PORTLAND, January 16, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In his regular column in the Catholic Sentinel, Baker Oregon Bishop Robert Vasa urges Catholics and even “so-called Catholic pro-choice persons” to write postcards opposing the Freedom of Choice Act.
“I strongly urge all who have a glimmer of concern for the lives of pre-born children to engage themselves in this postcard campaign,” he said. He added, “This is not an action which would limit or alter present permissive abortion laws, which some so-called Catholic pro-choice persons might object to, it would simply preclude a dramatic expansion of that permissiveness. Thus it would be very difficult for any Catholic, no matter how much in favor of abortion itself, to find a reason to refuse to participate in this campaign.”
“It may sound a little strong to state that legislators ‘hate’ the pre-born child but hate is an absence of love and love means to wish another well,” wrote the Bishop. “There is nothing about abortion that wishes the pre-born child well. The preservation of abortion ‘rights’ is already an absence of love for the pre-born child but the passage of FOCA could be construed as nothing less than active and positive disregard, even hatred, for these our brothers and sisters.”
Bishop Vasa quotes the writings of St. John, where the Evangelist says, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother is a liar.”
The Bishop concluded his column: “Regardless of how many years have passed since the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court Decision and regardless of how prevalent and routine abortion has become in this country, the simple truth remains, it is an act of extreme violence to the pre-born child and to the distressed mother. Thus, if anyone says, ‘I love God’ and still favors abortion, he is, to quote St. John, a liar.”
See the full column in the Sentinel here:
https://sentinel.org/node/9727