On Tuesday a majority of US Catholics defied the call of dozens of bishops and countless Catholic right-wingers to vote for the anti-abortion candidate. 54% of US Catholics voted for Barack Obama.
Today, the Church hierarchy and Catholic Right are mourning their loss, expressing their outrage and declaring their intention to keep on fighting.
Here are a few highlights of statements from the Catholic Right:
Some expressed their anger and disgust:
“It should have come as no surprise that Americans voted their pocketbooks and their distaste for war, which is how it came to pass that on November 4, 2008, the nation elected the most rabidly pro-abortion politician in its history. Thus, the charisma of an appeal for “change” could become the death knell for even more preborn babies…”
–Lessons Yet Unlearned: Election ’08 and Principle, Judie Brown of the American Life League
“The American people do not share Barack Obama’s extreme and offensive views on abortion. They never have and they never will. The coming four years will see a widening gap between the people and their President on this fundamental issue. As Americans come to know how extreme his position is, the intensity of the struggle to protect these children will only increase…”
– A Grave Mistake and an Abiding Hope, Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life
“The election results and the scandal of the Catholic vote only confirm that we are still suffering from the consequences of years of poor catechesis, episcopal fear or cowardice, and the confusion, sometimes purposeful, sown by the enemies of the Church since Vatican II…”
– My Fellow Catholics, Brian Burch of CatholicVote.com
Some attempted the high road:
“I write to you, in my capacity as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, to express our congratulations on your historic election as President of the United States. The people of our country have entrusted you with a great responsibility. As Catholic Bishops, we offer our prayers that God give you strength and wisdom to meet the coming challenges…”
– Letter to President-elect Barack Obama from Cardinal Francis George, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
And some celebrated the gains the Catholic Right achieved in stifling the rights of gay and lesbian people:
“Were it not for Catholics, the institutions of marriage and the family would have taken a hit in places like Arizona, Florida and California. Indeed, in Florida and California, their vote proved to be decisive…Because those who reject traditional values and religion voted heavily for Barack Obama, it’s a sure bet the culture war will only get hotter. We expect to be quite busy.”
– Catholic Vote On Marriage And Family: Much To Cheer About, Bill Donahue of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights
“The passage of Proposition 8 was the result of an unprecedented coalition of many faith communities and other citizens who understood the importance of maintaining the bedrock institution of marriage…”
– Statement On The Passage Of Proposition 8, Cardinal Roger Mahoney of Los Angeles
One thing is certain. Defeated or not, the Catholic Right does not plan to back down anytime soon.
