Why Can't Our Bishops Speak So Clearly?

A bishop in Uruguay, Archbishop Nicolas Cotugno of Montevideo, recently said that any politicians voting for abortion incurs automatic excommunication. No nuance there - just the plain truth. You vote for abortion; you are excommunicated. Obviously, he believes voting for abortion involves direct cooperation with evil. The bishop didn't dance around the issue. He said, “all those who vote, support and promote abortion are, in fact, excommunicated. And it is an excommunication that, according to canon law, is immediate. They are ipso facto excommunicated.”

Wow! Why can't our bishops speak so clearly? Cardinal George danced around the issue at a press conference this week when he was asked whether politicians voting for FOCA would be directly cooperating with evil. Unfortunately, most of our bishops sound like politicians trying to please both sides of every issue, you know, the "common ground" approach. But where is the common ground between killing babies and defending babies? There isn't any. Could this courageous bishop's clear teaching have something to do with the president of Uruguay's recent veto of an abortion law?

Archbishop Cotugno isn't the first Latin bishop to warn pro-abortion politician. Last May Mexican bishops warned that lawmakers who voted for the legalization of abortion during the first 12 weeks would incur automatic excommunication. The pope affirmed it when reporters asked him enroute to his American visit.

With FOCA looming on the horizon expanding abortion and limiting every iota of protection for unborn children, their mothers, minor children, and health care professionals isn't it time for some clear teaching from the American bishops to Catholic politicians? The Church Militant needs leaders giving marching orders not toe dancers in tutus dancing around the issues.