Abortion evil, voter guide says
The nation’s Roman Catholic bishops have released a voter guide for the 2012 election that repeatedly calls abortion “evil” without making revisions that some conservatives had demanded for an even tighter focus on the issue.
The document, called “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” is nearly identical to the bishops’ guide published four years ago. It gives high priority to fighting abortion while also highlighting social concerns such as ending poverty and war. Catholics make up about one-quarter of the electorate nationwide but do not vote as a bloc. Most don’t base their choice on a politician’s stand on abortion.
The bishops have offered similar advice to Catholics before every presidential race since 1976, broadly applying religious teaching to policy concerns of the day. The document has become a point of contention within the church over which issues voters should consider most important: abortion or social justice. These differences have often led to bruising arguments — and an unusual public airing of differences among bishops.
By releasing the document now, church leaders hope to minimize the chance for a public debate on the guide at their annual November meeting, although any bishop could ask to revisit the guide.
In an introductory note to the 2012 edition, the bishops highlighted six concerns: abortion, religious freedom, traditional marriage, immigration reform, fighting poverty and ending war. The document was
released days after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced they had created a new watchdog committee to challenge what they considered an “assault” on religious liberty from Obama administration policies. Among the threats the bishops cited were a plan that could require Catholic organizations to cover birth control free of charge for their employees and distribute condoms as part of HIV prevention campaigns.