(The unedited submission....)
In an article last summer, the Times quoted Father Ronald Cioffi of the Trenton Diocese's Office of Social Concerns:
- "You may vote for a person who is pro-choice if you feel you have a moral reason to support the candidate for his stand on other issues."
The Vatican 's Archbishop Raymond Burke has bemoaned such misrepresentations:
- "The economic situation, or opposition to the war in Iraq, or whatever it may be, those things don’t rise to the same level as something that is always and everywhere evil, namely the killing of innocent and defenceless human life” <www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jan/09012805.html>.
While Father Cioffi never denied the words attributed to him, his office is designated to be a recipient of Bishop Smith's annual appeal <www.bishopsannualappeal.com/ministriesfunded.php#missions>.
The fact that Father Cioffi is a recipient is just one grave reason for concern about Bishop Smith's appeal. While the Church maintains its opposition to all contraceptives, some "contraceptives" can actually work as abortifacients! In December, the Vatican released an instruction, Dignitas Personae, in which it forcefully & unequivocally reiterated condemnation of these hormonal, so-called "contraceptives", which can act as abortifacients. New Jersey's Wyeth is among the WORLD’s top three manufacturers of hormonal contraceptives <http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADF983.pdf>. Rather than offering moral and spiritual guidance, the appeal has these words for Wyeth and its employees: "Please make checks payable to the Diocese of Trenton." <www.bishopsannualappeal.com/matchinggifts.php>.
Catholics can be faithful and generous, without moral taint on their dollars. Money can easily go to church "poor boxes" or specific charities, known to be faithful to Church teaching.
