Bishops Consider Sanctions for Politicians

And about time too!

A task force of bishops will take up the idea of a church punishment as it develops guidelines on how prelates should respond to Catholic lawmakers who do not uphold church values in their work.

The Vatican and U.S. bishops have for years urged Catholic legislators to consider their faith when they vote. No date has been set for the American guidelines to be completed.

“I’m tired of hearing Catholic politicians saying ‘I’m personally opposed to abortion, but I don’t want to impose my moral judgments on anyone else,”’ Galante said. “Politicians make moral judgments all the time. That’s a weaseling out of something.”

Now some might argue that this only constricts freedom of thought within the Church, to which I would respond that such a decision to retain faithful Catholics in no way restricts freedom of thought. Rather, such a decision from the USCCB would only strengthen the Catholic position on pro-life and social conditions.

Bishop Galante is right. Politicians are asked to make moral judgments all the time – that’s why they are elected as lawmakers. It’s about time the U.S. Catholic Bishops were asked to draw a line in the sand.