelius] would talk about how Catholic she was, but act totally contrary to Church teaching. It creates a problem for us as bishops when Catholic politicians do that. They teach our people that it is okay to be Catholic and support legalized abortion," said Naumann.

"Tim Kaine, a US Senator and former vice presidential candidate, is another example of a politician who flaunted his Catholic background but spewed a lot of pro-choice rhetoric. When they do this they're taking on a teaching role and misleading our people."

Naumann also told the CWR that he felt there were many challenges in advancing the pro-life agenda at the federal government level, especially due to the courts.

"But we've seen that in a majority of states legislators have pushed as far as they could to extend protections to unborn life that the federal courts will permit," stated Naumann.

"... It was really the U.S. Supreme Court that created the problem, usurping the role of the states to create public policy in these areas. I think that we have some hope that we can change the composition of the Supreme Court."

Christian Post article continues 

Catholic Bishop Blasts Tim Kaine: He’s Just a “Cafeteria Catholic” Because He Supports Abortion

By Steven Ertelt
Life News

Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas doesn’t mince any words in a new editorial he posted on the web site of the Catholic archdiocese he heads. He says Hillary Clinton’s running mate Time Kaine is just a “cafeteria Catholic” because he supports abortion.

Naumann’s column is so eloquent nothing needs to be added to it:

In the Oct. 4 vice presidential debate, Senator Kaine acknowledged he was blessed with great Irish Catholic parents and grew up in a wonderful faith-filled family. He also mentioned proudly that he is a graduate of Rockhurst High School, crediting the Jesuits with instilling within him a desire for public service and a commitment to advocate for the poor. I wish that was the end of the story.

It was painful to listen to Senator Kaine repeat the same tired and contorted reasoning to profess his personal opposition to abortion while justifying his commitment to keep it legal. He said all the usual made-for-modern-media sound bites: It is not proper to impose his religious beliefs upon all Americans. He trusts women to make good reproductive choices. And when all else fails, there is always: Do we really want to criminalize and fill our jails with post-abortive women?

With regard to the imposition of religious beliefs, Senator Kaine appears to have no qualms with his public positions conforming with his religious beliefs with regard to such issues as the church’s opposition to racism or our preferential option for the poor. He appears not to be conflicted with our public policies mirroring the Ten Commandments with regard to stealing, perjury, or forms of murder, other than abortion.

Why is Senator Kaine personally opposed to abortion, if he does not believe that it is the taking of an innocent human life? I hope in his science classes at Rockhurst he learned that at the moment of fertilization a new human life has begun with his or her own distinct DNA — different from the genetic code of both the child’s mother and father.

Archbishop Naumann's comments continue

“Catholic” Hillary Clinton Running Mate Tim Kaine Headlines Fundraiser for Pro-Abortion Group

By Steven Ertelt
Life News

Hillary Clinton’s vice presidential running mate Tim Kaine claims to be Catholic but the pro-abortion Democrat last night headlined a fundraiser for a pro-abortion group. Kaine made a campaign visit to Minnesota Tuesday but then appeared at a private fundraiser sponsored by abortion activists.

Kaine raised tens of thousands of dollars for the abortion advocacy group. Here’s more from a local news report:

Kaine later headed to a private fundraiser, hosted by the political organization Women Winning. A flier for the event listed contribution levels ranging from $500 for advocates up to $27,000 for reception co-hosts.

Women Winning is an organization that backs candidates who support abortion rights.

The Clinton campaign released additional details late Tuesday about Kaine’s Minnesota fundraising activities including his appearance at a second private event. The first event, at the Minneapolis Event Center, had 200 attendees. The second fundraiser was at the Carlson family home in Long Lake. It had 25 attendees who each contributed $10,000. The event co-hosts raised or contributed $50,000 and the hosts raised or contributed $100,000.

LifeNews.com has extensively profiled the pro-abortion position of Hillary Clinton’s vice-presidential running mate Tim Kaine. In July, a Catholic bishop said he can’t reconcile his Catholic faith with abortion.

Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, posted a message on Facebook that was so popular it received over 1,000 shares:

VP Pick, Tim Kaine, a Catholic?

Democratic VP choice, Tim Kaine, has been widely identified as a Roman Catholic. It is also reported that he publicly supports “freedom of choice” for abortion, same-sex marriage, gay adoptions, and the ordination of women as priests. All of these positions are clearly contrary to well-established Catholic teachings; all of them have been opposed by Pope Francis as well.

Senator Kaine has said, “My faith is central to everything I do.” But apparently, and unfortunately, his faith isn’t central to his public, political life.

Report continues here