I was born and grew up in Pittsburgh and attended Catholic schools there, first grade through college, and though I left the city for good in 1968, I still keep up with the news there. I was extremely disappointed to read about Bishop David Zubik’s letter to his flock relative to the upcoming presidential election (“Pittsburgh Bishop Zubik issues letter as pundits call Catholic vote ‘crucial’ to presidential race,” Sept. 24, TribLIVE).
Zubik’s statement does not accurately reflect defined Catholic moral doctrine about abortion. In other words, he didn’t tell his people the truth, and nothing but the truth, even though he could have done so without going on and on about so-called life issues.
The Catholic Church is absolutely, and without exception, opposed to abortion. Of that there is no dispute. Thus, there is no “Catholic perspective” on abortion; there is only defined Catholic moral doctrine, to which all Catholics must assent. Furthermore, and the bishop knows this too, there is no moral equivalence to be drawn between abortion and so-called life (social justice) issues.
Abortion is objectively evil and can never be made good by circumstance, and so it is a grave sin for a Catholic to vote for any candidate who openly supports abortion. Anyone, even a bishop or the pope himself, who tells Catholics otherwise is misleading them.
And that is not telling a Catholic which candidate to vote for. It is simply reminding them of their obligation to act in accordance with their faith.
Ivo Fronzaglia
Colorado Springs, Colo.