Speaking out in the US election

By Modesto P. Sa-onoy

Since the Philippines became an American colony in 1898, the elections in the United States had bearings on us. The policies of the political party in power have influence in the thinking of our government.

The ongoing political campaign in the US for next month’s election appears none of our business in terms of politics especially now that the Duterte administration is trying to get out of the American orbit and proclaiming to be independent that however indicates a tilt in favor of China. The “Chinese invasion” is already upon us and not in a pleasant way.

But aside from the political issues in this year’s American election, there is something new – the moral issues, not on religious affiliation but on matters of doctrine.

The Democratic Party candidate for president, Joe Biden is a Catholic; his opponent, incumbent President Donald Trump is a Presbyterian. However, many Catholic leaders in America reject Biden because of his rabid support for abortion that is contrary to Catholic doctrine. Biden’s party is a leading advocate of abortion and Biden even promised to expand the abortion industry if he were elected. So incensed are several priests and bishops against Biden that in some dioceses, he is denied Holy Communion.

Trump’s religious views hew closely to Catholic doctrine and during his nomination for another term, the beloved song, “Ave Maria” was sung in original Latin. Biden’s nomination day interview was about sex.

In Towson, Maryland last October 16, 2020, LifeSiteNews reported that on the 11^th a Catholic priest of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter gave a straightforward and courageous homily that “clearly laid out Joe Biden and the Democratic Party’s stance on the non-negotiables.”

Fr. Ed Meeks, declared, “There are certain realities about the candidates and their parties that directly impact our Catholic faith, and we must be aware of these realities before we cast our vote. It is my place as your priest and pastor to help you see how your vote may or may not line up with the teachings of the church.”

He exhorted the faithful to vote in accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church, which is “based on Sacred Scripture and the living tradition contained in the Church’s Magisterium.” He told his parishioners that the three non-negotiables for Catholics are “the sanctity of life from conception to natural death, the sanctity of marriage as a lifelong sacramental union between a man and a woman, and the preservation of religious liberty. On these [non-negotiables] and other critical issues, there is one presidential candidate who stands in very public [and] very obstinate opposition to Church teaching — namely, former vice president Joe Biden.”

Fr. Meeks called his parishioners’ attention to the fact that Biden is “unabashedly pro-abortion” and reminded them that Biden and the Democratic Party support ending the lives of young children up to birth and even afterward. He also pointed out that Biden’s party repeatedly opposed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act and that they advocate for the repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which would force all American taxpayers to fund abortion.

Fr. Meeks brought up Biden stands that are in direct opposition to the Church’s teaching on the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. Biden publicly endorsed the “so-called same-sex marriage” in 2012 when he was vice president and he officiated the “marriage” of two men in 2016.

He also warned his parishioners that a “Biden presidency would be a danger to our already dwindling religious liberty” and cautioned that Biden would “restore the Obamacare mandate requiring religious organizations to fund contraception for their employees and that if Biden were to institute a nationwide shutdown, such an action “would once again close our churches.”

Fr. Meeks is not alone, cardinals and bishops speak of the same issues. What is remarkable here is that they spoke of the stand of politicians on moral issues, a stance that few Philippine Church leaders would dare speak.

As one bishop said, a good Protestant president is better than a bad Catholic. How many Filipino pastors would speak so frankly when Church teachings are being trampled upon by Catholic politicians?

The US election will tell whether Catholics would protect their faith from predatory politicians. Silence is complicity.