Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, wrote an open letter to Senator
Joseph Biden, 2008 VP candidate, regarding his remarks on abortion and the teaching of the Catholic Church. The appeal Anderson makes is one Catholic to another. The invitation is personal to discuss Catholic teaching and the importance of true faith.
Biden makes the claim to be a faithful Catholic and his known to attend Sunday Mass among other things. Biden also claims to hold what the Church teaches regarding abortion, "the unspeakable crime," and yet he is a pro-choice senator. The public record of Senator Biden shows no affection (i.e., he's not obedient to the Lord and His sacrament the Church) for the Catholic he purports to be convicted by and to sustain him unto salvation. He's afflicted with the Mario Como disease which says "personally I am opposed to abortion but I am not going to impose my views on others."
Carl Anderson's letter to Joseph Biden can be read here. The letter outlines the issues at hand: the misleading statements Biden has made regarding Catholic teaching and reserving Catholic moral teaching from the legislative process and voting.
Instead of writing Biden off from a fruitful conversation, which many would do, Anderson is doing the noble thing by inviting Biden to the table to discuss his statements --Biden's wrong thinking-- regarding what Catholic faith teaches about life and why one can't claim to be a faithful Catholic and hold that abortion is acceptable, even to the point of voting for legislation securing abortion rights.
Senator Biden has a choice: either accept the Church's clear, consistent teaching about the value of human life by accepting and working for the uborn or risk salvation.
Abortion violates natural law, the 6th Commandment, New Testament truth, the teaching of the fathers of the Church, the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and love.
John O’Gorman
30 Myrtle Avenue, Winthrop, MA 02152, USA.
P/F: 617 846 2983
22/Sep/2008
The Editor
Dear Sir,
Carl Anderson’s open letter of 19 Sept 2008 to Sen. Joe Biden criticizing him for his support for Roe v. Wade - which has led to the death of 50 million innocent unborn children since 1973 - is most welcome and timely (KofC.org). Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, also mentions the response of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to remarks by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
These politicians are only 2 of the 90 pro-abortion Catholics in Congress known to Anderson. There are also many other politicians at state and local level who are pro-abortion. Many politicians, members of the K of C, support abortion and same-sex marriage. These individuals have repeatedly been brought to the attention of Anderson and the K of C by many people, including myself. If Anderson and the K of C - the largest Catholic fraternal organization in the world - are to be taken seriously they must expel from their ranks the pro-abortion politicians and members.
They must also expel from their ranks the 16 or more pro-homosexual K of C politicians in the Massachusetts State House who caused the defeat, on 14/June/2007, of the measure by 170,000 signatories to put traditional marriage on the ballot in November 2008. K of C politicians voted in July 2008 to repeal a 1913 law, thus allowing same-sex couples from all 50 states to marry in Massachusetts. Seven of these K of C politicians have the highest ratings from Planned Parenthood, the USA's biggest abortionists, who performed 289,000 abortions in 2006 (PlannedParenthood.org).
Yours Sincerely,
John O’Gorman
Our council had a Catholic politician apply for membership as well. The Chaplain refused to endorse him as a practical Catholic due to his well known pro-abortion and pro-same sex unions support. Our chaplain explained canon law, and church teaching on scandal which clearly prevented this man from meeting the criteria of being a "practical Catholic in communion with the Holy See".
The council went to another chaplain in another council to sign his Form 100 to enter.
State Board was notified of this nonsense but indicated their hands were tied.
Our Chaplain and I transferred our memberships to another council, and I eventually resigned my membership. I refuse to re-join until the K of C starts to do more than talk the talk.
Can anyone seriously suggest the K of C is better off having these 90 or so men who flout church teaching as members?
Dear Ken,
Thanks for reading blog Communio blog and for writing. I could not agree more with you. I am a 4th degree KofC and I worked for the Supreme Council a few years ago and enjoy friendship with many KofC members. BUT there is still systemic problem among the Councils that are not too aware of the indications of Carl Anderson when it comes to faith, charitable work and intellectual engagement. Not everybody can reach the bar set by Carl, but not to try is a problem. Sadly, in the Northeast there are many, many KofC councils that are not parish based, do not collaborate with the parish priest nor the organizations in the parish, who are more interested in smoking cigars and playing cards than to do the hard work of being a Catholic fraternity. Even some members enjoy membership in the Masons. But all this is a manifestation of the times and the lack of good catechesis. Now you understand why the John Paul II and now Benedict XVI have spent lots of time on the new evangelization.
So, having acknowledged all this is to be aware of the work of sin and grace in the world. Personal conversion is difficult (hence we need Lent) and meaningful change of groups like a council, is not easy. We are too entrenched in our ideologies and not too conformed to Christ. What I think has to happen is that good men form their our council and do good work. The good will squeeze out flagrant behavior. Unless the State officers and chaplain are willing to take a hard stand with the goofballs you speak of then take the case to Fraternal Services and Fr Juan Deigo Brunetta, OP (Director of Catholic Information Service). I don't hold to the idea that someone's hands are tied. That's foolish and wrong.
As to you last question: the 90 men can conform to Catholic sacramentality and teaching and KofC tradition, or leave. The KofC is not the Elks Club.
But if you are serious Catholic, your absence doesn't help matters. Good men leading good Catholic lives are witnesses to Christ.
PAX,
PAZ
This is not the first time Catholics have faced this quandary. I am a 3rd Degree Knight, so I have skin in the game.
There were Catholics in Hitler's administration, who stayed on not because they agreed with Hitler, but because they felt they could do more good within the administration, could moderate the policies, find loopholes for people and help create buffers and cushions adminstratively that would save lives.
Abortion kills people just as effectively as the death camps. The K of C doesn't seem to care.
So, the question becomes, do we remain Knights and try to reform it from the inside, or resign in protest?
Read a book called "They Thought They Were Free." One man discusses exactly that problem, and although he worked as a mole in the administration, after the war he concluded that he had been wrong to do so. He felt the example he created by staying in the administration allowed others to emulate him, and ultimately allowed Hitler to stay in power.
If everyone had resigned, Hitler's government would have fallen apart.
The question isn't whether we should work from inside to reform things. The question is whether the Knights deserve to exist at all, if this is the bull they willingly support. Lots of religious orders have disappeared over the millennia. Why not the Knights of Columbus?