Bishop Martino to Sen Casey: Reflect On Actions

Bishop Martino (Diocese of Scranton) has turned up the heat another notch. He has made it clear that Casey that better reconsider his actions. He hasn't told Casey no on Communion, yet, but has made it clear that Casey probably shouldn't receive Communion.

I also think that Casey's reasons for voting for her are weak at best & clearly a cop out to justify doing what he knows was wrong. Sadly, way too many looking for an excuse to justify it will latch onto those reasons to defend him. They also say a lot about his true values & justify the Bishop's decision to issue what I see as the final warning to shape up.

Scranton bishop threatens to deny sacrament to Casey

For the first time publicly, Diocese of Scranton Bishop Joseph F. Martino made it clear Wednesday that he might eventually bar U.S. Sen. Bob Casey from receiving communion if the senator doesn’t follow his advice on opposing abortion.

The bishop also said the senator should now think twice about receiving communion after voting Tuesday to confirm an abortion rights supporter, former Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, as Health and Human Services secretary.

“If necessary, future determinations will be made regarding whether Sen. Casey is worthy to receive Holy Communion,” a Diocese of Scranton statement on Casey’s vote said. “However, at this point Bishop Martino believes it is incumbent upon Sen. Casey to reflect on his actions and ask himself if he should receive the sacrament.”

The bishop said he plans to continue to monitor Casey’s positions and votes on “life issues.” He also believes he has “a pastoral responsibility to instruct the senator about these serious moral issues” because Casey is a member of the diocese.
In letters last month and earlier this week, the bishop warned Casey against voting for Sebelius.

As he has for months, Bishop Martino declined to make himself available to answer questions about his position.

“The bishop isn’t available for an interview,” diocesan spokesman Dan Gallagher said in an e-mail.

In a telephone interview, Casey, who opposes abortion, declined to comment directly on the bishop’s new warning, but defended his support of Sebelius.

“Although I disagree with her on some issues, including a number of the decisions she has made on abortion, I believe my vote in favor of her confirmation was correct,” he said in a statement.

Casey also said:

� Leaving the position vacant as the country faces a possible flu pandemic “would be highly irresponsible.”

� The country cannot afford a further delay in appointing the official who will lead the fight to make sure more than 40 million uninsured Americans have health insurance and to reform the nation’s health care system.

� Sebelius has executive experience both as a governor and Kansas insurance commissioner that will help her carry out her duties.

“While the Secretary of HHS will have a limited role in defining abortion policy, I look forward to working with the president to reduce the number of abortions through measures like my Pregnant Women’s Support Act legislation,” Casey said in the statement.

The diocesan statement questions whether Casey is as opposed to abortion as he says he is and accuses him of having an “inconsistent” voting record.

It praises Casey’s support for legislation to aid pregnant women and families, but says he voted:

� Against restricting the payment of American tax dollars to foreign family planning groups that refuse to renounce abortion. Casey says such groups are already forbidden from using American tax dollars for abortions and the new restriction is unnecessary.

� To confirm Harvard Law School Dean Elena Kagan as solicitor general, despite her support of partial-birth abortion and her opposition to withdrawing federal money from taxpayer-funded abortion clinics and funding for teen-pregnancy counseling by religious institutions.

� To confirm Sebelius, who vetoed laws to restrict late-term abortions, including one that would have allowed lawsuits against doctors who perform abortions illegally and required late-term abortion providers to give “a fuller account” of each abortion. Sebelius also took hundreds of thousands in contributions from “one of our nation’s most notorious abortionists.”

That’s “ample evidence for the anti-life evidence she will make in this key position,” the diocesan statement said.

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Here is the full diocesan statement:

Diocese of Scranton Statement Regarding Sen. Casey’s Votein Favor of Kathleen Sebelius

Bishop Joseph F. Martino said today (April 29) that he is “deeply disappointed” that Sen. Robert Casey voted yesterday with the majority in the Senate to approve the nomination of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a staunch supporter of abortion rights, for Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The Bishop had previously urged Sen. Casey to “oppose strenuously” her nomination because of her well established pro-abortion record. In a letter faxed to Sen. Casey on April 27, the Bishop noted:
“As Governor of Kansas, Ms. Sebelius has vetoed several separate pieces of pro-life legislation. Most recently, the Kansas governor vetoed yet another state law that would have restricted late-term abortions. The law aimed to give women and girls, as well as their husbands or parents, power to sue abortionists if they perform the procedure illegally. The legislation also would have required late-term abortionists to provide a fuller account of each procedure to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
“In addition to Kathleen Sebelius’ pro-abortion record, her relationship with one of our nation’s most notorious abortionists, Dr. George Tiller, is equally troubling. Recently, it was revealed that Governor Sebelius benefited from hundreds of thousands of dollars that Dr. Tiller donated to influence the 2002 Kansas gubernatorial race in her favor.
“Considering Governor Sebelius’ relationship with leaders in the abortion industry and her consistent vetoing of laws that would have regulated abortion procedures and restricted or enforced restrictions on late-term abortions in the state of Kansas, I urge you to oppose strenuously her appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services.”
Despite his claims of being “pro-life,” Sen. Casey’s voting record thus far has been inconsistent.
On the one hand, Sen. Casey is to be commended for initiatives that provide support for pregnant women and families. And Bishop Martino is grateful for the Senator’s recent vote for an amendment that would have provided conscience protection on abortion for health care workers. (Regrettably, the amendment was defeated in the Senate.)
On the other hand, Sen. Casey voted to rescind the Mexico City Policy, thus ensuring that American taxpayer funds go to organizations abroad dedicated to performing and promoting abortions even in cultures that are opposed to them. The result is that abortion becomes the preferred means for reducing family size in developing nations. Neither the Helms Amendment nor any other U.S. legislation prevents that.
He also voted for the appointment of Harvard Law School Dean Elena Kagan as solicitor general. Ms. Kagan supports partial-birth abortion and opposed withdrawing federal funds from taxpayer-funded abortion clinics despite popular opposition. She opposed funding teen-pregnancy counseling by religious institutions. As solicitor general, she is likely to oppose the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, thus opening the door to legislation allowing same-sex marriage.
And now Sen. Casey has joined with his colleagues to put Gov. Sebelius in charge of building a new health care system in the United States. Her well-established pro-abortion track record provides ample evidence for the anti-life decisions she will make in this key position.
Bishop Martino has communicated with Sen. Casey about these issues, and his responsibilities as a Catholic and a public official. The Bishop will continue to monitor the Senator’s positions and votes concerning life issues.
If necessary, future determinations will be made regarding whether Sen. Casey is worthy to receive Holy Communion. However, at this point Bishop Martino believes it is incumbent upon Sen. Casey to reflect on his actions and ask himself if he should receive the sacrament.
Bishop Martino said that, since Sen. Casey is a member of the Diocese of Scranton, it is the Bishop’s pastoral responsibility to instruct the Senator about these serious moral issues.