Bp Tobin "Unimpressed" With Obama's Tucson Speech

Coat of Arms of Bishop Tobin

STRONG - YES

LOVING - HARDLY

WISE - NOT AT ALL

Tobin claims that the President is the most pro-abortion president.

Yet he offers no comparison with the deeds of the previous presidents. Instead he olds up pieces of paper; reminds one of a past Senator in the 1950's? Nor does he address the affects that the previous presidents' decisions had on possible ways of helping families and pregnant women.

So, how does he arrive at his conclusion that the President is the 'most'?

This of course sidesteps the real issue, Tobin is blind to the difference between pro-choice and pro-abortion. The first puts the decision where it belongs with the pregnant woman, or the pregnant couple. The latter, at least in practice, mandates the decision in the absence of a sign or declaration of intent for the birth of the child.

Ultimately it is the woman, or the women and the man involved on whom the decision to abort falls. It is they that Tobin should be reaching out to not just with the Gospel of Life but with Acts For Life that will prove that no child is unwanted nor are any parent alone and without resources.

Tobin is just a sick man. Let's pray for him, and pray that he never gets his hand near a gun or we're all in trouble.

This is an excellent article. Thank you. As a liberal Catholic who is opposed to abortion, I approach the issue differently from a Just Say No perspective, perhaps because I was an elected office and know the difficulties that can arise.

It would seem to me that the vision for the Church is no more abortions. The goal then becomes how to achieve that vision. It is at this point that one then begins to examine which of a variety of goals will achieve the vision in the most optimal manner possible. It is at this point that women must be involved in the discussion. Although I know an admire several Bishops, there is not the remotest possibility that they can know what it is like to be pregnant, poor, emotionally distraught, in a domestic situation that is fraught with violence, or one or all of the above.

Until there is a change in the mindset of many in the hierarchy toward women, this of course will never happen.

Thank you for calling Bishop Doofus to our attention. He managed to go where even Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck wouldn't go.
His linking abortion to everything under the sun brings to mind Willmoore Kendall, a brilliant, conservative Yale professor of the 1950s who managed to alienate many of his friends. He had the unfortunate habit of frequently remarking during discussions, "But what about Alger Hiss?," whether or not Hiss had any relevance to the topic at hand.
If we must have bishops like this, appoint them to thinly-populated sees with few Catholics, so they are less of an embarrassment.

As long as repealing Roe is the sin qua non of the pro-life movement, Bishop Tobin, A/B Dolan and Michael Sean Winters will be stuck in a rut. While Roe was tragic, it was not wrong.

Jurisdictionally, the ruling is correct - whether a fetus is a person or not cannot be an issue decided by the States (and should not be - doing so would tear the nation apart much as the question of slavery did). The 14th Amendment makes this a federal question. The unambiguous language of the amendment also makes birth the absolute marker for recognition - however Congress can adjust it under its enforcement powers under the amendment and its rights as THE sovereign legislature.

Focusing on Roe is also irresponsible, meaning it relieves the pro-life movement and its leaders in the hierarchy from dealing with the quandry of HOW to extend rights to the unborn. It is not up to Obama,or even to Catholic legislators to come up with this solution - it is up to the partisans to do so.

The onus of change is clearly on the movement. Until it has a proposal, neither Obama nor Biden need do the movement's work for them. We can, however, point out the obstacles the movement must overcome to put forward legislation:

- dealing with making sure that natural miscarriages don't produce malpractice suits because a legal person dies without at the same time violating the equal protection rights of these legal persons

- deciding how criminal responsibility is meted out in killing a legal person without violating the equal protection rights of doctors by exempting mothers

- deciding how much power to give the state in investigating the deaths of legal persons - or how to avoid investigators borrowing families who have had miscarriages without leaving a hole in the law so big that the law is unenforceable.

It is not up to pro-choice Catholic politicians to resolve these quandries for you and until you propose a bill that deals with them (essentially by ignoring first trimester pregnancies), it is irresponsible to say that Abortion is the number one issue on which politicians are to be judged. In fact, without some draft legislation that addresses the issues I raise responsibly, ABORTION IS NOT A PUBLIC POLICY ISSUE AT ALL.

Bp Tobin's hyperfocus brings immediately to mind he title of a recent paper by Fr. Tom Doyle - The Bishops Love You Until You're Born .

'We’re … teachers,' Archbishop Dolan said of the bishops’ role, '…the teachers', on his election as USCCB president.   The most generous interpretation of Tobin's column is that he has no understanding whatsoever of what he is teaching or of what he does for the cause he claims to think most important of all. To the extent that is true, chances of the obviously deserved apology are slim. He joins a growing list of episcopal embarrasments at a time when the Church can least afford it.

I doubt it ever occurred to Tobin that comprehensive affordable health care might push more than a few mothers to bring their baby into the world. Throwing in affordable day care for the poor would help as well.

As to the appropriateness and timing of his remarks, I'm reminded of my 7th grade World History teacher in the late 60's who had a sign in his classroom that he pointed to on the first day of class that read, "There is a proper time and a proper place for every proper thing." It was primarily aimed at adolescent girls putting on makeup in class and today would no doubt include texting. But I have often used that maxim in my life, but replacing the word "thing" with the word "argument". Tobin definitely did not persuade anyone to change their pre-existing opinion by the timing of his argument, so he essentially was wasting ink and space in his diocesan newspaper.

I've been looking for some commentary on this matter, but haven't seen much. Here is my take on the op-ed piece: http://datinggod.org/2011/01/21/anti-abortion-lenses-dont-equal-pro-life...

"And, I confess, abortion policy is the prism through which I view everything this president says and does."

And the prism of idiocy is the one through which I view everything this bishop says and does.

God protect us from the likes of Tobin!

‘Moral leadership doesn't come just because someone gives you a purple cap, a red one or a white one,’ he said, citing the colors of the skullcaps worn by bishops, archbishops and popes.'

“Pope seen undeterred by abuse scandal, reform calls” March 29, 2010, http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62S4I920100329

"A bishop never more resembles Jesus Christ than when he has his mouth shut." Attributed to St. Ignatius of Antioch.

Archbishop Tobin --my hero

Thank you Archbishop Tobin. You comments were spot on, as usual. Only the supporters of the most pro-abortion president in history cannot see the wisdom in your comments.

Keep speaking out.

Thank you Bishop Tobin for throwing off the yoke of political correctness!! You are a STRONG, LOVING, WISE defender of Truth and Life!!! Rhode Island is blessed by your presence and leadership. When abortion ends, especially in RI, many will have have been saved through your courage! Who can ACCUSE a bishop of being TOO vocal in defense of the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters?

The good old “liberal Catholics” have once again shown their compassion and understanding! I'm truly impressed by your ability to be so open-minded about opinions and approaches that you agree with. Civility, respect and admiration for a pro-choice president yet nothing but vitriol for a successor to the apostles. It's a sign of how low the left has sunk and how far the Church has moved beyond you all. I am deeply grateful for Bishop Tobin's willingness to offer a prophetic voice for the unborn despite his being bullied and harassed by members of the very Church he is called to teach, sanctify and govern.