Catholic Chamber of Commerce Charities

October 10, 2008 

DALLAS - Dallas Bishop Kevin Farrell and Fort Worth Bishop Kevin Vann have issued a "Joint Statement to the Faithful of the Dioceses of Dallas and Fort Worth" to "provide clear guidance on the proper formation of conscience concerning voting as faithful Catholics and to articulate the Church's clear and unambiguous teaching on the life issues as they relate to other issues of concern," and "to briefly summarize the key points and dispel any confusion or misunderstanding that may be present among you concerning the teaching contained in the document [Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, United States Bishops, November 2007], especially that which may have arisen from recent public misinterpretation concerning this teaching."

The statement was issued in English and Spanish, and with the assistance of the Knights of Columbus and parish pro-life coordinators, will be distributed in all parishes in the Dioceses of Dallas and Fort Worth as bulletin inserts or handouts the weekend of October 18-19.  The statement will also be published in the Texas Catholic and North Texas Catholic diocesan newspapers.

"This year, Respect Life Month takes on a more profound meaning as we face an election in our country where the protection of human life itself, particularly that of the unborn, is very much at stake."

"... not all issues have the same moral equivalence.  Some issues involve "intrinsic evils"; that is, they can never under any circumstance or condition be morally justified."  "'They must always be rejected and opposed and must never be supported or condoned.'"

“ ‘It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop…’ ”

“We cannot make more clear the seriousness of the overriding issue of abortion – while not the “only issue” – it is the defining moral issue, not only today, but of the last 35 years.”

“As Catholics we are morally obligated to pray, to act, and to vote to abolish the evil of abortion in America…”

“...there are no ‘truly grave moral’ or ‘proportionate’ reasons, singularly or combined, that could outweigh the millions of innocent human lives that are directly killed by legal abortion each year.” 

“To vote for a candidate who supports the intrinsic evil of abortion or ‘abortion rights’ when there is a morally acceptable alternative would be to cooperate in the evil – and, therefore, morally impermissible.”

“With knowledge of the Church's teaching on these grave matters, it is incumbent on each of us as Catholics to educate ourselves on where the candidates running for office stand on these issues, particularly those involving intrinsic evils.”