By Tim Waggoner
WILMINGTON, DE, September 10, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Monday’s installation Mass of Bishop W. Francis Malooly as the new bishop of Wilmington, during which the newly installed bishop affirmed the need to protect life from conception to natural death, was missing one well-known, self-labeled “intensely religious” member of the diocese – abortion rights advocate and Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Coincidently, just 24 hours earlier, Biden made an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, in which he responded to moderator Tom Brokaw’s question on when life begins by saying he is “prepared as a matter of faith to accept that life begins at the moment of conception”, but would not impose that faith on anyone through law. He claimed that to do so would be “inappropriate in a pluralistic society.”
Biden has in the past repeatedly voted to uphold abortion “rights” in the U.S.
According to Spirit Daily, in his homily on Monday, Bishop Malooly did not address Biden’s statements directly, but proclaimed the need to pray that U.S. politicians and law makers promote and uphold the right to life of all human beings.
“We will continue to stress the constant teaching of the Church that each person must respect every life from conception to natural death,” said the new bishop of Wilmington. “And we will continue to seek the intercession of Saint Thomas More for Statesmen, Politicians, Supreme Court Justices, Judges and Lawyers – that they may be courageous and effective in defending and promoting the sanctity of human life, the foundation of every human right, the foundation of our love for the poor.”
DelmarvaNow reported that Biden called Bishop Malooly over the weekend to congratulate him on his appointment to the diocese, but was unable to make the ceremony because he was campaigning in Wisconsin.
New Castle County executive Chris Coons, however, took time out from campaigning for yesterday’s primary to witness Bishop Malooly’s installation.
Likewise Lt. Gov. John Carney, who is running for governor in the Democratic primary, Sen. Tom Carper and Mike Protack, who is running for governor in the Republican primary, all attended the ceremony.
Biden, like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has been chastised by several US bishops for his comments on Meet the Press. He has been accused for confusing the differences between faith and natural law and for flawed moral reasoning. Just today the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released a statement correcting Biden’s false statements about Catholic teaching.
See related coverage:
…And Again: Now Bishops Correct Biden’s False Statements about Catholic Teaching on Abortion
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/sep/08090905.html