One of the rules I try to follow when selecting excerpts to quote from a story I’m referring to is not to quote almost the whole thing – get just enough of it to get the reader interested and let them follow on to the original source. It’s better for the original writer’s stats, and it affords the reader the opportunity to read other things from that writer.
Every once in a while someone writes something that makes that rule downright hard to follow. Archbishop Naumann’s article on the Catholic Key blog, which will also show up in the Archdiocesan newspaper, is one of those. He writes with sincerity and steadfastness and the reader can sense the pain it causes him to have to write in such hard terms. I dare say he indeed has a Bishop’s heart. I’ve selected only a few snips from this post, but believe me the whole thing is a gem all its own. I, for one, applaud the Archbishop for doing what had to be done and writing what had to be written. As with all Bishops, he remains in my prayers.
Normally, it would be a source of joy and pride to have a Catholic from Kansas named by the President to an important Cabinet Post. Unfortunately, I experience neither with President Obama’s selection of Governor Kathleen Sebelius as his choice to serve as the Secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
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As you are aware, because of her long history both as a legislator and Governor of consistently supporting legalized abortion and after many months of dialogue, I requested Governor Sebelius not to present herself for communion. I did this in the hope that it would motivate Governor Sebelius to reconsider her support for what is an intrinsic evil – the destruction of innocent human life by abortion. I also took this pastoral action to protect others from being misled by the Governor’s public support and advocacy for legalized abortion.
The appointment of Governor Sebelius as the Secretary of HHS concerns me on many levels. With her history of support for legalized abortion and embryonic stem cell research, it is troubling the important influence that she will have on shaping health care policies for our nation. Having elected President Obama with his own record of support for legalized abortion, our nation should not be surprised by his appointment of a Secretary for HHS who shares his views. Though many people voted for President Obama, not because of his support for legalized abortion but despite it, voters in effect gave him the ability to appoint individuals who share his anti-life views to his Cabinet and even more troubling to the courts.
