Opinion
Featured Image
Catholic chaplain and Liberal candidate Filomena Tassi

September 24, 2015 (LifeSiteNews) — I had the opportunity to speak with Liberal Candidate Filomena Tassi while she was campaigning on my street in Ancaster.  I have known Filomena for quite some time as she is the Chaplaincy Leader at our local Bishop Tonnos Catholic Secondary School. I asked her in all charity how she reconciles her duty to promote Catholic teaching on the sin of abortion while running for a party that demands all candidates support the party’s pro-abortion stance. She told me that she has it on good advice from a ‘theologian’ that the two do not conflict. I reminded her that she needn't go anywhere but one of the greatest theologians of our time, Pope St. John Paul II: “The inalienable right to life of every innocent human individual is a constitutive element of a civil society and its legislation … from the moment of conception until death” (CCC 2273).  I mean, how clear is that?  Abortion (choice) is the killing of innocent human life.  

She went further to say that if elected, she would do nothing to interfere with a woman's ‘legal’ right to choose (abortion).   I reminded her that there was in fact no 'law' that guarantees 'the right to choose’ – rather the absence of a law on abortion. In fact, Canada is one of three countries in the world without a law on abortion for all nine months of pregnancy.  It is a disgrace that we as a country deny human rights to human beings before birth.  Further, there is nothing in the wording of the Canadian Charter of Rights that indicates a right to procure an abortion – something her associate on the street tried to argue.  

But to the point, regardless of societal interpretation of laws and charters, just or unjust laws, if we are to call ourselves Catholic, we are bound to believe what the Church teaches and are obliged to support and enact laws that promote these teachings.  “No circumstance, no purpose, no law whatsoever can ever make licit an act which is intrinsically illicit, since it is contrary to the law of God which is written in every human heart, knowable by reason itself, and proclaimed by the Church,” said Pope John Paul II (Evangelium Vitae 62).  She continued by referring to her theologian as justification for her position.

In the end, she told me we had to disagree. I thought to myself, she’s not just disagreeing with me, she’s disagreeing with the same Catholic Church she says she belongs to.   As she was being escorted away by her associate, I pleaded with her to stop sending the wrong message to the thousands of Catholic students and constituents – who know her as a “Catholic” Chaplaincy Leader.

The Church is not a democracy, Mrs. Tassi, where one can interpret teachings to suit one’s own political affiliations. I pray you have a change of heart, Filomena, and stop bowing to political ‘correctness’ and moral relativism.  

Side note:  To all West Hamilton, Ancaster and Dundas voters, we only have one fully pro-life candidate running: Vincent Samuel (Conservative Party). To see how your candidate measures up, visit: click here.

Kevin Dunn is a documentary producer, Catholic speaker and father of six. Each year, his company DunnMedia & Entertainment produces the world-wide broadcast of the National March for Life on  EWTN -Global Catholic Network.