Phoenix Bishop Says it’s Time to Kick the Pro-abortion Catholic Politician’s ‘But’

PHOENIX, March 22, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In a column in his diocesan paper this weekend, Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted strikes out at what he calls “the ‘Catholic but…’ syndrome”.  The bishop explains that Lent, the current time of preparation for Easter, “is the time to expunge rationalization from our minds and to root out compromise from our hearts.”  The Bishop offers examples of “Rebutting the ‘Catholic but …’”:  “I am a Catholic businessman but I don’t let the Church influence what I do at the office or in the boardroom;” but Jesus says (Mt 7:21), “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”“I am a Catholic politician but I don’t let my Catholicism impact on how I vote or what legislation I promote;” but Jesus says (Mt 7:26-27), “Everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”“I am a Catholic physician but I don’t let my faith mold my decisions regarding abortion, contraception, or other medical practices;” but Jesus says Mt 5:37), “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”“Lent,” says Bishop Olmstead, “is the time to kick the ‘Catholic but…’ out of our own daily lives.”  See the full column at:  https://www.catholicsun.org/bishopColumn.htm