Green light for east river South Dakota Catholics to collect signatures for the Abortion bill

Big thanks to Bishop Paul Swain of the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls for his statement today supporting the petition drive to put the LIFE legislation on the ballot in South Dakota this November. Bishop Swain writes; "a Catholic may, after prayer and sufficiently informing his or her conscience, support this referendum under the principle of gradualism… petitions may be made available in parishes to assure that those who desire the opportunity to sign may do so." -From the bishops Statement Regarding the Abortion Ban Petition Drive.

With 30 days left (about 4 Sundays) to gather signatures, time is of the essence in South Dakota. Ask your priest if you can help circulate petitions and get signatures this weekend. Why the late show of support? Bishop Swain did give a homily supporting the legislation at a Mass for Life in January in Sioux Falls. However, the fact that this bill has exceptions for rape and incest makes it less than a full ban on abortions and despite Pope John Paul's Evangelium Vitae, no. 73 (which says incremental improvements in the law are acceptable as steps toward the full restoration of justice), some Catholics feel it would be a compromise to support it.

Though Catholics in east river South Dakota now have a green light to collect signatures in their parishes, the Bishop's statement also says "A Catholic may also, after prayer and sufficiently informing his or her conscience, abstain from or oppose this referendum because it does not reflect the fullness of the Church's teaching on the sanctity of all human life." So, the Bishop is saying it's OK to support it and, its OK not to support it. That's where he loses me.

Imagine a burning building with 100 people inside. This abortion bill effectively goes into that burning building and gets 95% of the people out right now. The next bill goes back in for the remaining five. This is a strategy to save 100% of unborn children from abortion!! It is immoral to do nothing, and even more immoral to oppose an attempt to save hundreds of human lives. The sin of omission and the sin of commission are both sins.