Politics
Monday November 1, 2004
Philadelphia Cardinal Rigali Says Abortion, Cloning Top Vote Concerns for Catholics
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
PHILADELPHIA, November 1, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Philadelphia's Archbishop, Cardinal Justin Rigali, reminded Catholics that the "highest priority" for the voter in Tuesday's US presidential election is "our duty to defend innocent human life."
In a letter published Thursday in the diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Standard & Times, Cardinal Rigali said, "The Church identifies moral principles about which Catholics should be informed when exercising their right to vote. As Catholics, we hold in highest priority the right to life and our duty to defend innocent human life. This principle applies directly to the protection of unborn children as well as to the Church 's opposition to embryonic stem cell research, cloning, assisted suicide and euthanasia."
"The role of Catholics in politics," Cardinal Rigali explained, "is to have a voice on policies that reflect the truths of the natural law."
Cardinal Rigali warned against voting for candidates who support the evil of same-sex "marriage." He wrote, ". . . society cannot change the definition of marriage that is revealed in natural law and confirmed by human history. The Church consistently proclaims that marriage exists only between one man and one woman. Catholic citizens must directly oppose the promotion of laws that sanction these threats to the very foundation of society."
"Not all these issues are of equal gravity," Cardinal Rigali continued. "Some issues," like abortion, embryonic stem cell research, cloning, assisted suicide and euthanasia -- unlike "problems of poverty, immigration, healthcare and acceptable military force -- lie at the foundation of society and address fundamental aspects of what it means to be human, [thus] must be considered first and foremost."
In conclusion, Cardinal Rigali encouraged all Catholics "to try to begin their day on Tuesday, November 2 by participating at Mass which is celebrated at various times in the parishes of the Archdiocese. The Eucharistic table is a fitting place to begin the journey of casting our votes."
Read the Cardinal's entire letter at: http://www.cst-phl.com/second.html
tv
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- "Manhattan Declaration" Embodies U.S. Christian Pushback against Abortion, Same-Sex "Marriage"
- Hoffman Loses Final Tally of NY-23 Race; Alleges ACORN Tampering and Fraud
- Abortion Activist Judge Hamilton Confirmed with Help of Ten Republican Senators
- CDC Reverses Gardasil Vaccine Requirement for Immigrants
- Germany Faces Economic Downturn with Plummeting Birth Rate and Aging Population
- CCHD in Archdiocese of Chicago Says it is Working to Fix Problems
- Rejection of Washington DC Marriage Referendum Challenged With Legal Suit
- Obama-Supporting Homosexual Activist to Out Sexually Involved Priests Unless they Support Gay 'Marriage
- Austrian Catholic Bishops Issue Bland Response to Govt's Homosexual Partnership Bill
- Interim Report on Catholic Sex-Abuse Says "Homosexual Identity" Not a Predictor of Sex Abuse
- LSN NewsBytes - US Health Care Reform
- LSN NewsBytes - Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD)
- LSN NewsBytes - Life Issues, Religion, Swine Flu, US Politics, Sarah Palin, Miscellaneous
- LSN NewsBytes - Climate Change/Global Warming
- 59 Bishops Contributed Financially to Maine Bishop's Effort to Oppose Maine Same-Sex "Marriage" Law
- Pro-Abortion Lawmakers Shower Praise on Senate Bill's Phony Abortion Compromise
Most Read this Week
- Largest U.S. Homosexual Publisher Shuts Down, Closing Major Gay Newspapers
- EWTN's Arroyo Hosts Reform CCHD Reps Who Reveal Shocking Evidence Against USCCB Anti-Poverty Arm
- Italian Mayors Order Crufixes Put in Classrooms in Revolt against European Court Ruling
- Nat'l Organization for Marriage Responds to Miss California "Sex Tape" Scandal
- Obama Evades Questioning on Stupak Amendment in FOX Interview
- French Judge Finds Hospital Guilty of "Unreasonable Obstinacy" in Saving Newborn's Life
- EU Leaders to Choose President today in Secret "Soviet Style" Meetings
- Hoffman "Unconcedes" Battle for NY-23: Recount Provides Hope for "Miracle" Victory
- CCHD Responds to Reform Movement
- "Manhattan Declaration" Embodies U.S. Christian Pushback against Abortion, Same-Sex "Marriage"
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.