The Deadly Dozen

By Father DAVID EPPS
Contributing Writer

Father David Epps is Rector of Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church which meets at 8 and 10 a.m. Sundays at 4881 E. Hwy. 34. He may be contacted at 770-252-2428, or at frepps@ctkcec.org

The American Life League has released what it calls "The Deadly Dozen" for 2004. A pro-life organization within the Roman Catholic Church, ALL (as the American Life league is also known) contends that "you can't be Catholic and pro-abortion."

All of "The Deadly Dozen" are political figures in the United States who claim membership in the Roman Catholic Church. One named to the list, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), upset at being targeted, said that she "strongly disagrees with the premise" that "you can't be Catholic and pro-abortion." The senator voted in favor of a resolution that stated that "the decision of the Supreme Court in Row v. Wade was appropriate and secures an important constitutional right and such decision should not be overturned."

ALL's president, Judie Brown, disagrees strongly with the Senator for "supporting a court decision that had led to the killing of 40 million innocent babies." Currently, some 4,000 unborn children are killed every day in the United States.

ALL defines "pro-life" as "someone who respects the dignity of the innocent human being from the time his life begins at conception (fertilization) until the natural end of his life. This means that a pro-life person opposes abortion, euthanasia, infanticide, assisted suicide, the morning-after pill, chemical abortion (such as RU-486), birth control pills, chemicals and devices---in short, any act, chemical or device that causes the death of an innocent person." (Source: ALL News, Sept. 2004).

ALL's position seems to reflect the official position of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that the early church condemned abortion, states that every person has an "inalienable right to life," says that "human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception," and that ex-communication from the life of the church is to be the result of the procurement of an abortion.

Bishop Robert Vasa of Oregon would deny Holy Communion to pro-abortion politicos, saying, "I literally could not give Holy Communion to a professed and actively committed" pro-abortion politician. Bishop Bernard Harrington of Minnesota said, "Catholics who steadfastly support abortion should not come forward for Holy Communion." He further said, "It is time we recognize that morality and ethics-not our political parties-determine what we believe."

Certainly, there are Catholics that argue that one can be Catholic and pro-choice but Archbishop Alexander Brunett of Seattle said those "who suggest that they can disassociate totally their political actions in principle from their Catholic faith are laboring under a dangerous moral delusion."

The American Life League has taken nonpartisan aim at what they consider the most deadly politicians in American, listing both Republicans and Democrats among "The Deadly Dozen." Catholic Republicans making the list include Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Gov. George Pataki of New York, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California.

The "Deadly Dozen" Catholic Democrats include Sens. John Kerry and Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois, Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California.

Clearly ALL has the Vatican, church history, canon law, and the Catechism on its side. ALL calls for Canon Law 915 to be enforced upon the "Deadly Dozen" and upon all pro-abortion Catholics. Canon Law 915 states, "Those who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Communion."

It remains to be seen whether the Roman Catholic bishops will enforce their own laws in denying Holy Communion to pro-abortion politicians or consider imposing ex-communication on those Republicans and Democrats who vote contrary to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. Ever hopeful, however, ALL issued a statement saying, "We call on all bishops and priests to respectfully refuse Holy Communion to these and all public figures who unrepentant support for the killing of babies in the womb defiles the Body of Christ."

[Father David Epps is Rector of Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church which is located at 4881 Ga. Highway 34 between Peachtree City and Newnan. He may be contacted at Frepps@ctkcec.org.ÊThe church, which meets at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Sundays, has a web site at www.ctkcec.org.]