Why Catholics Can't Vote for Obama

Fr. James Farfaglia

Many Catholics are concerned about the war in Iraq, the environment, the economy, capital punishment, poverty and immigration. These are important issues, but the question that divides many is this: can I vote for a candidate that supports my beliefs although that candidate supports abortion? Is it possible to consider abortion on the same level as any other issue?

The canonical penalties attributed to the sin of abortion and the continual teaching of the papal Magisterium on the subject demonstrates that abortion, in the mind of the Church, is not on the same level as other issues.

There have been more babies killed by abortion since Roe v. Wade than people killed in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and both Iraq wars combined. An average of 150 convicted murderers, proven guilty, are killed by the death penalty in Texas every year. 90,000 innocent babies are killed in Texas every year by abortion.

Since 1973 there have been over 48 million abortions in the U.S. alone. Consider the estimated population of some of our major U.S. cities: New York – 8,143,197; Los Angeles – 3,844,829; Chicago – 2,842,518; and Houston – 2,016,582. Are we not destroying our work force and the base for social security?

If we can kill an innocent child in the womb of a mother and that no longer shocks us as a nation, then we can justify anything such as unending wars, abuses in the use of capital punishment, violence, and social injustices. Moreover, abortion undermines civil order because it affirms that everyone is not equal under the law. Let us remember the haunting words of Mother Theresa: "Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use violence to get what they want. That is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion”.

When legalized abortion has ended, we can then move on to other pressing concerns. Therefore, in light of the gravity of the sin of abortion and its consequences on society, we cannot vote for any candidate that supports abortion even though that candidate may support other issues that concern us. We have a moral obligation to vote for the candidate that will do all that he can to end legalized abortion and appoint Supreme Court Justices that will protect innocent unborn life.

Note: Please see this article by Ed Koch on the importance of the abortion issue in the 2008 elections.