You can't be Catholic and pro-choice. Really?

[Kath1]

Well, I am. I get so pissed off when I see that bumper sticker or hear that statement. The Church does great works of charity and good but it is just plain wrong on the issues of contraception, birth control and abortion, in my opinion. What about those horrible instances of rape or incest? Would any caring Catholic parent force their daughter to carry a rapist's child to term? I think that is sickening. Why should a small mass of cells trump a young woman's future? I'm 54 and I would guess that 90% of the Catholic church-going women I know have used some form of contraception. For them to pass judgment on a woman in crisis is hypocritical. I think the Church needs to change or become totally irrelevant. I am a mother by choice. My 25 year old daughter still attends Mass but is totally turned off by the anti-choice message. She goes to Planned Parenthood for cancer screenings, etc. Most of her friends gave up on the religion long ago. All of my female friends at the parish supported Obama during this election despite carefully worded sermons and printed materials which, basically, told us not to do so. I have an open mind on the issue. I've been to the Catholics For Choice website and the view there made a lot of sense to me. I like the Church but disagree with some of the teachings. Help me out here. I'm open to all thoughts on the issue. Thanks.

[LeftTurnOnly]

1. As a Catholic, I do not believe that abortion is a positive choice

I am both pro-life and pro-choice. I think the real issue for Catholics is to end the need for abortions, i.e. poverty and unplanned pregnancy, rather than just treat the symptom. Ya feel me? I don't necessarily identify completely with either side of the issue. Peace, Merry Christmas!

[Kath1]

3. Wow, thanks!

You have really helped me sort out my mind on the issue. Really, what you say makes sense to me. Thanks again for taking the time to respond. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

[LeftTurnOnly]

7. No problem! :)

It took me a lot of prayer and time to sort out my opinion on the issue. I'm a very faithful Catholic, and of course very Democratic, so it took a lot of soul-searching to come to that conclusion I'm glad to help! Lots of hugs and warm feelings to you this season

[rug]

2. Pro-choice does not equal pro-abortion.

It means you do not favor imprisoning anyone who does choose one.

Roe v. Wade stemmed from a Texas criminal statute outlawing abortion. Wade was the District Attorney.

[Kath1]

4. Thank you, rug.

A great Christmas season to you and yours!

[rug]

5. Same to you, Kath!

[mykpart]

6. Pro-choice = Free will

So how could you be anything but pro-choice?

I also know lots of people who are pro-life until it affects them personally, then everything is different.

[Brigid]

8. I am pro-choice.

There are times when, for reasons we do not know, a pregnancy goes terribly awry. Either it places the woman's life at risk, or the fetus is too deformed to survive. As for elective abortions, I would not have one, or help someone else have one. But other than that, it is not for me to judge.

As for contraception, I think the Church is just flat wrong. There is always NFP, which is said to work much better than the old rhythm method, but from what little I know it still seems to me it would require the woman to have a pretty regular cycle for it to be reliable. Again, it is not for me to judge. Does that help?

[Kath1]

9. That does help, Brigid.

Thanks for your input.